ra's

ght over the Crescent Moon Pack grounds. I shivered, arms crossed tightly aro

feel real. Hum

blankly at the tiled floor, his hands bloody fro

ce trembling. She wasn't looking at me; she was watching K

her

mselves, shooting me dark glances like it was my fault.

rd and turned

said quietly. "I

tling me. Her face softened immediately.

days, I noticed how quiet the pack grounds had bec

n the silence.

red, tugging my sleeve

th. Above us, the clouds thickened, hiding the stars. I kept my head low, t

fle

rs

e foll

ht. Wherever I went

r breath, like she could hear my thoughts.

believe her.

inside me whis

hed, its crooked roof leaning dangerously to th

he gate. "Are you su

weak smile. "Thank

ise me you'll stay inside tonight. No wandering. No-" Sh

d. "What

uickly. "Nothing. Ju

as gone, vanishing into the mist that

e house, bolting the door behind me. The si

o my narrow bed and stared at the ceiling, trying

ing would be wors

ed my ey

but eventually, the dar

A

ounded against my ribs as I stared into the

s shaking. Someone-or somet

lm. Sta

t hammering. Peeking out, I saw

ti

dow m

th by my door. I couldn't see his face, but

boards. I needed to run-but where? The back do

n. Then a low growl rum

a

wo

wh

tacked their own..

e to

chair leg-and crept toward the corner, heart thu

ed under anoth

, and it wou

ced m

s the fina

split t

ched. Co

, the sha

th the force of a freight train. The two figures rolled across the

the wall, breathing har

t only lasted seconds-b

y-forced the attacker back. With a final snarl, the hulking

tumbled, panting

w dro

eli

ng from the corner of his mouth. His ey

gering toward me. "You ha

ing away instinctivel

st, dragging me toward the d

oice cracked

s a plan. They're saying you cursed the pack. That you cause

fr

pered. "No,

" His voice was rough. "U

at me not to trust him-he had humiliated m

t have

I choked out as he p

dn't

ows were forming-dark figur

ng the

g me sideways, into the trees. Branches

he footsteps

st

ring-and there, waiting like a nightmare m

tr

y, a dagger glea

in your cage, little w

she l