la'

the training field. Every eye turned to me. Smirks

she doin

t on her way to

the omega playpen

I didn't blink.

efusal. Each brea

th arms like logs and a mouth like a cleaver,

" he sneered. "The

front of him. The other warriors c

train," I s

ld it in. "You want to train? This isn't some

d. Marcus's second son, Dane. I knew him well enough to hate him. H

t go back to the nice little corner Ma

ead in the eye

o spin him. His foot slipped. My leg swept him. I twist

his throat, my teeth bared in a low, ins

forward, furious.

heart thundered. My hands started sh

I want t

," he spat, the

ve it," I

curled. S

ior line up against me. They came wi

hed. My lips split. I tasted dirt mo

field, clapping for me thro

adable. But once, when I knocked down the broad-

r end of the clearing, ar

y move I made. And when I finally collapsed beside the we

e approached. "Y

ched and hand

ask

e stone. "Because I want to survive." His

e steady. That was en

ce dropped lower. "You don

at him sharp

answer, and I wasn

aughing. They started watching me once I beg

tion. She whispered in corners and smiled too widel

th fog. The packhouse was frantic

stew had been left in the warming room, meant for the c

damp with the

word. I stood in the hall, bare feet cold on the marb

iet. "Do you know what this is?"

h had turned to dust. "

said. "Do you

dn't

wed, a predato

cence and horror. "It's awful," sh

arcus turned to the guards. "Put her in the dungeon. We'

e away. No trial. No qu

n. The chains were cold. My wolf p

hours. Then a shadow

adable, and he stepped

No, I didn't." Ever

long moment. Then he t

is boots faded

, letting the betrayal seep into my bones. I wanted to

there was a voice that sai

Sage stood there, her face pale, he

aid. "Let it come." My voic

ound the rusted iron. "Storms don't start in safe

is the world trying to sm

the skin raw from iron. "W

utiful. "You already are. Ever

if she'd never been ther

ising," s

locked me in chains and left me t

ing, and when I get out, I'll make sure t