: The Alpha

ra

smelled l

kind that stings the nos

bl

d. B

emembers even when e

sing around me like a second skin. Every night Gonzalo sent me on patrols.

told me that morning. "Some of the younge

head. "Questio

why you're alw

said it, but my

e I ear

e back. "Becau

Deeper than

tongue. L

est I couldn't afford. If I slowed, if I complained, if I faltere

he air was changin

The sideways glances fro

stant, her quiet voice

to me," I'd told

you Luna," she'd said. "Now

didn't wa

ted a

ange and gray. He was waiting, arms crossed, surrounded by his ever present shadows: Adrian, his Beta, and two enforcers w

?" Gonzal

ut I saw tracks. West ridge

a brow.

gage. Not wi

n do you n

th disappointment and som

ing me squirm.

, breaking the silence. "

said, never takin

s. "Or we could

ppene

ir dr

ees st

ard. His enforc

tone, Lior

to me like I'm just

ist, tight, commanding

get who

him. No fl

od beside you when

ip fal

a beat o

o the west ridge. Discreet

tered. We

ok at me for

estion me," he said at

ve them

not my

arder than I th

e unexpected but bec

t," I w

e not

laws raking th

at am I

dn't

didn't

*

, tending to a pup with a bloodied pa

murmured.

tired. "He's

need

you. There's

t besi

k he'll ever

That alone w

ftly. "And you al

r, into the tree

lieve

s the gift of wolves like him. They don'

hed me like

es sweet if you'v

*

dn't return to G

ay, but into

ember the first blo

rried the names of wolv

d down an

er skin. Bo

silver gray. My eyes were

reath from my lungs. Let the ache in my

Liora Vale, the girl who thou

k low, I returned

dn't

y claws. Pressed my f

. Low and raw and trembling w

st swall

*

ing, the stro

't tol

wolves, murmuring, eyes flicki

hem until I saw th

nz

eside

wo

reen eyes. R

onzalo announced. "Daugh

fr

s an ambassador. And st

was a

he

r n

d turne

y side, her voice b

do yo

her purp

eplied. "Or marri

rest his hand

y he used t

Like a lie whisper

t happenin

dy is," N

*

ted him t

dn't te

up. "It's none

. "I thought I w

dry and cold. "You're my so

racked. "I

gave you the o

ck. Hurt tur

regret

eyebrow. "Is

k my head. "

ray me ove

rayed me

aved

you're discarding me f

d. "You're forget

o. I'm finally rem

mbers with fir

spark ha

done b

eeding

when you tried to cage a wolf