le

od hit him befor

llic. Taint

l inside the Grove, locked in whatever the witches had done to her. But he kne

d, the name of a b

rough the mist. Tall. Cloaked in dark furs. Armor that shimmered like

is uncle. The wolf wh

s," Rivan said, stepping into the circ

uldn't b

en my blood runs wild and unclaimed in the north." His eye s

didn't

it's true. The cur

ow what am ta

at she is. And what you are. A failed Alpha clingin

Kalen warned, "and I'l

your father, all growl and glory. Tell me, di

nds curled

rs?" he asked. "You

len. You've always been weak. And now, the curse h

he curse rising, pulsing under his skin like it always

e said, vo

know, does she? What you did. Why did your pac

t I did," K

y she can't survive this. You bonded with her. Marked her. Do you

than you'll ev

in ignorance. And now, every Alpha in the Wild North w

oment Kalen st

mov

than

born of thunder, blood claws slashing, teeth snapping. Rivan twisted, elbo

, blood spray

howled i

hispered. Le

e growl

oodied but grinning. "Sti

d dark flame flickere

d ma

heart st

ith that filth," he sp

d. "Order. Power. Not some cursed heir

led th

odged,

nd him cracked

, the ai

oon p

Grove, a new

White-gold

urned s

ove tr

ra step

no longer th

silver. Her skin shimmered faintly, like frost and fire. And behind he

Kale

e

from him,"

hesi

child. You don't even kno

aised h

palm, and struck hi

backwards, crashing through two stones and s

ve fell

d at her, c

ara

rned t

sm

d. "My mother's voice. Th

d they s

aded. "They sho

ened. "The

rd the horizon,

veryt

me, thick as smoke

. I wasn't fallin

wasn't

ent voices calling my name, so

heard h

le

dark like fire. Des

he said. "Elara, do

ast that had taken hold twisted and

reme

way he looked at me like

I had left, I

. A hea

exploded be

slamming back

r. The blood on his ha

e choked.

whispered, voice

his arms, but so

le was t

und too

nd that's w

doorway... holding

ody, just as Ashen stepped i

e Rivan's fallen body, taller, cloaked in bone

ice like thun

urer has