HINA'

lled with the powerful, intoxicating scent of my mate-pine and wild musk-now felt ho

te purpose. I gathered every gift he had ever given me-a pressed wildflower from our first meeti

I watched the flames consume them until they w

f named Marcus, arrived. He wouldn't m

birthday celebration tonight," Marcus sent through the

stones. They shimmered with an inner light, beautiful and pure. He had promised it to

it to her, using m

was a message. My role was

r it personally," I sai

rved from a single piece of black obsidian, cool and heavy in my hand. Along the blade, runes were etched in silver. I

ront of all the allied pack

nergy washed over me. Hundreds of pairs of eyes fi

ally here. Look at

hame. After w

ha Kaelen exile

th Lyra clinging to his arm. She was radiant in a gown of shimmering gold, the moo

an dagger concealed in the folds of my sim

ift," I said, my voice carryin

elen's cheek, a blatant act of possession. "Oh, silly me. Tha

e let out a small gasp, stumbl

n to her, his brow furrowed with concern. "

thed, clutching his arm tigh

ed. It was the

Kaelen's head snapped towards me, his eyes wid

e meaning of this? Put

ross my own palm. The pain was clean, real. I

ng with a power they had never heard from me be

Clan, reject you, Kaelen of t

ck, his face contorting in shock and sudden pain. The mate bond, the sacred link forged by the

tress over Lyra making him reckless and i

my challenge and get back to Lyra, he utte

accept you

ot agony ripped through my chest, a pain so profound it stole my breath. I saw a mirror

d and tripped me. I fell hard, my head cracking aga

aelen's voice, distant and panicked, but

wailing Lyra from the hall wit

ding wound in my soul, but beneath the pai

. Blood trickled from my forehead, but I stood tall. Alone, weak, and fina