these footsteps were different - lig

ide her cell. It was a young woman wi

an whispered. "

up. "Yes. W

" The woman looked around nervously. "I he

laugh at me too?"

came to tell you something

er to the bars.

tening. "Lady Lydia has been telling everyone that sh

do you

ia's family is very powerful in this pack. They've been

faster. "So they're

lfred pays attention to other women." Sarah paused. "That's why sh

look at me?"

ke you were the most impor

uestions, they heard heavy fo

"But Bella - don't give up. Some of us be

k into the shadows ju

lla suspiciously. "Who

aid. "I was just

runted and

a hope. Maybe she wasn't co

leaders, discussing border security. But he couldn

safe in his territory. But something felt wrong

called his attention. "Did you hear wh

. "I need to cut this meeting short.

walked quickly toward the h

t there, the h

called out f

within second

Alfred's voice was

. "I thought she was

ne. Find

s head. "Right

, Alfred's phone rang. It

tell you that there's been a situation with the woman you

ood turned

the woman was cau

and ran toward the elders

cell when she heard voices ou

angerous," a woman's v

s voice replied. "We should have

ell with two of the elders.

ng your new home?"

bars. "When Alpha Alfred comes

fred doesn't care about you. Yo

ella said, but her v

rs. "Tell me, did he promise to make you

fred hadn't done ei

ul Alpha. He needs a strong Luna by his side. S

la. "You have noth

s right. Alpha Alfred will understand tha

already sent word to Alpha Alfred about your... situati

nk. What did "de

g footsteps in the hallway

EL

Alfred'

ppeared. "He's ear

g hard from running. His eyes were wild

is going on h

step back, intim

ously, "Lady Lydia brought some conce

ed said coldly. "And why

again. "Alfred, darling, I was just protecting

oked at her like she was crazy.

k slipped for a moment. "She's a spy! S

e bars of the cell. "Are you

d, but tears were r

ders, his voice deadly quiet

he elders said, "we thin

ce echoed through the hall, and e

ckly unlocked the cel

Bella stand up. He checked her for

ered to her. "I should n

ou're making a mistake! She's man

d his eyes were so angry that

y, "was trusting that my pack would trea

the elders. "You wi

thing unexpec

"Alpha Alfred, there's something y

ed, still holding

t words would c

e elder said. "According to o

ne wen

talking about?

nty without her wolf awakening is considered cursed by the Moon Goddess.

and instinctively g

egnant, as Lady Lydia suspects, the child will either

t pale. "That's j

again. "Alfred, the laws are clear. You cann

as spinning. Was it true? W

ething stran

ing from her stomach and moving outward. For just

t it - a power that was

talking about curses

t was that?"

e could answer,

ed caught her

she was breathing. Alfred

. "And when she's better, we're going to have a s

away, but Lydia cal

choose her over you

ed and looke

aid calmly. "But I'm not going to let innocen

, carrying Bella tow

f them noticed the small smil

stirring inside her for the first time in her lif

t would chang

cret would

are of her. And she would watch to s

old her something else: the

ere much more dang