not sleep

fabric tangling around her legs, the night air stifling though the windows were thrown wide open. Every time her eyes closed, she saw it a

low breaths. She could not stop trembling. This secret this devastating truth w

her hear

her, never lorded her status over her. If anything, Aria had been kinder than mos

nside Jessica's chest the voice of envy, o

s my c

the Alpha's heir and always found wanting. She had bled in training, pushed her

be more

like her? Why can't

ound. Every comparison,

t

eapon that could sever

ried this shame to the right ears, no one would ever compa

ecision was ca

hispers began to s

em before sh

st

sile

n closer when she passed, as though

ide, each step heavier than the last. The air seeme

small, trembling. "Why are t

id it all. She had h

with

ghter, breeding

ddess has fo

clutched her cloak tighter around herself, as though thin fab

ed me? Who

reached her chambers, her legs gave way and she collapsed onto the b

ords breaking, "it's over.

m Aria's forehead. Her eyes glistened with helplessness. "Stay calm, Aria

of the door cut

ke a storm, his aura so thick and suffocating that Elora dropped her g

r pulse pounding vi

ordered, his ton

, she

ve.

beyed, her worried eyes lingeri

lowed was worse than

holding his fury together with sheer will. His voice came low,

what I have h

en to her since the night of her wolf's awakening. Now, h

rembled. "

closer, his eyes burning. "Tell

e betrayed her. Her trembling hands moved to her st

was e

something far more terrifying. For the first time in her life, Aria did

pack," he hissed

dn't ask for this! Do you think I

hard it bled, cho

arrowed danger

violently. "I don

You lay with a man outside your bo

k like claws ac

won't he believe me? Why w

g until her voice broke. "Please, Father, please, I swear

ay, lips curling as though t

er than any winter wind,

o daughter

rld st

ght in her thr

es no longer blazed with ange

id, his voice flat and merciless. "You a

rigid. The air

is da

ught she knew, the identity she h

head violently. "No, that's not tru

never wavered. Co

ver mine to

pack's whispers. Louder than her wo

n her wrist, as though the cursed brand could anch

s daughter...

g against stone walls. Mason turned, his cloak snappi

oor s

ed on the floor, drowning in the