ra

nse, hurried exchange. I could feel the fear coming off the Adkins guards in waves a

e he lowered his head, his breath brushing my ear. "Rest while you can," he murmure

ms to the clumsy hold of a guard was jarring. I was carried to the Adk

ride back to the manor. They spoke of Alpha Travis, of the kneeling prince, of the wolfless

e manor-they placed me on my lumpy mattress. I didn't stir until

en, did I allow m

the morning's events. I had survived. I had turned a public humiliation into a

in. I immediately shut my

red. One light and gracefu

cooed, dripping with false sympathy

bo

ing in the torn dress, the mud, the dried blood, and the injuries that should have been hidden beneath th

nt that always made my stomach turn. It was the

ther," a second, younger voice said. Annab

began dabbing at my face, wiping away the grime. The ge

sounded sincere to anyone who didn't know her. "This is what happens when she doesn't listen.

aid, Irina. She had sent Agnes to bury me. Sh

r voice sharp with envy. "Catching the eye of Alpha Travis. The who

like that will chew her up and spit her out. Yo

k. I felt her fingers tra

my jaw. I kept my breathing slow and heavy, letting my

ebora call

snapped her fingers beside my face. When I still

s out

false tenderness disappeared from her voice when s

ool Agnes was supposed to handle

ation. "I don't know. Agnes hasn't retu

d to guard their words. Every sentence gave me another piec

he problem is this little bitch. She's tougher than she looks." She paused, her fingers br

d. "She's still the same ugly, wo

its familiar pretense of concern. "I'll go tell your father she's back. We'll have the Pack doctor ch

ized the w

as going to try again. R

on," Debora added as they walked to the

er of warmth from the original Clara's memories. Her

plunging the room

ut my vision was perfectly clear. There was

ached, a deep, cellular exhaustion from the poison. The Bligh

llow, thin, with dark circles under the eyes. Annabella was right. I was ugly. But

a chilling, predatory expression tha

would be ready-and I would make sure