d across its surface had shifted from a dull crimson to a searing oran

ing run

ne. Under the rigid stares of everyone in the room, sh

d him had sharpened into a razor's edge. His gaze remained locked on Darcy, his fingers curling tightly at his sides until his k

htened his grip on his black ironwood

e the pr

e shifted. "Elder, the test

he wants to prove she deserves to stand

ble weight crushed down on her spine like a falling mountain. With no wolf form to absorb the impact, it struck straight at her nerves

unes completed a cycle, the pressure dropped for one bri

wenty-six...

ttern held, she c

he adjudication insignia quietly slid a black calibrator into

r. The pressure that should

against the edge of the stone as her knees dropped again.

rcing himself to a halt. His fingers clamped

ac

t through the hard w

om her chin. She lifted her head with difficulty and met As

smallest shak

htened sharply,

tallic taste of blood filled her mouth, drag

ad vanished. Someone had

side control station. The black-robed attendant was just pulling

d against the stone and slowly

scar on her shoulder flare again. For one dizzy second, the orange runes blurred at the edges. Darcy locked her knees

te. Two

xpecting her to collapse. Now, as the final seconds burned away, those same faces had

ook violently beyond her control. Then, deep beneath th

um

te passed through her amber

sher's breathing stopped f

e mi

e Wolfstone went dark. T

her lips were pale, and her palms were bloo

face had gone ashen. He

ding is r

ai

two ragged breaths, then raised a hand an

en, the output pat

't even have a wolf form. What gives

f. Her voice was hoarse, but every word fell clearly. "After one

expressi

ance. Her cold gaze shifted direc

ed attendant

only a si

o the ground. A black calibrator rolled from his sleeve

im," As

s hands trembling. "An over-limit calibrator..

tform, her steps unsteady. She looked

t dare do this on his own.

e him to the holding cells. No on

ed and dragged

across his palm by wood splinters. He looked at Darcy, then reached o

walk, Mis

briefly on the red marks across

rm get on y

with a faint scoff. "Remind procur

ed it, her fingers brushed against the warm cut on hi

st and smoothed the w

u. For ba

w lifted sligh

stepping

ion. His voice was utterly flat. "Your competence isn't

the proceedings at

ed their posture. The provocative looks from earlier were

r agreement was pla

y muscle below her waist protested as she turned the pages, but she kept her expression unr

rom her palm with a handkerc

ge. Seco

er fingers stopped. The settlement

it twice. Her g

rced to assume nearly one billion dollar

drew a sharp, single line t

lause i

"Miss Clark, that clause was approved by th

y set the agreement down with a sharp

. "This has been standa

h thing as 'standard practice

ded her hands over her lap, hiding the slig

y signature, r

force the entire Elders'

s eyes witho

nature. If I don't sign, no

he affiliated Pack representa

ng fingers slid the crossed-out agreement across t

her. She's

the other and let his cold

umbers. Th