Crosb

the center of the living room. I drifted close behind and stopped beside it, my spiritual gaze fixed on the brace

d her wrist, admiring the way the diamonds caught the light. "I just had a flash of

i

ds covered in cuts and calluses, learning to shape metal and

oured my soul into those delicate twists of platinum. Every curve, every stone, every whisper of light-it was mine. And now it was

With me by your side, all your dreams will come true.

a's eyes. Then, her body swayed, and

ing to her chest. Her breathing became shallow, her face i

d by sharp worry. He knelt beside her, his hand hovering over he

doctor had assured us years ago it was nothing to worry about. But she had always used it as her

no trace of fear, no hint of real distress. She wasn't afraid. She wasn't in pain. She was acting. The same performance I had watched a hundred times before. The theatrical g

her eyes. "I don't know... I just sudde

d as he reached out through the Pack's mind-link, a direct line of commun

t hint of a triumphant smile to touch her lips,

I sa

hes. I pushed toward her, my silver paws clawing at the air, desperate to tear that smug smile off her face-but m

cooped her up into his arms again. "I'm taking

up the grand staircase to the master bedroom. The one room

enderness he might show a fragile piece of gl

and. He was the Pack's most respected doctor, a man w

nation, listening to her h

sing in me. He was experienced. Su

n. "Alpha King, Miss Bonita seems to have experienced a brief palpitation, lik

al, but I heard the subte

but his gaze on Bonita

Caden's hand, her voice weak and pitiful. "Bu

. He wisely said nothing more, simply preparin

tea himself. The Alpha King of the Fowler Pack, red

roths for his stomach pains, only to have him glare at

with every passing second. For her, he brewed tea with his

a sip the warm liquid. The scene was sickeningly domestic, a portra

returned." She held onto Caden's hand, her e

seen this performance before, in

d Caden, the blind, manipulated Alpha K

pirit, a spectator at a play directed by my sister and starring

h manufactured fear. "Caden... tonight... I'm scar