ica'

s making

ice through my veins, even as

ck cou

ower to strip Ryan of his title

growled, his entire bod

aw clenched told

us never made a move unl

, my legs still shaky. "

head. "No. I'll

was firm,

e wanted to kee

ust a bystande

Ryan," I said, lifting my c

But he must have seen the determination on my

to me," he

t another word, we lef

uncil

pack council was already seated a mix of old and

m that made my bl

the room, completely at ease like he alre

instantly, amusement curlin

"The lovebirds

in front of me like a shield

but turned back

he said smoothly, "to disc

mach t

k deserves a leader who can actually protect it.

lenched in

growled, his rage barely contain

htly, pretending to conside

ou for the Alp

sps. Murmurs. Shocke

body stiffen

son o

n Graves, slammed his cane against the

" he said smoothly. "It's tradition. The s

shaking w

, my heart poundi

knew. He could

t losing e

ighed. "The challenge is valid. If both parti

muscles

he sp

pt." Th

dn't s

ed, staring at the moonlight

lost tom

o

even think

Ryan step inside, his shirt discarded, re

he bruises and scars

s he h

ight not win

r, kneeling i

rried," he

Of course I am. Dar

hin, forcing me

am

you're different now,

ten

oment the tr

f was w

risk to claim me despite my curse

rius k

whispered. "We can

tened, but his res

ing, Jess," he murmured. "Not

rmed in m

ted

he reason this fig

ight with you,

, shaking his head.

ya

was firm. Final. "I

urned m

pressed against mine

a desper

odbye. It wa

mured against my l

ike I could hold

ere, in his arms, the b

Dawn The F

ounds were pack

cle, watching as Ryan and

air was thick wi

ands trembling as I watched Ryan roll h

e him, relaxed, conf

rked a

t to do this, bro

His wolf growled slo

between them, r

be fought until submissio

inch

arius atta

fast, precise, dodging to the s

is elbow snapped out, sl

ed, stagge

hard enough t

etaliating with a powerfu

ne echoed throu

ed the blood from h

opped. Someth

have been able to

A faint glow be

Dark

ed. Ryan did

the time I opened

s slashed across Ryan's

the ground with

. Ryan did

arius turned