e scent of herb

, not silk. A different room, this one older, wov

vered over my chest. Her eyes were cloud-white, her skin th

out looking at me. "The bond did not

"Where... w

le. The only place strong enough to

htened. "You'

eer. And one of the old on

she pressed a firm hand

ad. "What did

ed you. And he marked you. You are s

rose inside me,

t ask fo

gic is older than choice

yes burned. "He sho

said softly. "The bon

the sting. "Then break it. You

" she said. "Only com

"What happens i

. The oth

silence

lready marked by fate long before you crossed

t's completed?" I

a jar of dried bloodroot, b

d, voice low. "Then listen closel

erbs into a clay bowl,

third-born son of a minor Alpha, too far down the line of succession t

ak. The room

ival came before honour. They trained their young like beasts. Maddox thrived

in pr

. "That the spirits howled when he took his first breath. That the see

"That's j

"So was the Soul Mark, until

r p

cy. A being destined to tear apart the balance between packs, bonds, and bloodlines. To r

ng Maddox is

omen ever spoken about it."

rimes too many. Maddox stood before the entire council and swore vengeance. T

weight of t

and made a pact with whatever spirits dwell there. Others say he hunted do

hen?"

ights. No warning. No survivors. Only a blood sigil

whispered about in our war councils, etched into wanted scroll

id. "The Rogue King. The one who ans

at felt

s," I said quietly, "why

at me then,

the one thing they were told they

r creak

head, and

dd

boots. No armour. No weapons. Just a storm in human form.

ed her head.

er. His eyes n

d in places I didn't know I c

o it?" I asked

xed. "You w

t the same

would've bled out within minutes. I d

instead, you b

the on

that makes

ked. I didn't know if it was fe

he said, voice low. "You th

let

can

y n

Well, because you

cut deeper

peak, but no

you leave," he said.

away, bli

me. Just turned

ll need you

r w

was quiet,

at come