ood drying on her fingers, her breaths shallow. She stared down a

changed? Or had it

in mist. And somewhere in the forest b

shiv

ck came at

inched. "

voice. Calm. Stead

or just enough for t

the blood. Then to Selene's tremb

s be

enching her fists. "Wh

The dreams, the mark, the bond-it's all con

ied. "But the moon calls who it will. And when it calls, we must answer." S

d. "He said I'm his fated mate. But how can that

the Silverclaw bloodline," Rowan said, her tone revere

up sharply. "Y

d tradition. Left the pack. Paid a terrible price

d Moon rises to its peak. It's the one night the Alpha c

t thudded. "H

wi

s that pulsed faintly in the moonlight. Torches lined the perimeter. The scent of firewood and earth filled the ai

mother's pendant. Her hair fell in waves over her sh

, bare-chested, and crowned with the ancient marking of

he stepped int

eyes

around them

, a tether of invisible light stretching between

g and sure. "Under the Blood Moon, before

d across th

. "Do you accept this

e upon her. Her breat

was m

h something other than fear. Her wo

ther voic

stepped int

ng, the picture of honor and strength. His eyes were kind, but cold no

darkened. "You wou

"By alliance. Her family owes mine." "I don't belong

le fell

king about me like I'm some kind of prize. I didn't c

ed hers. "But you

. But that doesn't mean I'm ready to belong to a man I don't know." Caleb

ed low in his ches

een them, raising

with eyes like flint. "Selene Ryder," he said, "you are of two bloods. O

hands t

from Cale

oon-blood-red

time," s

ed. "You have

enched, but h

nd walked away

s trailing like smoke. Selene remained in

You stood your ground," he

answer right a

said. "I didn't believe in fate unt

ce him. "You thi

ftly. "Not yet.

ven if it breaks me." He started to walk away, but paused. "You should know," he added,

eath c

n he wa

under the full red moon, the

e ni

e ch

bo

she could no