ared itself into bone. Aria sat upright on the edge of the infirmary bed, wrapped in a wool blanket that did not provide her with any warmth. Her

ks t

to th

aving touched her, an

still lingered i

ot even

real

d by e

t her. Like she was no longer invisible. Like he saw her, actually saw her, b

if it w

e belonged

: K

is

Now, he sat in Moonshade's war room, teeth gritted, arms cross

k Isla! Do you even compr

f paced inside him, hackles raised, growling at each con

d. That should have

s didn't bo

e continued. "Human-born, barely welcomed

sto

m fell

is teeth. But the force of his

ing. And she is

e room. No one da

low. "It was fate. And if you speak of her like that

d-because staying a moment lon

: A

by the time the door

a

air shifted, thickened, crackled like

in, slow

oximity. Not just his build-tall, well-muscled, every inch Alpha-but hi

ot speak

er di

hed softly, "I did

her," he said

ightened. "S

ething flickered in his eye

ecide wha

: K

sn't what he

eneath her surface-she'd allowed it to burn when she'

her

h breath near her sent a shiver down

ad stirred something ancien

didn't simply. smolder with m

he wasn't mer

someth

hing

: A

a single look that

gerou

r body hummed with power. Her wolf shifted beneath h

ffort could ma

st, a disappointment, a mistake-Aria, to be

lf have to spring

offered n

And Kael's eye

: K

lept

ad, h

he ridgeline, beneath a jud

o move. To bre

anted to do

ck to

fate pushed into his

ran

ed across the wind-of

gu

: A

p to break

a dr

w. Black clothing. Cold fangs. Glowing

t think-s

shed into th

inued to rake

hed acros

the

he

i

: K

the rogue

ssembled with a characteristic crack. His

rough a cabinet

Twisted. Shadow-mark

madness. Every st

e stood in

e she

: A

room

her ribs, but she c

ud-black, ember-eyes

wolf how

ll th

straine

aked. Her bre

n, as i

shif

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t in time to

didn't

go

Stum

ow

lf was

d with

atu

uti

f in the vall

: A

n't stand

r wolf whimpered. The

hit the ground,

t that followed

not a