NDER'

in my chest. The voices around me were dull, like the droning hum of insects I couldn't quite swat away. Ano

nywhere else. Silence would have been better. A sword in my hand. A sparring match. Anyt

go become more than obligation-

a weapon. And he did. He stripped me of title, tossed me into this blood

tion. I had earned the right to be here-not through my b

almost completely under our control. We've pushed their forces back and recla

re hard. Something was wro

hy have

ched, glanc

xt, his voice rough with

n ambush hit us during the night. No rei

le

desk with enough force t

l into stunn

rl barely contained. My wolf surged,

and razor-edged. "That path was essential to our ent

berating like thunder. I could feel t

ying to recover. "We're mobil

hand, sil

phone

arp vi

s narrowing as the name

a A

for another logistical u

a Eliza of the Silver Moon Pack is

til

red into my b

iz

stuttered, th

The soldiers. Everything vanis

iz

?" someone

n't l

e," I said flatl

The flap of the tent swayed as

already go

in

. A boy used to plush velvet and royal banquets, suddenly expected to fight, sweat, ble

too

e first time

ven lift hi

then

iz

ht, but in presence. She was fire wrapped in skin. Blades in her

r tone brooking no argument. "At least h

the others like a shield. Frail-look

stened

daughter. She was born to lead.

was

atch. The one where I th

wift. Precise. I had

up at her silhouette framed

wa

s had to have m

had oth

Something about preserving the future of their bloo

s pa

e was already mated. Already

re

one made my

uelty. He was skilled, yes, but he wielded that skill

what Eliza saw in him. But the more I o

sn't

er-when whispers reached me of ano

ly kil

stopped me was the

forgotten.

d

he wa

ched. My pu

s. This was fate cor

ond c

dn't w

back while someone else took her hand. Wouldn

d prot

t fo

im

n approval, pacin

d never su

le I br

ile I

ld be s

ld be w

uld be