ia's

only attended college there to be near Zane, and now that I'd graduated a

Howling Peaks, the ancestral territory of th

for me. My best friend since childhood, though we'd bar

sked, searching my face for any signs of th

fted in a way I hadn't allowed myse

ters, always rushing back to orbit around Zane like a pathetic moon.

re was nothing pulling me back

happened with Zane," she said, her voice gentle but not pitying. "Let's

nodded. The knot in my

bottle of rare blood moon whiskey, the kind that burned deliciously going down and hu

etching inside me, pleased to shed the mee

ou transformed yourself for him... I barely recognized you. My wild, fearless Sylvia-suddenly t

ge and strength above all. Before my charade, I'd been known for my love of adrenaline-street racing through mountain pa

me sports junkie who sneered at men and Alphas alike. I

ced everything that made me

mind," I drawled, swirling

aybe I needed to prove that mate bonds weren't the ultimate power my mother claimed them to be. I'd been

e, clearly responding to the Alpha pheromones I was no

now that you and Zane are over, are you really go

ow sip. "A

weathered brutal pack politics and corporate attacks against Frost Industries with unmatched resilien

always been too fra

mother had understood that, which is

ung my pride, I wasn't a cowa

require you to have a mate before you can officially tak

plied with

sn't cruel about my choice of mate. Her opposition to Zane had always been more

t Astra won't force you into anything. And honestly, there are plenty of wolves who'd kill to be with you

American werewolf packs and leader of the Bloodmoon Pack, he was the dream mate of countless she

remained steady. But I was too proud, too determined to stand on my own. I didn't need some powerful Alpha to run my pack for me-I wanted to choose my own path,

's suggestion, pretending i

y throat, leaving an unexpe

-not drunk, as werewolves metabolized alcohol too qu

her expression turning strange. "Cae

aesar's pack structure, they weren't particularly close. It was odd that he'

sponsible," she murmured, bu

tside the club. The window rolled down, revealing a fac

nd pale skin that seemed to glow under the moonlight. His presence radiated power, dang

his deep voice sliding o

ly before landing on me with an i

e I'd just thrown myself off a cliff. My wolf, so long suppress

g felt its echo once before, years ago. But

ening. Reaching. De

ue Mate. And from the hungry look in his eyes, his wolf h

the weight of my realization, the truth set