o, none of you
e center of the hall. The words hung in the air, heavy and unyieldi
t pale. His face cycled through shades of white and green. His chest heave
is palm on the table
llion in funds and the border cooperation agreement will be withdrawn
e forced to lower their heads, whimpering under the pressure that radiated
ross the long table and dropped it in the center, her pen tip landing precisely on the swappe
e years." Darcy lifted her eyes, her gaze cold and steady as she fixed the
e breathed. Every wolf in the room was watching the e
turned his head to look at Darcy. The dark gold in his pupils reflected her image, deep and consuming, as if trying to pull her in.
t asked her to explain the numbers, hadn't demanded
, his gaze cutting like a blade across
million. Pull
se. His voice dro
will be charged to my personal account. D
hall. Several Elders exchanged stunned glances. The af
ed. And yet, throughout the entire exchange, he hadn't voiced a single doubt about Darcy's professional judgment.
tened around his ironwood staff until his knuckles went white. He ground
a high-ranked wolf to guarantee you, you can't stay here for even on
n clauses about "body marking" and "private dependency." Every line of it was designed to re
ront of her wi
lat against the paper. H
wo lines. T
t "marking" and "emergency control rights" with three long, deliberate strokes that nearly tore through the page
s a written request for dissolution. Position and authority shall not be continge
d Asher. She pushed it slowly, deliberately,
are my
gh the paper to erase. The gold in his pupils flickered w
like thes
But the muscle jumping in hi
ust s
tive had slumped back into his seat, his brief moment of defiance thoroughly crushed. The air in the entire counc
tful. Some simply confused. She calmly put her pen away and placed the document carefully into her bt. Her heels struck the floor in a steady, unhurri
rs were sealed behind the heavy w
didn't walk beside her. He stayed two steps behind, unhurried, his massive frame and the lingering cold pressure of his pres
fter the other, echoed through the silent hallway.
ng cold fluorescent light across their feet. Darcy stepped through first. Asheshut. All outside noisearound her, making her chest tighten and her pulse quicken despite herself.
d looked at his right ha
Marks he'd left on himself all night, forcing down his wolf and
tepped forward half a pace
mor rumbled deep in his throat. But he let her pull his
palm, one careful stroke at a time. The white fabric darkened w
ng through until she could feel it on her fingertips. H
und hers. Slowly. Deliberately. Gently. The restraint in his grip was measured,
says I can't
is burning, heavy gaze. His pupils were dark
say I can't as
i
p floor rushed in through the gap, dispersing t
ngers. She slid her fingertips against hi
merger is
heels striking the floor in a crisp
st before the gap disappeared entirely, his vor you to chan
d her came the heavy thud of
, staring at his empty palm. The warmth of her touch was sti
ine was so short it made his blood bu
n glow of the city filtered through the windows,
She placed the heavily amended guarantee agreement insi
could close
i
. Blazing red error warnings cut through the dim l
Registrat
e: Contrac
ct Mate relationship with the guarantor. The self-term
udicial Revi
through the silent room, th
relationship." Her fingers, still resting on the edge of theo trap her back into the same cage. "Mate" or "Dependent." Nothing in bet
in her eyes gradually shifting. Not to fear. N
, screenshot the error, a
cancel the guarantee
pause. She sen
ts for anything, tomorrow at 9 a
e
eared at the bottom of her screen, star
Officer has acc
/1/125275/coverbig.jpg?v=d782defcfe86915c061060a0da5eed5f&imageMogr2/format/webp)