Crown Of Moonfire

POINT O

t. It smelled bad because a lot of people lived there. I was lying on a blanket that did not keep me warm. My back hu

for warmth. Others were lying on the floor like they were dead. None of them ever talked t

t did not cover my body well. I had stopp

ery morning was the same. Cold. Hungry.

oal. I picked up a bucket and a rag. Started cleaning. My job was to clean up the blood from the kitchen flo

lood started to fade. My arms an

wl that someone had dropped and left there.

sharp. It cut my hand. I did not see it until

at my hand. Saw the blood. It was dark and thick. I remembered what my mother told me when she

gainst the cut. I closed my eyes. Prayed to the mo

n I looked at my hand again the cut was gone. No blood. No

s was not the time something like this had happened

ecause my mother told me to. Because something inside

e floor until it was clean. I worked until my h

bing, rat?"

ice. It was Lira. She was mean a

s were shaking. I did not

k to you " she said. He

ime ago. If I showed her fear she would hurt me more. If I s

ress and my hands. She smiled. "The ceremony

to go. The Alpha would walk through the crowd. Find his mate. I did n

at. "The Alpha will walk past you. Feel nothing. You are

floor. "Clean it again, "

ss was wet. I was shivering. I did not cry. I had sto

rag. Started s

-

as sharp. Her eyes were sharper. She was not beautiful like Lira. She wa

ur dress?" she asked. Her

t scrubbing. "She spilled water

fists. "That she-wolf. I am

. I looked up at her. "

She pulled them away from the rag. "Your hand

my hand. Frowned. "Sera there is blood on y

ere was no cut. It is not my blood. It is the warr

ould see it in her face. She could smell the trut

different about you. I have known about it for months. Your

art was beating fast.

k at her. "I am your friend. The only friend you hav

her. I wanted to scream it.. The words

I pulled away from her. "The

ot follow me. I felt her eyes

ged than the others. It still hung loose on my body. I ran my fingers through

all with their heads down and their shoulders bent.

e floor. I tried to make myself small. I

s and ranking wolves sat on benches. The Beta sto

not sho

back against the stone wall. Wrapped my arm

Her hair was braided with silver threads. She smiled at t

, I thought. She wants

to be chosen. I did not want to be seen.

oom fell silent. Ever

jaw was hard. His eyes were cold, like gray iron or a winter sky. He wore

lphas chair looking down at the crow

their names. They walked to the center of the hall. The Alpha l

elt the tug. Were matched with wa

gs hurt. My heart hurt. I want

ed my name. "Sera

stuck and my feet would not. My throat was closed up. The wh

ey seemed to say. Look at the state of her cl

d to the center of the hall. My hands were. My

weighing me down with his gaze. His wolf

ent wide. For a moment I saw something in h

w Kael's body leaned towards me, how his chest moved up and

g, low and sharp. The. T

. He stopped in front of me. I looked at my dirty

oked at me at the pack at Lira smirking and at

r not have a mate than be tied to someone like her.

I felt my chest cave in. My knee

rty and throwing me away. The pack laughed, loud and

st. I ran until I could not run anymore. I fell to my kn

the connection. Chosen to be proud instead of being with

shining down on me with a light. It fe

had told me: never let them see you bleed when you are hurt.. S

g my chest where it hurt. It w

g, something old and quiet. It did not

e was enou

got up. I walked back to the keep. I walked through

sleep. The mate ceremony was over. The Alpha had not cho

t understand. A secret that had just been h

s still there.. There was also

me. The moon made me some

de the wind was howling. I

old wolf named Draven woke up. He smell

ed. He knew he had to kill her b