THE REJECTED MATE BECOMES THE QUEEN

t before the last wo

gh the borrowed coat. Below them, somewhere in the dark trees, branch

cold ashes and shoved the blanket into

go up and over the ridge, then drop into the next val

chest chose that moment to flare, a sharp reminder that Kael still existed somewhe

sound felt too loud. The moon had climbed higher, throwing hard shadows across the ridge. Elara could h

e back, found her arm, and guided her through first. On the other side the ground f

to," he murmured. "

e in a controlled slide, hands scraping for purchase. Rowan stayed close behind, using his weight to slow both

-short, sharp, and answered by two mo

nded beside her a second later, already turning to scan the ridge above. Dark shape

Rowan

y r

ungs burned. Branches whipped her face and snagged the oversized coat. She kept her eyes on Rowan's

ght and met the wolf with his shoulder and forearm. The impact was heavy and ugly. Man and beast went

The wolf's jaws closed on his forearm; he drove the blade up under its ribs and twisted. Th

t that morning woke under her skin, stronger this time. She did not understand

ged past Rowan

wolf's momentum carried it past. Elara's hand came down on a broken branch. She swung it with

rk in the moonlight. He moved like a man who had done this before-efficient, brutal, no wasted mot

ed from the ridge

e cut throug

rtheast. There's a

t leavi

one they're

ders hit a tree. The animal's eyes locked on hers. Something in her blood answered-an instinct she did not have

as e

drove it into the ground. Bon

his free hand. Blood from hi

er.

ran a

yed close-snapping branches, heavy bodies moving through brush, the occasional frustrated s

hesitate. He pulled her straight into it. The cold was a shock that punched the air from her lungs. Current d

e went under. Freezing water filled her nose and mouth. Rowan's hand clamped around her upper arm like i

illows. Behind them, angry howls rose from the opposite side. The wolves had reached the rive

e the roots made a natural blind. They dropped to the ground, soaked and shaking.

teeth ch

're

had

d motions. The fabric darkened immediately. Elara watched the blood seep through and felt that same strange he

d stop herself and pressed her

t complet

re you

n't k

ething deeper. For a moment nothing happened. Then the bleeding unde

t her hand

he far bank, searching for a place to cross. One of them l

oice was

la

the fresh bleeding had stopped. A faint smear of her own blood-she must

to her face. Something compl

," he said, "it's

ent from the others. It came from farther upriver, and it was an

led Elara to her feet, ignori

nrise. If we're lucky, we reach the old

feeling the phanto

trees beyond, two wet, exhausted figures running fro

gathered and turned i