The Cursed Alpha's Assassin

assin's

ood clung to th

he storm had rolled in hours ago, turning the forest into a maze of shifting shadows. Wind howled

fang Pack'

get was

ath her sleeve. The mission was simple-track, infiltrate, eliminate. Kieran Blackthorne was a threat, a time bomb wa

e whispered he was a monster, others that he had already succumbed to the

t believe in

ieved i

ear-kill the Alpha bef

mbled from the

me, barely avoiding the claws that slashed through the air where she had stood moments before. Her

she shoved her dagger against its throat. The beast hesitated-j

a be

ma

sed A

er skin. His eyes, burning gold with power, locked onto hers. The weight of his

nt curling in her veins. Heat spread through her chest, her pu

o

t

th

ruth was

ped into place, sh

hed over him. His gaze darkened, something dangerous flickering beneath t

rous wolf was gone, and

clung to his skin, rain tracing down the hard lines of his face. Scars m

re than j

curse g

her as if he already k

ing dread. She had trained he

l like she was the

rward, his voice low, leth

lie. She

what she did bes

gned exhaustion. "A rogue," she whispered, voice rasping f

ugh his eyes. He didn't trust easil

lder, the crimson staining her torn cloak. Somethi

he murmured, more to

weak smile. "Gue

t, the storm raging between them unsp

low

quest. A

fore pushing herself to her feet and

-

dland, the trees arching above like skeletal fingers grasping at the sky. The sto

taut beneath his dark clothing. Astrid kept pace beside him,

f his gaze on her, even whe

ue," he finally said, voice

d you don't smell l

second, before he let out a low, humorless ch

d. "Among o

t do you

honesty that wasn't entirely feigned. "I believ

that could either earn h

in his eyes flickering like

't beli

o

here to make him

here to

-

estled deep within the valley. Guards flanked the entrance, their eye

The scent of wolves, damp wood, and so

eyes narrowing. Tall, lean, with an

thorne. Kie

d before Elias could speak.

aze never leaving Astrid.

" Kieran

ue you found bleeding in th

le. "I make a bad habit

dn't smi

. "Just do as

ias finally nodded. "Fine." He turned

ted smoothly. "I'm not

her

dn't need t

-

icker in the fireplace. The wound on her shoulder had been cleaned and wrappe

e planning h

ing about the best

the way he had looked at her-lik

ting for her to

t the door bro

his presence filling the space with an i

ld rest,"

a brow. "And w

quite a smile. "Because if you die before

the challenge cl

sudd

ed through th

ing. Filled

toward the door, his

d around the dagger hi

had just

only ju