The Bite Of Destiny

. My boots crunched on the frosted ground, the sound too loud in the oppressive silence. The counci

you, Emily. It's

im to say those words. How easily he could strip me of my autonomy, my voic

face, but it wasn't enough to dispel the heat of my anger. I had spent my entire life

My head shot up, eyes scanning the forest. A

nd, bringing with it a

e world around me seemed to shift, and befor

iar clearing into a nightmare. The screams of my packmates echoed in my ears

taring back at me

r fault!" so

o,

y heart shattered as I turned toward the one face I thought I could trust-Damon, my men

us," he growled. "You

y wound, and as the chaos raged

ng. My knees buckled, and I leaned against the oak for suppor

l broke th

and claws. A rival pack scout lunged at me from

ct too

ed, and I struck out, the sharp crack of bone echoing as I connected w

little lamb," he taunted,

I snapped, lu

ed by adrenaline and raw emotion. He was faster,

d restless days began to weigh on me. My movements grew sluggish, an

pain searing,

e force of a storm. The impact sent both of them tumbling, but when the dust

his voice dripping with s

the wound on my arm throbbed.

crossing his face. "No, but you clearly needed i

I snapped. "Not yo

stepped closer, his tone lowering to something almost soft. "You think you're

whole life," I said bit

I saw something I didn't expect-concern. But just a

d, turning away.

meter. Lucas was silent, his focus sharp, but my mind ch

ng into a sneer. "You think you're safe, Alpha?" he spat, b

tightening on the scout's

hollow, mocking sound, b

unding. His words echoed in my mind, inter

s expression grim. "Th

the pack-" I couldn'

em information. And I think you

anger flaring. "Don'

d. "But I need you to think. The

mories threatened to resurface again. I clenched my fi

sharply. "Because if we don't figur

oom, the scout's words replaying in m

mbol I hadn't seen in years. It was the same one I

n's betrayal. The council's blind trust. And now, a con

me, and Lucas stepped in with

?" I asked, too e

weapon, his expression

od ran

" he said, not as a que

, my voice barely

, but his tone remained firm.

over me. "It means we're not just fighting riv

than you think," he said, h

in my mind. This wasn't just a battle for the pack's survival. It was a b

realized one thing with chilling certainty: the r