FATED FOR THE LYCAN KING

oking on ash

ke I'd run for miles. But I wasn't running. I was in a bed. Thin mattress. Threadbare blanket. Peeling paint overh

es. Same

e the ghosts clinging to me. But my h

her's pendant clenched in my fist. My father's last roar echoing in my ears. And then silence. Not th

les. My toes curled. For a second, I let myself stare out the busted

kfang Pack buried my parents in lies and whispered th

ce I became the

d. Like if they ignored me hard enough, I'd s

from training with wolves who thought throwing punches was a good bonding exercise. I di

et. Too quiet. That me

nd stuffed my feet into scuffed boots. The mirror

hat was

es that didn't meet anyone else's.

tention. Not the

all. A pair of betas lounging by the door fell silent as I passed. One snorted. The other muttered some

looked up, I'

meant break

an apple off the counter, ignoring the sharp gaze of Ma

ed prep,"

the apple. Swallowed

dy didn't obey alarms when the p

mph. I slipped out before s

squelched through wet dirt as I headed for the tree line. I needed air. Sp

o my left ca

i

, with a crooked grin and a perpetual bruise on his jaw from picking the

e hell," he s

ank

mare a

dded

I tolerated him. Milo had the g

est and stopped. Mist curled b

the Ceremony to

ople find their mates while I stand in the

never know. Maybe the Moon G

d. "You believe in that stuff

ve some of us get luc

ade my sto

led training like it was war prep, laughed when someone cried, and

also

gib

is name came up tonight. If fate was cruel enough to t

flicker cross my face.

e to go. Nobod

w, they'll say it's becau

y keep feeding you so you'll stay small.

n't a

the only thing that

ick squeeze before jogging off. I stood there for a seco

Dug out the one clean dress I owned. It clung too much. Sho

shadows. The pack gathered in a circle, eyes gleaming with that stran

e edge, arms c

s stepped forward, touching hands.

ey call

ia Th

hifted. A pull in my chest, sharp and sudden.

a

ing. Eyes on me like

dn't b

. Murmurs, gasps

owly. Deliberately. The

d me. Too

linding. Burning. A tether anc

eane

thank

d my ha

he Moon Goddess had this much of a sense

spread l

Alpha Kade of Blackfang,

buckle. My fac

ing inside

. The crowd followed, their gaz

ood

forgotten

ect

me. Somewhere in the w

lized I w

s an