I'M NOT A WOLF/ THE MOON PRINCE'S HUMAN MATE

arning. It howled low at first-like a whisper at the edge of a dream-

napped

ulse across Kael's resting form beside the wall. He wasn't asleep. His eyes were open.

d?" she whispered

eiling. "The wind's changed. That

nd herself. The air had dropped in temperature,

words hurt to admit: "But nothing's absol

hem-sharp, wet, and laced with a smell that made

already

her strap across the entrance they'd come through. Then he knelt be

drawer cl

eek and silver, and a pouch fi

that?" Z

"It burns if they come too close

ce shook. "Kael

nd in his eyes, there was n

s. Or

wobbling slightly. "Worse t

ssed another stone. A section opened-just a sliver. Through it

pitch

t from

rker. And it moved. Slithering over trees and smothering the stars. R

h caught. "W

d. "The curse stor

your old healer

early. That's n

the door

ha

d them both: they we

ara behind him. "Stay silent.

art hammering

ir, low and wet. A sound tha

h

a

oor shudder

linch. "They'

et in?" she

can

hit came,

ano

eral magic. The kind that made Zara's s

en, si

ed the si

d of the room..

a gr

crea

a vo

low. Almo

ed through the stone, "com

a f

s tensed, but h

d strange. Like the sound

ave her? You think stone

. "What are they talk

His expression was

voice ke

d where you shouldn't have. And now,

his arm. "Kae

or the first time, ther

urse moon marked me five years ago. But I refused.

"And they've been

want you too. Because I protected

ou didn't want to shift. Why you

pered. "But I'll die bef

agged down the

ised th

ood bes

between heartbeats, she realize

d cha

longer fea

fear

as far mor

on of a second. Zara could see his pulse racing beneath the

e. Louder thi

breathed, ba

ber and gold, like wildfire caged behind pupils. "They're not g

you to stay back. Whatever happens, d

stepped forward and pressed his hand gently to her cheek

If I shift... d

, he turned t

re speaking fro

sil

that stretched so

h

pieces-but as if swallowed by shad

s stepped in

not fi

de from twisted remnants of wh

owed like dying stars. And their mouths-too wide, t

d and stum

didn'

p forward, sniffing the ai

wn," it hissed. "You've

't blink.

dry, rattling wheeze th

s yet. Just give her up. Th

y. Purposefully. His voice

's m

made every hair on

atures

arled. "Then

th

shi

Not the graceful, silver-laced m

was a

rippled and stretched. His hands split into claws. His jaw extended. Musc

stood before her wasn't the mon

was

ll

her pr

and crimson streaks. Taller than any wolf should be. Eyes

outside

ael c

er. Its body struck the stone with a sickening crunch. Before it co

Zara grabbed the silver dagger from the floor

and the hiss it let out sounded

d it with a

lashed. Claws shredded fur and bone. The chamber rang with sou

ck wall, eyes wide. But she wa

as wa

n her chest, the pani

orm himself-wild, re

ne, the room w

attered-melti

chest heaving, fur strea

y, painfully-h

apsed to his knees. He was still hot to the touc

held

e. I'm here, I

pped h

a breath. "You shou

ad. "I needed to

htened. "I coul

his cheek, trembling. "A

e storm beg

sing now-beneath the moun

bo

derst

us, unspo

blood and shadow. And th

within the stone sanctuary, the flames in the hearth hissed and sway

ompletely still-except for his eyes. T

round herself. Her knee still throbbed from the

the s

ill. T

, "You said no one could get

ut turning. "But these aren'

icked harder.

w flexed.

he hea

atc

tone, some

they trying to dig

et silent against the cold floor. "They're

ng the stone wall to steady he

ge, the guilt, the burning protective

he said. "Becaus

e them, followed by a c

red toward

t with a firm but careful grip. "Sta

oise now-

not

up toward the ceiling grate, and a dark

oo

"They've killed someth

hey wo

to the lower tunnel. Behind the herb shelves. There's a ladder t

not leaving you up here

handl

on't h

since she'd met him, something like fear fli

just kill you. They'll turn you. And not the way

oat closed

e not supposed to be here. Because t

nked, s

a heavy crash landed dir

owled l

a r

ound the hidden trapdoor. The iron rung ladder was co

roar split

he wo

a

was not a blur

ears, every sound amplified. Growls. Crashes. S

uman, sharp, and

that followe

Maybe hours. M

he trapdoo

te

ragged but ste

t. When she saw him

lip was split. A long claw

eyes-sti

ll

forward. "Y

had

e blee

me tha

dabbing the blood from his shou

ee. I don't think they

e they a

red, but alive. "Becau

a f

ha

Before I turned against the blo

d those

ere warriors. Broken maybe, but not mons

just walk

h a quiet storm. "Because if I staye

im. The fire had gone o

ed, "Then w

reached out and brushed a lock of hair fr

t thing in years that ma

slowly, careful, eyes burning wit

n't pul

this

the chaos of before, but

er pulse. She could feel the wildness in him trembling ben

r like she was s

ed apart, the silence

d his foreh

e murmured. "Tomorrow