Alpha Blood,Royal Heart

ual for waking up as

ike old cedar and something faintly wolfish, staring at

hours ago, but I coul

one. Just..

crisp, silent lines like he was

pressed to the claw mark on his ribs. "She doesn't even

be prepared,"

t the next time someone

aked. "Still

s some fragile artifact that mig

kneeling beside me,

blood, Raven. You're the l

id. "Right after I set a

o elemental magic-fire, wind, earth. But your s

king at me. "That's why they sealed it when

. "They s

uppression. Location cloaking. You we

prop

says you'll either unite th

d. "But like,

orn on the night of the Red Eclipse. That alone marked you. But wh

d. "So the royals decided it w

So they erased me.

d. "They thought they

d n

ans the other packs felt it. Which mean

ked, heart dropping

ed alpha in the region will have the ri

rnatural Bachel

ched. "It's

Kade growled. "

. I am not some wolf bride prize to be won by the last m

o. "It's not a

at is it

ed. Just f

led the

about

we

ng to the ro

standing still made me feel like a

ke a torch. Every alpha in the region's going to come knocking with rings an

his mouth. C

the one who softened. "Y

d at him

r and lowering his voice.

ve two bodyguards who bar

ward. "We're not h

t are you

eplace. "I'm here because I

e was swallowing words he di

hall. The one that cracked earlier. The fra

flection that mad

irror-I

t

was old. Regal. Her lips were painted blood-red. Her expression was

lin

linke

aught. "Did

me instantly. "W

think I remembered s

ser. "That's

hat st

Not just magic. Ancestral imprinting. Every Blackthorn h

rror. The ghost-no

fire. And someone calling my name.

Lucian's. Something unsp

n murmured. "Even with

erstands the future," Kade added. "It's

nack. "You're telling me I'm carryi

yes flicked with something gen

gged. "Sa

t from hunger, but fro

my chest, someth

ered. "I just wanted answers. Not a

me, slowly, like I

t," he said. "But yo

care so mu

and I swear the t

"Once. A long time ago. And I swor

h hitche

softly. "He

ck. "You won't be

hat-something i

oke. U

through the f

, it wasn

as a

clang that sent shi

rkened. "The r

hardened. "The trial

rly gave ou

l become," Lucian said. "So t

ht. "Then they're about to

h the scent of

h. Wilted petals. Something o

to a world that did

was marble veined with crimson. I stood in a gown I'd never worn, silk that clung l

wasn't

nelt be

lders. A posture so devo

color as Lucian's eyes. His v

ve me, m

ath hi

aven.

up, and

t younger. Or old

ce bore a scar across his cheek th

I whispered, though

r me. Didn't

wasn't rea

relivi

emo

arn

pain dripping from every word. "They fear your po

t.

or you," he said. "But I c

me swear. If you awaken fu

ory spl

d-but no

hrough flame, through ti

en-I s

e

rigin

burning from her skin, her eyes wide with be

me," he s

she whispered. "Tha

idn't

closed

e fire tak

n sweat and power and some

gone. The ho

s ou

the middle o

ot. Gl

ss from me, shirt

ppened?"

wide. "You disappeared in you

down at

y skin-spiraling ancien

ered, "She's

"I saw it. I saw h

aid, voice raw

mbled. "You

n't de

ver would aga

lared across my collarbone-a

bol of

around us f

where in

wolves beg