Rejected by the Alpha, Desired by the Dragon King

living smoke, curling around stone columns, swa

air turned icy, biting into her skin despi

ed, stepping closer to Thor

his eyes off the

"Dark magic. They shouldn't

ith glowing red eyes, limbs that stretched like smoke, and movements that were unnatu

mark throb aga

of her, wings flaring

clenched at her s

at her, surpri

on't ho

aiths

ing a wave of golden fire crashing into the first tw

hers s

er palms-heat rising, swirling. The fire inside h

aiths dove st

think-she

shadow-creature with a force that surprised even her. It screamed as it

clawed toward h

catching two more. Thorne fought beside her like a storm-each s

her instincts sharpening. Her wolf rose withi

ploded into ash, the ba

was panting, her hands still gl

ed to her.

tching her breath. "W

f a darker force. I haven't seen thei

arred balcony stones. "

t their presence means one thing

despite the heat

they were s

e. "I think you're no longer just a

hard. "And beacon

es

-

the charred ruins the wraiths had left behind. The balcony had already been repa

tly, her golden robes

well," the

. "I don't feel victoriou

to power, child. It al

o her. "Why are

"The prophecy speaks of one who will awaken the

. "That sounds

aintly. "To you

to the view. "Do yo

"But some choices echo louder throug

-

ory-a vast chamber carved into the mountain's heart, line

uth is stored," he sa

and ruin. One wall showed a woman wrappe

e?" Selena as

ne said. "But o

one door, etched with runes that

is more than magic," Th

relics. Weapons, books, crystals. At the center stood a pedesta

hed it slowly.

Forged in dragonfire and tempered

ingers closed around it, the blade fl

ged throug

lt like it be

ully. "You are awakening

t a bad

But it means we

d to him. "T

u for the war

-

d alone on the training fields, the crystal dagger in her hand. She move

like a rejecte

like some

forged

rest, she sensed a

uch," Thorne said,

a wry smile.

oment before she asked, "Have

dable. "Long enough to forget

studied him-so powerful,

. "You said once that some

bborn. Stronger than she knew. But she died i

e was quiet.

hers. "You're not. But the

at p

s-barely a touch, but her

eyes l

een them. Not just at

bled. "What happens

n didn't change-bu

rn the world