Rejected by the alpha, chosen by Destiny

ious in Kieran's arms. Moonlight filtered through the canopy, casting silver veins across their path, g

n over an hour. Not

sweat-slicked body and felt something ancient stir wit

ors. The trees whispered warnings in a language older than memory. Every rustl

voice low but sharp. "H

There's a river. Wide, fast. If w

ess they shift. Then they'l

aid evenly. "Not w

in his voice, an e

me to trust you with my son. And

the only place left

d. "And what do y

immediately. "R

ou don't get to

e scent of moss and decay thickening. Lucas stirred, moaning, h

abruptly. "He

fevered and damp. "No, no, not now..." She fumbled through her satch

d it. "Wha

y a crone in the

owed. "You're

g him from

ed the liquid past his lips. The

ered on the boy. "

our

at I meant, an

ecy, those inked glyphs in her grandmother's cottage; T

ried to f

ouldn

an alpha tear through a battlefield. I've seen the madness of rog

on't start speaking li

I know enough

y paus

said, "We k

es thinning as the roar of water grew louder. The forest floor turned

ddenly. "Do yo

tiffened

riverbank, and the s

rom the shadows. N

gu

wide. Eyes glowing red. Bla

of

e curling around her hands

ogue

skin, bones snapping. He roared and collided

hrieked, writhing in fire. The third lunged, s

s st

he s

s w

ce booming with unnatur

hing s

ind h

iver

ped to their knees, whini

cas col

snapped

Kieran, fur matted wi

ll was that?

now," Amar

d. A part

ist swirled thick on the far bank, swallowing them whole. Beyond the veil

ilt of blackened wood and bone. Green lanterns

ed. "This i

grimly. "She

he

enemy. She ow

d open before t

ray robes. Her hair, long and white as snow, h

l. Look what the

ed his hea

ard. "We need shel

. Her smirk faded. Something

en. The air stinks of gods waki

oaned shut

that buzzed like bees in Amara's ears. The walls were

hearth. "Lay the chi

ted. "Can yo

hand hovering above his che

But something in him...

t Amara. "We sho

back room. Just don't break a

shadowed corridor, the wall

nd them, she crossed

"If the prophecy is true... we're alr

pounded. "What

s aren't the only ones hunting Lucas. Someth

ead. "No. He's

The world is

d creaked b

tur

in the doorw

slowly. "Something... under his s

of mark?" A

barely a whisper

eath them trembled, jus

st

rn

a fr

s jaw c

m, cried out a single word in

na

ing ancien