Marked by the Alpha's Heirs

ry'

gently acro

r was soft, filled with the quiet sounds of nature-birds

as wide

almost hurt to look at. For a moment, just o

ed my head

ire. Sleepi

ose in my stomach. But it wasn't alone. Shame twisted inside me

couldn't feel th

looke

egs, was a faint tr

br

my cheeks as I curled into myself, wrapping my arms around my knees. I cried u

red bes

fr

ng the knife from the grass besi

all it would ta

ouldn't

yet I couldn't make the blade move. I c

ped th

were sore, but I also felt...strong? My wolf was wide awake.

and wal

e trees. The forest was quiet. But the closer

re

ok

am

of the trees a

.. it wa

. Women cried. Damire soldiers stalked the grounds like shadows. The

d like

the old gatekeeper-lying face-down in the mud. T

I saw

in

ch was ri

h in the grass. My whole body shook. My eyes burn

.. slept with the m

I live w

at myself in the

st was over that I couldn't pos

fat

d feel worse. I could feel even more lifeless as I inched towards

even recognize. A scream. A wail. A broken

chest, but there was no

as g

helpless. Useless. My arms wrapped around him l

whispered. "

sure who I w

nted it a

ael'

e smell of g

ery wa

ind still lingered in the spot beside me. My hands touche

ad been... b

felt that

war. My curse. For one night, I wasn't a mons

m

e first time in my life, I felt like maybe I could h

growls, no howling rage. It

s still

ne back to her pa

damage my soldiers had been causing. Screams echoed through

didn't

y looking

en I s

Her head buried in it. Her

, and something stran

il

sn't

. "Stand down,"

looked at me like I had grown another head. But

obe

y tu

were empty. So full of pain I felt lik

just turned back to her fat

rd her. Slowl

My one chance at something

omfort her. To take her awa

shoved

ng, but it was

ched

oved m

e," she said, voi

eper than

heard it all my life.

e like I was th

very," I said quie

t me, eyes b

d something. You know we did. I wante

"No! Michael Damire, you don't get to say

st cav

e a hurt c

hated. Like the boy no one

." I whi

ook he

and clear. "As my fated mate.

n was i

he bond snapped like a rope set on fire,

to on

ee it. Her body trembled. Her

e didn

monster,

at... everything

he hope, the

ned in

My hands clenched into fi

for so long, g

own her

had cr