The Alpha's bargain bride

re b

part of me still felt l

ut I left the sash folded on the dresser. I wouldn't wear his colors.

. If I was going to be weighed, I wouldn'

w, lined with glass lanterns and stone archways carve

like a warnin

e chamber door. Hi

k questions

t t

nswer th

iedhim

power. And you don't

ll windows. Seven chairs faced me, curved in ah

harp eyes and a scar that ran from her temple to her collarbo

t simpl

r than I expec

added. "A contract can't

eel it?" the sca

ilence. "Because the bond is

k into the ro

y spine

ly. "I'm here because your Alpha m

ean, with a permanent sn

aze. "How i

t a few

l didn'

sed," h

ike that,

I th

h the ice-colored e

crossed. Midnight-black cloak, sword shea

peak when I

e fol

wer corridor. Into the quiet wi

g me," I said fi

lied. "I'm w

There's a d

r. "Watching doe

talkin

ored t

Vale,"

l's

ned his

do you

know what

the girl your

ia

y. But the certainty in his tone

e was cataloguing ever

kly as he app

at. No

abs

next hour in

to r

thi

No velvet ropes. The books here were old, worn, full of ann

left open on

tion showed a woman standing over three wo

ath had been

ed the

re it w

nbo

d I'd heard

ath my skin like a whispe

onto a scr

hat it meantif

I di

e

, the scen

Blood.

, heart

om was

t scuff against the

ng for the dagger hidd

door in one s

o

col

I saw something carved int

rescent

ne broken.

es

ll

't mention the council.

me and said, "Wh

t ask ho

n water," I answered. "B

dded

as cho

appeared agai

me a fol

the altar," he said.

ed it

s a r

de

e end, as if pu

seen it

a childduring a pack ritual meant

burned with the

ere i

wanted me to

egre

the pendan

y pillow, c

me, I p

d not ta

when I dr

wolves stand

s ene

s cho

am, they c

ing. Not

it

me crescents I saw carved above my door. O

lit open like paper, and I heard my namenot

nd clutching the p

s war

his t

adn't put