His Unwanted Mate, Her Forbidden Magic

ch the size of a small carriage, dripped light like frozen stars, their glow reflecting off the polished marble floor. The air hummed with palpable power, a heady mix of a hundred

ime in my life,

ng to my curves before flaring out at the floor. It left my shoulders bare, and my hair was swept up in an elegant twist, revealing the l

over the small group nearest the door. Whis

the elemental

he can fre

ate, competin

clave had given me a status I'd never earned in my own pack. It was intoxicating. I allowed a small, confident s

cture of power and authority. His eyes found mine, and for a fleeting moment, I saw something I hadn't seen in years. A flicker of possessi

tisfaction curling in my gut. *Now that other

gan to beat a frantic, nervous rhythm against my ribs. I didn't know what he would say, what he would demand. Would he be angry? Would

cross the room w

deeper, more magical, like the world itself was groaning in protest. Gasps of alarm rippled through the c

ancient, power-infused crystals, was swaying violently. A sickening grinding sound ec

irectly

c was centered on the very patch of marble where Mark, Isabella-w

*

slow down. I

s throat. The shower of dust and plaster raining down from the ceiling. The collective, indrawn breath of the entire

etween me, his mate, and

of terror and a desperate, instinctual ple

tion, the flicker of choice. There was no hesitati

nct was n

such tenderness, slammed into my shoulder. It wasn't a push to get me out of the way of the main chandelier. It was a violent, thoughtless expulsion. He thr

save me. He did i

ight was of Mark. He leaped, his body a powerful, protective shield, and wrapped himself around Isabella. He cradled her to his

even lo

ghts. I was an obstacle, a piece of furniture to be shoved

in was a white-hot supernova, blinding and absolute. The sound of shattering crystal, of screaming, of my