CROWNED BY BLOOD

I'd never known lived inside me. Celeste trained me without mercy, her gentle grandmotherly mask long

as I pushed myself up from the forest floor. My muscles t

ight Marcus broke me. Since I found out I was th

for grief, no time to sulk. She believed in discipline, and pain, and pushing beyond limits. It w

ns in your veins, she remi

to kn

me weak was gone, replaced by hard curves of strength. My limbs moved like coile

enses sharpened to the point where I could hear a squirrel scurrying miles away or sense the heartbeat of a rabbit in the underbrush

r came a

my mind. I could still see Victoria's smug smile, still hear the laughter of the pack members who found joy i

eat, panting, tears streaming down my face. She s

I

attered thing. I doubted everything. Even Celeste at times. The only one I fu

od who had begged Marcus to reconsider faded a little

worthy

eutral territory. "It's time," she said, cloaking me in a long hooded

nturies-old pacts. Once a season, wolves, witches, fae, and other creatures came togeth

stares. Not just for my presence, but for the quiet power humming off me like electricity.

oats debated near merchants selling enchanted trinkets. Warriors sparred for s

rs tra

that

she d

h. Luna Blackwood, rig

bond and vanishes for thre

re predator than prey now. My hair was shorter, eyes sharper, body

recognized myself, cheekbones more defined, gaze more piercing,

l learning to believe I was more

ring would test more than just my composure. Enemies would watch. Allies mi

I fel

and raw, like a thunder

on my body

slowly an

his face that only made his sharp features more striking. His dark eyes glowed faintly, like molten silver rest

ights

he Shadow Fang Pack. A warrior forged in bl

rred violently growling, pacing, alert. My

caring that people were watching. Not caring

ine s

d textured like gravel smoothed by velvet. His

felt inadequate under his gaze. My

did ne

y head and met him

. "I make it my business to know when

e. My breath hitched again,

our name,

r concern,"

th curiosity. "So you're dangero

ric. My wolf pressed forward, drawn to his energy despite e

ed as if he understood something I didn't.

go but the mo

exploded across the gathering as rogue wolves leapt from the tree

e shouted. "Prot

half a second

You must not reveal yourself too soon

o protect children. A young face girl was

forward. T

ed me as I leapt high into the air, shifting mid-motion. My silver-whit

thunderous growl. One swipe of my claws sent th

ttackers with lethal grace. I felt eyes on me dozen

without flinching, standing tall and naked

and found him watching me with somethin

ping a cloak around me, her

aid, pulse st

egan again, lo

mid-air, did

. that wasn

a Blackwood.

something else.

ai's voice carried after

nd y

e whispered into a crystal orb, "She's awakened. In