For the next hout, we lost ourselves in the houtal beauty ofbat. Northern welers shonecased impressive ice based techniques, while western pack fighters dazzled with speed and agility. I got swept up in the pane artistry of it all, temporarily forgetting everything else.


    When the final match ended and crowds started thirming, we stood to leave. The Shadow Creek wahres had vanished, probably terrified of offending Sophia


    Outside, stars speckled the night sky. Tyler waited by the carriage, the two Ga Gamma guards maintaining their practiced distance,


    Sophia nced their way and sighed. "Can you guys give us one hour alone during dinner?'' she asked the gards.


    "We have orders to protect you- one began, tone polite but firm.


    "I know the enders," she cut him off impatiently. But surely we can have one quiet


    meal without surveince? Please... I just need some privacy."


    "Where should we be?" the other guard asked, clearly reluctantly be


    Lending.


    "Nearby, with Tyler," she suggested. "Close enough to reach us if anything happens.


    The guards exchanged looks, finally nodding. "Fine, but we''ll intervene immediately if anything seems off."


    Sophia shed a sweet smile, then turned to me. I got the feeling this wasn''t her first time negotiating for breathing room.


    We entered a quiet hunting lodge restaurant, away from the arena''s chaos. The ce mixed decorations from various packs, with portraits of legendary hunters and trophies lining the walls. A server immediately recognized Sophia, bowing respectfully as he led us to a secluded corner.


    After ordering-Sophia chose some dainty vegetarian dish while I went for a serious meat tter-we fell into brief silence. Sophia sipped her moonwine. seemingly gathering courage.


    She took a deep breath, her expression tuming serious. "Wa, I need to ask you something, and I hope you''ll be honest."


    "What is it?" I asked cautiously.


    "Is there something happening between you and Jackson?" the blurted out.


    1 blinked, confused. "What?"


    "Are you sleeping


    with him? The words rushed out like she couldn''t hold them back.


    I nearly choked on my water, barely stopping myself from jumping to my feet. I stared at her,pletely blindsided


    Why would she think...? Had I done something to give her that impression? When


    I didn''t immediately answer, Sophia winced.


    "I''m sorry, but I need to know if you''re sleeping with my fiancé, Ava:


    "Absolutely not, I hissed, keeping my voice low but firm. "Why would you


    She bit het lip nervously. "Because you both act weird around each other. You get all tense, and Jackson... he can''t seem to stop watching you,


    Heat rushed to my face. She was more observant than I''d given her credit for


    "I''m not sleeping with him," I promised. "I knew him from Shadow Creek before zuur engagement, but that''s it. I would never hook up with someone in a rtionship-especially not with you."


    She held my gaze, ryts searching mine like she was trying to read my soul. The silence stretched between v


    "I believe you, the finally said, her shoulders dropping an inch. "I''x jant-every time you two are in the same room, It''s like watching a storm about to break.


    "Bad blood," I said, trying to sound cessal. "Shadow Creek in''t exactly big on forgive-and-forget."


    Dun food arrived, giving me a moment in collect myself. I''d never felt more coelicted. Lying to her made me sick, especially after she''d stuck her neck out for me, but the truth would shatter her..


    "Can I confess something ridiculous?" she asked, pushing food armand het te. "Sure," I nodded.


    "Sometimes I wish I was just normal. Not an Alpha''s s daughter. Not engaged to someone reryone has an opinion about. She stabbed a piece of food. "Jutt... free


    I understood that feeling all too well.


    When we finished rating, Sophia smiled conspiratorially. "Want to take the long way back?"


    "Tyler will lose his mind." I warned.


    "Good," she replied with a grin that transformed her face. He''s been glued to my shadow since I was fourteen."


    Part of me knew this was a terrible idea. But the way her eyes lit up, like a kid nning a jailbreak-it was hard to refuse.


    "Tine, but when your dad murders me, I''m haunting you forever."


    We paid and slipped out through the kitchen, dodging a confused cook and emerging into a narrow back alley, Sophia''sughter echoed off the brick walls as we jogged away from the restaurant, both feeling stupidly rebellious,


    "I haven''t done this since I was sixteen," she admitted breathlessly as we turned onto a wider street.. "Tyler caught me trying to sneak into a pack dance. Dad grounded me for a month."


    "Seriously? A munth for a dance?"


    "ke Morgan doesn''t do hall-measures," she rolled her eyes. "Besides, there were boys there."


    I couldn''t helpughing. The mental image of ke patrolling his daughter a social life was both amusing and strangely endearing.


    We wandered through quiet streets, Sophia pointing out shops she liked. For a few precious minutes, we weren''t Alpha''s daughter and traitor''s kid-just two women enjoying the night air.


    "We should head back." I finally said, noticing how far we''d gotten from the main street. Before Tyler calls in the cavalry."


    Sophia nodded reluctantly. "Thanks for this. For not treating me like I''m made of ss."


    Just as we turned to head back, I caught an unfamiliar scent on the wind-wolves, but with something off about them. Mybat instincts red:


    "Let''s move," I said sharply, grabbing Sophia''s arm.


    "What''s wrong?" Her smile vanished instantly.


    "Not sure. Just-"


    A group of massive wolves burst from the shadows of a nearby alley, moving with unnatural speed. More appeared from behind us, cutting off our escape. All were tribal masks that concealed their identities.


    1 shoved Sophia behind me, dropping into fighting stance. "Hun if you see an opening." I whispered.


    Dor lunged at me—fast, but predictable. I dodged andnded a solid kick to his


    ribs, feeling bone crack. Another grabbed for Sophia. Isput, catching him.


    with an elbow to the throat that sent him staggering.


    "Ava!" Sophia screamed as a third attacker grabbed her from behind.


    I pivoted to help hei, but something sharp pierced my shoulder. Burning heat spread through my veini-moon venom, the paralyzing tosin from silver spiders. My limbs tumed heary instantly, muscles refusing to obeymands.


    Through blurring vision, I saw them holding Sophia down, pressing something against her neck. Her struggles weakened, then stopped entirely


    "Let her go," I tried to say, but my tongue felt enormous, my words slurring together.


    Rough hands grabbed me, lifting me like I weighed nothing. My head rolled bark,


    the night sky spinning above me. Stars blurred into streaks of light as darkness crept in from the edges of my vision.


    Thest thing I saw was Sophia''s limp body being carried away.


    Then nothing but ck,