1 samped onto a rock by theke, holding theolding check ni I tried in steady my breathing. Each inhale felt like a knife to my chest, though foreldurt tell if the pain was physical or emotional


    Steven''s fingerprints still bumed on my face like a silent brand of shume. An hour ago, I''d been standing in the center of the Moon Festival in this beautid silvet dress, finally feeling like I belonged somewhere. Now I was hark ta square one- hout, alone, an outsider nobody wanted.


    I stared at my reflection in theke''s surface, taking in the swelling on my cheek and the Hood at theer of my mouth. A bitter tough escaped me


    How fucking tretic, Me, Ava Rivers, Shader Creek''s best fighter, toket din by one angry ale from an Alpht hair. What would my father think? What would the Aondency say if they could see their champion now?


    I tried to stand, but dizziness forced me back down.


    "Damn, he hit hand," I muttered to myself, gingerly touching my cheek. "Is this what Alphas are really like? They show their true colors the second someone tells them no?"


    My fingers consciously drifted to the mark on my neck, feeling the unnatural heat radiating from it—a stark contrast to the sharp pain in my face. I membered what they''d taught us at Warrior Academy: a fated maten mark was permanent unless the marker died or willingly released their im.


    But Jackson was very much alive. He hadn''t released me-he''d just... abandoned nie.


    So why hi. His mark fading? And why can ke sense my emotions, my pale!


    There was a connection I''d never experienced before, like an invisible thread linking me to ke, growing stronger by the day. I could almost physically feel it pulling me toward ckwood Manor.


    "Maybe I''m imagining this whole thing." I whispered to the night air. "Maybe this is just my way of refusing to ept being dumped. Maybe I''m just..... desperate to matter to someone


    My thoughts drifted back to that night at ckwood Manor-kes touch, his kiss, that undeniable maism between us that defied exnation


    But this breaks every rule in the book. He''s the Alpha King, and I''m just a girl abandoned by her fated mate, a traitor''s daughter. The gap between us is wider thum


    the moreke


    1 reyed ke''s kiss on the terme earlier tonight. Did he understand the consequences? Had he considered what this meant for Sophia, for Lucas, for his


    rule?


    "Maybe Steven''s right," I said bitterly, watching tipples spread across theke. "Maybe I''m just the Mpha King''s passing fancy. Maybe I''ve built this whole thing up in my head, and I''ll end up discarded just like Jackson left me,"


    I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth and smoothed my rumpled dress, trying to reim some dignity.


    "Either way, I can''t stay here," I decided, pushing myself to my feet. "I need to go back to Shadow Creek. Back where I belong


    This time I stood steadie, taking a deep breath as prepared to leave.


    "Goodbye, ke," I whispered, taking onest look at the moonlitke. "Maybe in another life, in another world, we might have had a chance."


    A single tear fell into the water, creating ripples that spread outward. The sense of loss was overwhelming, but there was something else there too-lil at finally making a decision


    As I turned to leave, a sudden, searing pain shot from my neck through my entire body, nearly driving me to my knees. The sensation was unlike anything I''d ever felt-like someone had ignited a fire inside me, pulling me backward toward theke.


    "What the hell?" I gasped, my hand flying to the mark.


    Then I felt it-u presence. Approaching fast. And with abordate pretainly, I knew who it walL


    plebe. He''s mal?c. I can feel ku anger, his worry....... this ten i my imagivarten. Thly connection ti real,


    My wolf stirred restlessly beneath my skin, yearning toward that approaching Alpha energy, zaving thepleteness Fondy felt In his perstner,


    y warrior instincts kicked in as Thraced mpelt, though du pork lel? el charthy


    I heard movement in the trees-powerful footsteps approaching rapidly. My s who wasing


    Bake burst into the cleating by theke, his eyes glowing gold in the darkness. His Alpha presence was no powerful it gravity had suddenly doubled.


    When his gaze fixed on my injured face, his expression transformed from concern to pure, terrifying rage. Not the explosive kind that manifests in shosting. and wild gestures-no, this was something far more dangerous. A cold, deadly fury that promised retribution.


    I''d never seen ke lose control like this. His body began a partial shift-nails extending into ws, teeth elongating into fangs, waves of Alpha energr pulsing from him in a suffocating rhythm.


    "He touched you." His voice was barely recognizable, each word dragged from the throat of the beast within him. It wasn''t a question.


    I stood frozen, shocked by the intensity of his reaction. I''d seen alphas angry before, but nothing like


    "ke... you need to calm down. I''m fine. My voice sounded steadier than I felt. this raw, primal rage


    He moved toward me, his movements fluid despite his partial shift. Yet when he reached for my face, his touch was unexpectedly gentle. His fingers lightly traced the bruise forming on my cheek, and I couldn''t help flinching slightly.


    "He will pay for this," ke growled, his eyes shing brighter. "No one hurts you. No one."


    I could feel a subtle warmth flowing from his fingertips where they touched my injury the healing energy all Alphas possessed. The throbbing pain began to subside under his touch.


    "It''s not worth starting a conflict with Steven over," I said quietly. "The political fallout would beplicated."


    "You think I care about politics?" His voice dropped even lower. Look what he did to you?"


    The fierce protectiveness in his voice sent a wave of warmth through me that had nothing to do with his healing touch. "You really do care about me"


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