Sophia Shumped in an old leather chair, pretending to read while hei brain reyed yesterday''s scene on loop, Jackson gralibing Ava, Lisething something on her neck. Then Dad sppearing out of nowhere, eyes sing that freaky wolf gold. The weirdest part? How Jackson and


    eath her-like they hid hgory. The intimate kind.


    What the hell was that mark? And why did Bad look renity za rip saineone''s throat out!?


    Her fingers drummed against dusty pages until the click of heels on marble made for look up. Victoria Morgan-all allver hair and old-morier posture. glided into the library like she owned it. Which, techniently, she did.


    "You look like someone stole your dessert," Victoria said, seitlingoss from her granddaughter with a grace Sophia had never mastered.


    Sophia chewed her lip before diving in. “Grandma, wrint question-can fated mate marks ever change?"


    Victoria''s eyebrow shot up. "Well, that''s out of left field. She leaned forward. "Marks are permanent unless the marker dies or releases the im. That''s Pack "But what about exceptions?" Sophia pressed, watching her grandmother''s face.


    Victoria''s eyes went distant, "Old stories mention rare cases where marks transform when a marked wolf meets their true soul mate. But that''s just campfire. talk-nobody''s seen it happen in forever." Her sharp eyes narrowed. "Why the twenty questions?"


    "Just curious," Sophia said quickly. "What makes it so rate?"


    "It spits in the face of Moon Goddessw-marks are supposed to be forever: Victoria squeezed Sophia''s hand. A mark changing would mean the Goddess basically admitted cops, I messed up." She tilted her head. "Trouble in paradise with Jackson?"


    "God, no," Sophia forced a smile, mind racing a million miles an hour.


    After her grandmother left, Sophia sat frozen. Dad and Ava? The pieces didn''t fit, yet somehow they did. And Jackson knew something. She needed answers.


    That afternoon, she spotted Ava drilling Lucas in the training yard, waiting until her brother tore off to y with his oversized furball before making her


    "Lucas is killing it these days." Sophia said, leaning against a wooden post. Ava spun around, shoulders instantly tight. "Kid''s a natural"


    Sophia didn''t miss how Ava''s scarf practically swallowed her neck today. She drifted closer. "Got a question for you."


    "Shoot," Ava said, stuffing practice knives into a bag with too much focus.


    "You know about Shadow Creek''s inheritance ceremony, right?" Sophia switched tracks.


    Ava''s shoulders dropped an inch. "Yeah. Standard stuff for Alpha wannabes."


    "Jackson''s is in three days, Sophin watched Ava''s face like a hawk. I''m supposed to show up and y perfect fiancée. Honestly? I''m freaking out a little


    "You? Nervous?" Aca snorted. "You''re literally royalty. They practically kiss the ground you walk on."


    "That''s the problem, Sophia''s voice dropped. "Iveryone watching, waiting for me to screw up. She swallowed hard. "Ever since... you know, the cer. crowds make me jumpy."


    Something flickered across Ava''s face-recognition. That underground bell had bound them together in ways neither expected. Ava had stood between Sophia


    and death that night,


    "Come with me," Sophia looked straight into Ava''s eyes. "I know it''s awkward as hell, but I need someone real there. Someone who gets it."


    Dve n?tkest you and Jackson ttlerity inarl at each other, Rophia puthed Whers with


    Ava''s Ongers twitched toward her scarf. "Ancient Histery. Not worth digging up.


    at I''m carrying the guy, don''t I deserve to know his ancient history''7" Soph pressed, letting an edge creep into her voler. "Expertally Hitory Shi my friend look like the wants to w his eyes 17


    Ava opened her mouth, closed it, then sighed. "Not my story to tell."


    Sophia bit her lip, shifting tactics. "Please, Ava. After everything. She raised her voice just enough. "We promised to have each other''s backs in that dungeon, remember?


    Heads turned across the yard. Ma''s eyes shed with recognition of the trap she''d just walked intu. Refusing now would make her look like an cath-breaker


    Fine," Ava muttered 111 be there."


    Sophia hugged het, victory buzzing under her skin. "You''re the best."


    Walking away, Sophia''s smile turned calcting. Three days until she''d uncover what everyone was hiding-what Jackson and Ava shared, why her father watched Ava like she might disappear, and why her fiancé seemed haunted by a woman who wasn''t her


    Ava''s POV


    Rain drummed overhead as I crept toward our cabin. Twice I doubled back, parannid about being followed. This sneaking around was getting old.


    1 found ke at the window, rain streaming down behind him. When he turned,


    his eyes shed gold that still made my stomach flip


    "Thought you''d stood me up," he said,


    1 kicked off my boots. "Yeah, well, Lucas wouldn''t stop talking about some well dream, and Wilson was lurking around every corner."


    ke''s hands found my face like he needed to make sure I was real. "Heard Sophia roped you into Hayes''s ceremony."


    "Word sure flies when you''re king of the mountain."


    "Think she''s onto us? His jaw tightened.


    "She grilled me about Jackson," I said, warming my hands by the fire. And her


    scarf was practically choking her today. Exact same style


    That girl misses nothing."


    mine."


    His fingers brushed my cheek, rough and warm. These stolen m moments had be my addiction-dangerous, necessary, never enough.


    "I''m scared," I admitted. "If someone sees the mark, if she connects the dots..."


    ke''s mouth crashed into mine, swallowing my words. This kiss wasn''t careful- this was raw need from days of pretending we were nothing to each other His fingers tangled in my hair, yanking out my tie.


    "We need a n," I gasped between kisses.


    "nter," he growled. "Need you now."


    He tugged my scarf away, exposing our mark. His fingers brushed it, and I felt the jolt-like touching a live wire.


    "It''s brighter," he murmured, lips recing fingers. "Any wolf will recognize an


    Alpha King''s mark soon."


    "Can''t y pretend forever,"


    I breathed.


    "Then let''s stop pretending. he pressed ine against the wall. Tat theni hii see when


    you belong le


    I knew it was just heat of the moment talk, bui dama if it didn''t kick my hear it d


    "Crisis first, I whispered. Life aliecing decisionsrei


    "Be careful at that cermons. Jackson is desperate."


    "I can handle myself," I promised, then pulled him heck


    trering his bottom lip with my tongue.


    kuri?ime godd against spalvom de ijk


    My back hit the mattress, his body riveting mine, firelight catching the hangry


    edges of his face


    Pack drama, Sophia v suspicions-screw it all. There was just this-his hands, my sighs, and the mark that tied as together


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