ANMELDENSeraMina's grip on my arm was painful as she yanked me out of the hall and into a narrow storage nook beside the kitchen. The space was dim and dusty, smelling of old grain, and not quite big enough for both of us. The door scraped shut behind us, and Mina turned to face me. For a long moment, she just looked at me, hands clenched at her sides, and I wondered what I was in for.I broke first, still running hot from the confrontation. "Fucking Taya," I muttered, shaking my head. "I know, right? I was already getting tired of that stupid fucking grin of hers, but I never would have thought she'd actually call a duel. That sneaky bitch."I rolled my eyes at the memory and glanced up at Mina, who still hadn't spoken, waiting for some kind of response. But there was nothing on her face, just an absolute stillness, and it unsettled me.She slapped me.I felt the shock of the slap before I registered the sting of it. It came out of nowhere - Mina had her arm out and her hand cracking across
Sera"Stop," Mina snapped. She grabbed Taya by the shoulders and spun her around to face her, shoving between us. "You will not do this."But the crowd didn't stop. More pack members arrived from both ends of the corridor, drawn by the chanting. The hallway filled with the crush of bodies until there was barely room to breathe. Taya's eyes danced over the sea of faces. The chant rose to a roar."Fight! Fight! Fight!""She can't back down now," a rough voice called from the back of the crowd. "She's the Luna!""Put her in her place Luna!!"Taya's smile widened going ear to ear. "See, Luna. They want this. We can't deny them a good fight now.""You are not going to do this," Mina growled, her nails digging into Taya's shoulders. "Not in my kitchens. I won't have it!""I don't know why you'd want to stop a good fight," someone else called out. "The Luna will win!""Shut your face!" Mina at the voice.The crowd swells, and I could feel their weight behind Taya. More voices rose — "Fight!
Sera"Or what, you'll beat me up again?" Taya snarled.I wanted to laugh. The fact that she was bringing that up was genuinely funny.Mina stepped between us, breaking Taya's hold and shoving a hand to her chest. "Back off, Taya." Mina's voice was a growl. "You know what being Luna means. You know what happens when the Alpha finds out you put your stinking hand on his mate. You're courting death, Taya."That wasn't enough to make Taya back down. Her eyes were wild with fury and something else, something bewildered, and I knew I was looking at a girl who couldn't understand her own self."How does my father end up on your side of everything," she said, her voice shaking with rage. "Why does he just agree to whatever you say. He hates you southerners, but he's letting you run the pack. I don't get it. He just... he just..."Mina was between us, her back to me. Her voice came out level but tight."Whatever you think, Kael knows better than to cross the Luna. You should know it too. This i
Sera"Oh, this isn't over. I'm not finished with you."Taya's hand came out and caught my arm, stopping me from going. The composure from a moment ago was gone from her face entirely.I winced as she yanked me around to face her, the rough stone wall scraping my back. Taya's breath was hot against my cheek, and I could see the rage in her eyes. The polished words were gone now."You Southern bitch," she spat, and I could hear the venom in her voice. "You came up here and stole my place, and you think you own it?" Her words were raw and angry, the mask finally off. "You've never had any right to be Luna of Ironmaw. You don't belong here, you filthy outsider. You don't deserve anything here!"Mina snarled behind me, her hand tight on my shoulder, but I could feel the bond in my chest telling me I needed to stay calm. I needed to be the Alpha.I stared back at Taya, my jaw set. "Let go of me," I said, my voice steady and cold."You want me to let you go?" Taya laughed harshly, her nails
Sera"I know you're not listening," Mina said.But before I could respond to that, we ran into someone rounding a turn in the stone corridor.Taya.She stood there, alone, blocking our path. There was no one else in sight this early. The corridor stretched far behind her, empty and dim, the only sound the distant clank of the keep's kitchens.She inclined her head to me with exaggerated politeness and said, "Luna." The word was too formal, too careful. It certainly cost her something to say.I stopped because I had to, not because I wanted to. I was too tired to want this conversation."Taya," I responded flatly.Taya turned most of her attention to Mina. Her voice was polite, but I knew her too well. There was a tension in her jaw, in the tight line of her shoulders, that said this was no accident. "Oh, you look good," Taya said to Mina, a false sweetness in her voice that made me more nauseous than I already was. "When's the last time you slept? It's been a while since I saw this l
SeraMy eyes felt gritty behind their lids as I walked the corridor beside Mina, her hand locked tight around my elbow.It was early, before the sun was up, and the keep was quiet except for the low murmur of voices in the kitchens ahead. I'd been up most of the night, stomach roiling, and the smell of the kitchens hit my throat and made it worse. I'd had this same sickness every morning for days now, and I'd given up wondering if the cause was the baby or the North.I didn't say any of that to Mina, who kept looking at me as though I might crack open and bleed on the floor any minute. "Eat something," she ordered when I slowed.I shook my head, swallowing down the bile, and she tightened her grip and kept pulling me toward the kitchens. I'd slept badly for five nights running, but I had not slept at all last night, and now my mind was slow and my eyes felt like two hot stones behind my lids.The bond with Fenris was still and warm in my chest, telling me only that he was alive, but i
SeraNight fell fast, and with it, the temperature plummeted. We had three fires going, but the heat didn't seem to travel more than six inches past the flames. I sat on a log by the middle fire, pulling the wagon fur around my shoulders, shivering so hard my teeth were literally clicking together.
LyraShe ignored me. She dropped to her knees, her hands sliding down to the waistband of my trousers. She shoved her fingers inside the fabric, gripping my hips tight. With one sharp pull, she dragged the pants and my underwear down to my ankles. I stepped out of them, kicking my boots off in the
Lyra"Tell the girl to step into the room," he said."Leave her out of this," I said. My voice came out as a pathetic, raspy whisper. I cleared my throat, trying to find some spine. "She didn't do anything. It was my idea to come in here.""Tell her to step into the room," he said, his eyes going d
LyraThe voice didn't belong to Nadia. It didn't belong to me. It came from the metallic object resting directly behind my hip.Nadia froze. She pulled her mouth away from me and yanked her fingers out of my body. She stood up quickly, wiping her wet mouth with the back of her hand, her chest heavi







