Chapter8
Two hours seep by.
When Frank finally stumbles out of the rune – etched tattoo studio, his knuckles are white against the wound blooming beneath his collarbone.
“Take me to the moon cliff,” he growls at the driver.
“Sir, the Black Howlers‘ territory is-”
“Now!”
I recall Stephnie’s words from her sickeningly sweet list of demands. My throat constricts as I watch Frank’s vehicle speed away, disappearing into the mist – shrouded
mountains.
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That night, my phone explodes with notifications.
Stephnie has posted a video: Some souls brave the frozen depths for a single glimpse of my smile.
The background audio is filled with distant howls–the mournful cries of the Black Howlers, ancient guardians of the abyss.
In the predawn hours, I’m roused by the sound of the front gate creaking open.
Peering through the enchanted window, I see Frank staggering up the path.
His clothes are shredded.
Frost clings to his hair, and his left arm hangs limp, broken in at least three places.
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Yet, he wears a delirious grin.
The next morning, as I prepare to leave for my final farewells, Frank emerges.
A thick bandage wraps around his torso, but I can still see the faint, glowing outline of Stephnie’s name branded into his skin.
“Had a… rough night, he croaks, his voice barely above a whisper. “Car hit a patch of black ice.”
I simply nod.
“Rest well.”
Later, at the exclusive Skyfire Club.
My closest friends–my chosen pack- surround me.
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Crystal glasses filled with liquid fire clink together, but the merriment feels hollow.
“To our future Luna!” my friend Maya cries, her eyes shining with unshed tears.
“Marrying into the Lyra Howl Pack may seem daunting, but you’ll show that comatose alpha who truly rules!”
The others laugh and raise their glasses, but I merely swirl the glowing liquid in my own. “I’ll play the part required of me,”
“After all, a true alpha’s mate knows when to bide her time.”
Leaving the club, I’m about to head home when I overhear voices from an adjacent private room.
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Curiosity getting the better of me, I press my ear against the enchanted door.
“Going to moon cliff was suicide!
Stephnie’s mocking laugh sends a shiver down my spine.
“Yet Frank came back, broken but victorious. And look at this.”
There’s a soft rustling sound, and I can picture her tracing the branded tattoo on his chest.
“A werewolf willing to risk everything for a scrap of my attention. It’s almost endearing… in a pathetic sort of way!”
Another voice chimes in, filled with envy.
“But what about Alpha Finn? He’s been
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showering you with gifts fit for a goddess.”
Stephnie’s scent turns cloyingly swee.
“Frank can be my pretty little pet. But make no mistake–the luna of alpha Fin will be mine, and I’ll crush anyone who stands in my way.”
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