- 9.
I didn’t expect Andrew to visit me. Gabriel was
returning books to the library. I was alone. Andrew looked at my relaxed posture, his eyes filled with something I couldn’t decipher.
“Well done. Lost me, snagged Gabriel. Just like Elsa said, you’re a parasite.”
I looked away, dismissive.
“If that’s all, you can leave.”
His face hardened.
“It’s about the trials. You’re no match for Elsa. Submit to her, and I’ll make sure she goes easy
on you tomorrow. For your father.”
He was serious. He actually believed Elsa would
show mercy if I groveled. I laughed, my
forehead mark flickering.
“See this, Andrew? I’ll make you the same offer.
If Elsa apologizes, I’ll go easy on her.”
13
<
His face paled. “Witch? How?”
“After tomorrow, I’ll be the only witch.”
“That’s why you agreed to fight her! You’re vicious! You just want to hurt Elsa!”
He grabbed my arm, pulling my loose shirt
down, revealing the marks underneath. His face
went white.
“You and Gabriel… you’re mated?”
“What’s it to you?” I wrenched free, my eyes cold. “I won’t kill Elsa. Now get out.”
When Gabriel returned, Andrew was gone. We rested, preparing for the trials.
The trials were held in the Moon Goddess’s clearing. Andrew looked worse than the night before. Black smoke erupted in the center of the clearing. The pack gasped. Tanya emerged from the smoke, nodding serenely at me. I smiled and joined her. More gasps. No one
seemed to understand.
Gabriel and Andrew were first. Gabriel shifted
smoothly, his black fur gleaming in the sun. The crowd cheered, then went silent, waiting for
Androw Un trind to shift Canin and again hut
<
2:52
Andrew. He tried to shift, again and again, but
nothing happened. Murmurs spread through the
crowd.
The Alpha can’t shift?
I smiled. “Tanya,” I whispered, “Andrew’s wolf is
gone, isn’t it?”
“Your father brokered his bond with the wolf.
Andrew couldn’t appreciate it. After what he did
to you, he deserves this.”
Andrew’s face was ashen. He howled in
anguish, but the wolf wouldn’t come. Then,
Gabriel let out a long, echoing howl, the pack’s
battle cry.
