Substitute Marriage: The Alpha's Secret Healer

Montgo

ight, you're getting into that b

heavy oak desk. A greedy man who would sell his own flesh and blood for gold and titles,

ting calmly against the rough linen of my skirt. Loo

t tune," I said, my voice flat and mocking. "Back then, Brylee bragged to every noble in t

ercer shrank back. The skin beneath her left eye twitched right under her bea

rtless?" Brylee whimpered, her

, his wolf is dead, and his temper has turned so violent he tore three servants to pieces in

?" I raised

tepped forward, her stubby fingers absently stroking the price

d still without a wolf to your name. An outcast like you can't use the mind-link or feel a

ears, this family had worked me to the bone in the back stables while lavishing Bryle

e Carlisle envoy into leaving the bride's given name off the contract. It only specifies a daughte

ng a thick, calloused hand to str

simply angled my

ar. The missed swing threw his heavy frame off ba

ead-on. The lethal chill in my pale blue eyes made my cowardly father suc

tching her skirts. "Mother, look at her! If she refuses to get in that c

ork, Glenda forced a stiff, calcul

oolish," Glenda said

spent years trying to find out who murdered her on tha

ad Man's Gorge that very night-and picked up your grandmother's silver wolf-fan

in, and for a split second, a faint silver-white glow flickered in the depths of my eyes.

I had hit one dead end after another trying to uncover who was behind her murder.

e cornered. "Once the carriage leaves the estate, I'll give you the name of the serva

was sick to death of this parasitic family, and mar

e Carlisle pack also commanded the most powerful intelligence network in the

f letting the Mercers walk

ight in front of the furious Ronald. "But a verbal promise from a liar is worthless

urned purple. "What right do

rting of giant warhorses echoed from the courtyard out

bed Ronald's arm and shook it wildly. "Fathe

lips as I pointed a fi

tole her black iron apothecary case, along with that hei

arlisle servant right now. You have until those guards reach the front door-

merald pendant to her chest as if I were ripping out her heart. "This

g toward the window as the heavy boots of the

ce. Brylee looks lovely in that lace gown, though. I

o real tears of terror, reaching up to claw at the gold chain

isle Pack would slaughter them all for breaking the marriage alliance. "And go get t

nda unclasped the emerald pendant from

act, untarnished black iron case and a slip of paper beari

ouch. Picking up the black iron case with one hand, I grabbed the quill with the

g business wit

ir own fury, I turned around and walked

behind and climbed the narrow wooden ladde

attered wooden crate and pricked my index finger, pressing a dr

ox that the Mercers had failed to

tars, alongside a small crystal vial containing several dried crimson snow-berries-ra

r inner wolves to ash. Yet in my hands, these silver needles we

ather needle roll inside the lining of my wristbands. Catching sight

revealing a sliver of smooth, porcelain skin beneath. A faint, crisp

White Wolf-the royal bloodline bl

ourt. Before she died, she warned me to hide my bloodline at all co

loorboard, I mixed the dark powder with cold water in a clay bowl

y blemishes, completely masking my true face and se

he mirror looked like a h

he courtyard below, followed

ed down the stone stairs into the cold night wind. Under the main porch, Ronald, Glenda, a

e black iron carriage sized me up like ch

o one who steps foot in Northwi

abin, and took my seat on the wooden bench. Lifting my eyes under the shad

ting for?" I said