Montgo

ant my cold fingers locked around her wrist, tho

sed, driving her full werewolf strength into her arm to

, I drove my thumb straight into the nerve clust

choed through the hall

r entire arm went numb, the brass-studded

whip out of mid-air with my left hand, I pivoted behi

d scramble up, I hauled her by the back of her velvet cape and pinned her ch

ian go, you c

, baring their fangs as they charged at me from four dire

nd guards held their breath, wa

ning my head, I

rough the air like black lightning, its dea

ack! Crac

sassin pits, the brass-studded tip lashed across the throats

hem of my cloak. Howling in agony as their legs gave out mid-charge

ilver wine goblets and roasted meat pl

dropped over

er disbelief. By the door, a guard's iron halberd slipped righ

d, his legs unsteady. "Those four are elite pack enforcers! How did a

olf aura! What kind of monster did the

the back of Vivian's neck, forcing her painted face right down t

," I whispered against her ear, watching her reflection tremble in the dirty water. "Since

ed wildly, her red-painted fingernails clawing a

grazed the murky water, a booming voice roll

the meaning of this uproar i

eps echoed through the hall. Instantly, every servant and stew

k of Vivian's neck and taking a st

ircase wearing a dark purple robe embroidered with gold thread. It was

hocked glance at the four groaning enforcers buried in th

grip loosen, she scrambl

her chin. Clutching her dislocated right wrist to her chest, she stumbled across the car

came!" Vivian cried, her voice weak,

ir and the wrecked hall. "Vivian, what happened h

all my fault!" Vivian sobbed, shaking her head

raid the Elders would fault her tomorrow morning, so I stayed up late in the hall to ge

a terrified glance at me before bur

arlisle pack so much for forcing t

e Carlisle elders meant nothing to her, snatched the discipline whip, beat the e

beat me to death can appease her hatred toward our pack and

performance wi

ie to "appease my hatred toward the Carlisle pack," she was accusing me of despisi

snapped together, and his sharp, aging

r rolled off him, sweeping across the hall to

letting the brass-studded whip drop from my hand w

hunder. "You've been inside Northwind Castle for less than two hours, yet you dare inj

s instead of only listening to someone who cries the loudest," I said

ward's eyes when he saw that his Elder

Howard sa

er," I said, pointing a finger at the wooden tub of gray, foul

ide with a tub of dirty salt water, a brass-studded whip, and four enfo

loor ducked their heads, none

ld man's ga

's bedchamber in her nightgown and was thrown out by your grandson. Unable to ve

a's legal bride in this hall, whose honor would've bee

hem. "Grandfather, she's twisting the truth! Upstairs, I

h his brass cane, cutting her off before she could blab

e look at the tea-stained knees of Vivian's nightgown, the tub of salt water

s to keep the inner keep in check, while I was an

ngle-handedly, and you still have the nerve to wail about it in front of the servants

ed tonight and lost her composure. See her back to her quarters to rest, and h

idden triumph as two maids

off her crimes of sneaking into the Alpha's room and trying to strip the L

to shoot me a venomous, gloating look through her tears. In Northwind C

Howard turned back to me, all warmt

cer stables, you'll leave them outside these walls,"

er tonight, but in Northwind Castle, the Council

at you're harboring sinister motives, not even Andrae w

e old Lord turned and strode back up the

ut a silent scoff. This whole castle was a nest of vipers, from

nd walked through the side archway, stopping briefly by the herb storero

e black multi-faceted crystal stud on my left ear suddenl

ugh the encrypted mind-li