Sera's POV
The silver knife pressed against my thigh with every bump in the road.
I sat in the back of Alpha Cormac's car, squeezed between two other omegas, trying not to throw up. My hands wouldn't stop shaking. Two weeks of hiding, two weeks of avoiding Nash's suspicious stares, and now tonight I'd finally see Kael Blackthorn again.
Tonight, I'd make him pay.
Stop fidgeting, Elena snapped from the front seat. She'd been awful for two weeks straight, but tonight she looked nervous too. Her hands kept smoothing her dress, over and over.
Sorry, I whispered, making myself smaller.
The trees opened up and my breath caught. The Gathering Stones rose from the earth like giant teeth ancient rocks taller than houses, forming a perfect circle. Hundreds of wolves were already there, separated into five groups. Five packs. Five Alphas.
My father should have been one of them.
The car stopped and Elena got out first, not waiting for anyone. I climbed out on shaky legs, my wolf pushing against my skin. The full moon hung heavy overhead, making every wolf here feel the pull to shift. I gritted my teeth and shoved my wolf down.
Not yet. Not until it's done.
Stay with the other omegas, Alpha Cormac ordered, not even looking at me. And don't embarrass me.
I nodded and melted into the crowd of Frost River wolves. But I wasn't planning to stay with them. I had other plans.
The center of the stone circle was empty except for five chairs arranged in a star pattern. That's where the Alphas would sit. That's where Kael would be.
My hand drifted to the knife under my dress.
This is so exciting! Jenny whispered beside me. I've never seen all five Alphas together before.
Neither had I. Not since I was seventeen and my world ended.
A hush fell over the crowd. The Alphas were coming.
They walked in together, five men radiating so much power that weaker wolves dropped their eyes automatically. I forced myself to look up, searching for the face from my nightmares.
There.
Kael Blackthorn was even bigger than I remembered. He moved like a predator, all controlled strength and deadly grace. His black hair was longer now, touching his shoulders. But his eyes those cold silver-blue eyes were exactly the same.
My heart stopped. My wolf howled inside me. And for one terrible second, I couldn't breathe.
He killed my father. He destroyed my pack. He took everything from me.
And I was going to kill him.
Kael's POV
Another Gathering. Another night of politics and posturing and speeches that meant nothing.
Kael took his seat in the center circle and fought the urge to leave. He'd been Alpha for ten years and he still hated these ceremonies. All these wolves, all these expectations, all these eyes watching him like he might explode at any moment.
Maybe he would. The full moon made his wolf restless.
Alpha Cormac was talking about territory disputes. Alpha Marcus from the East was complaining about rogue problems. Kael let their voices fade to background noise and scanned the crowd.
Hundreds of faces. Most looked bored. Some looked scared. A few looked angry.
Then his eyes caught on one face and something in his chest tightened.
A girl stood at the edge of the Frost River group. Small, with dark hair pulled back, wearing a simple dress that marked her as omega. She should have been invisible omegas always were. But Kael couldn't look away.
She was staring at him with such hate that he felt it like a physical blow.
Who is she?
His wolf stirred, interested for the first time in years. Kael frowned and looked away. Probably just another wolf who'd heard stories about the monster Alpha who killed his own father. He was used to being hated.
But when he glanced back, she was still staring. And her hand was hidden in the folds of her dress, gripping something.
A weapon.
Kael's instincts screamed danger.
Sera's POV
The speeches dragged on forever. I inched forward through the crowd, using other wolves as cover. Closer. Just a little closer.
My fingers wrapped around the knife handle. One quick strike. That's all I needed. Kael was focused on the other Alphas. He wouldn't see me coming.
I took another step.
Where do you think you're going, omega? Elena's hand clamped around my arm like a vice.
I jerked to a stop. I just wanted to see better
You wanted to get closer to the Alphas? Elena's eyes narrowed. Trying to throw yourself at one of them? How pathetic.
No, I
Get back in line before I tell my father you're causing trouble.
Fury burned through me, but I forced it down. Yes, ma'am.
Elena's grip loosened. But before she could let go, a howl split the air.
Not a normal howl. A warning.
Every wolf in the circle went still.
Then chaos exploded.
Wolves in black burst from the forest, dozens of them, wearing no pack markers. They crashed into the Gathering like a wave of death. Screams erupted. Wolves shifted. Blood sprayed.
Attack! Someone yelled. Protect the Alphas!
I was thrown sideways as wolves surged around me. Elena disappeared into the crowd. I tried to find my footing but bodies kept slamming into me, knocking me further from the center.
The attackers were targeting the Alphas specifically. I saw one go for Alpha Cormac's throat. Another two charged at Kael.
Kael shifted mid-step, his black wolf massive and terrifying. He tore into his attackers with brutal efficiency. Not a monster. A warrior.
No, I thought desperately. He's supposed to die by my hand, not theirs!
I got shoved again and stumbled away from the main fight. When I looked up, three wolves in black surrounded me. Their eyes glowed yellow in the moonlight.
Rogues. But not random ones. These wolves moved with military precision.
Little omega, one growled. Wrong place. Wrong time.
They attacked as one.
I yanked my knife free and slashed at the first one, catching him across the face. He yelped and fell back. The second lunged and I ducked, rolling away. But the third was faster.
His claws raked across my ribs. Pain exploded through me and I gasped, falling to my knees. The knife slipped from my bloody fingers.
Should've stayed home, little wolf, the rogue laughed.
He raised his claws for a killing blow.
I closed my eyes, thinking of my father. I'm sorry, Dad. I failed you.
But the blow never came.
A massive black wolf crashed into my attacker with the force of a freight train. Bones crunched. The rogue went flying.
I opened my eyes and my heart stopped.
The black wolf stood over me, protecting me. His silver-blue eyes locked onto mine, and I felt the weight of his stare like a touch.
Kael Blackthorn.
He'd saved my life.
The wolf that killed my father had just saved my life.
He shifted back to human form, not even glancing at his nakedness. Stay behind me, he commanded, his voice leaving no room for argument.
I couldn't move. Couldn't think. Couldn't breathe.
Kael killed the other two attackers in seconds, moving faster than should be possible. When it was over, he turned back to me, his expression unreadable.
Are you hurt? he asked.
I opened my mouth but no words came out.
Then the burning started.
Pain seared across my left shoulder blade, so intense I screamed. I grabbed my shoulder, feeling like my skin was on fire. What was happening?
Kael's eyes went wide. He grabbed his right shoulder with a gasp.
Around us, the fighting stopped. Wolves on both sides froze, staring.
Because under the light of the blood moon, silver marks were appearing on our skin. Ancient symbols glowing like they were alive.
The mating mark.
No, I whispered. No, this is impossible.
But the bond snapped into place between us like a physical chain. I felt him his shock, his confusion, his sudden desperate hope. And I knew he felt me too. Felt my hate.
Elder Moira's voice cut through the silence: The Moon Goddess has spoken. The bond is sealed.
Every wolf in the Gathering was staring at us now. At Kael Blackthorn, the most powerful Alpha in the territories.
And at me, nobody omega Sara Wells.
His fated mate.
Kael stared at me like I was a miracle and a curse all at once. What's your name? he asked softly.
I wanted to scream. Wanted to run. Wanted to drive my knife into his heart.
Instead, I whispered, Sara. Sara Wells.
The lie tasted like ash in my mouth.
Because the bond didn't lie. It pulsed between us, growing stronger with every heartbeat. And I could feel something else now too something that made my blood run cold.
Through the bond, Kael's emotions crashed into me.
And one stood out above all the others.
Recognition.