Page 146 of Mated to the Wolves

“To successfully wield the amulet, you must bind yourselves to it.”

“Bind?” The word feels dangerous. Permanent.

“It’s how you prevent others from using its powers against you or stealing it.”

“And what does tying ourselves to the amulet do?”

“Gives you the power necessary to protect it.”

“How are we supposed to find this thing?”

“When the time is right, all will be revealed to you.”

The answer sheds no light on anything. But I sure as hell don’t plan on arguing with a god.

“Why should I save the people who ruined my life? They decided I have value and suddenly they’re offering up empty praise, and vying for my attention. The man meant to lead us all is corrupt. He plays games with my life with no consideration or care for any of us. And still, I must stand strong for his people.”

“Sometimes we are chosen to do the impossible because we are the only ones capable of it.”

I scoff at his reasoning. “It’s not fair.”

“Such is life.” The anguish and sorrow in his short sentence bring a sense of understanding and community.

Who else would understand better than the wolf betrayed by those he loved? Pain and grief combine in a potent combination of emotions too heavy to carry. I fall to my knees under the weight forces me to knell. I wrap my arms around my waist and endure it.

“The pain won’t end, but you will learn to bear it because it is your destiny.”

Throwing my head back, I scream. Who thought they had the right to end my family’s life? Why had I alone been spared?

“You seek answers that will only bring madness.”

“How could I have been so blind?”

“Children trust those in charge. They’re meant to keep us safe. The failing is theirs, not our own.” Bitterness and sorrow drip from every word. “We never see the betrayal coming. That’s why those we care for are the most dangerous. Question everything and never underestimate what others are capable of.”

I make a request. “I need the people who did this to suffer.”

“Then you must channel your anger before it renders you helpless. Take the pain they’ve given you and transform into the tool that will become their destruction.”

“Tell me what I have to do to gain my revenge.”

His eyes glow a vibrant red on black. “Surrender.”

Hypnotized by the glow, I fall into the endless depths, releasing my tentative hold on consciousness. His strength, volatile emotions, and cold calculating mind flow through me. I welcome the chaos.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

The thin woman with a severe bun and a French accent places her hands on her hips. This feels more like a funeral.

“You’ll have to wait elsewhere.”

Bo lowers his phone. “Why?”

“Because the mating dress is to be seen on the day only.”

“That’s your tradition, not ours,” Fell lifts his chin, ready to argue the point.

“It’s the rules. You can take it up with the Alpha. I am here to do my job.” She crosses her arms and leans back.

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