Prologue
Sienna
During the Battle of Azarakh’s Doom
“Sienna!” I look up from the book in my lap, my heart clenching in worry at the tone of Tatum’s voice that rings through the marble halls of the Rossi Mansion.
What is it? I stand up quickly, my heartbeat accelerating as I rush from the room. I’m already on edge, restless as we wait for the news of the outcome of the battle that is taking place right now.
Does he have news?
Dread fills my stomach as I rush from the room. “Si!” Tatum’s usually emotionless voice is strained.
“Tatum? What is it?” I ask as I hurry towards the winding stairway to meet him halfway, but the moment I see his face as he runs up the steps three at a time, it makes my heart drop.
There’s bad news.
“Si…” He walks towards me, his face distraught, an expression I have only ever seen on his face once before, and thevery thought makes me draw in a shuddering breath.
Breathe…
“No…” I say, stepping away from him, as if doing so might delay the inevitable. My mind races to everyone who is a part of the ongoing battle. For him to react like this, it has to be Dad, Mama, Ahren, Aunty Ri…
No, please no! Maybe it’s something else!
But I don’t need wolf hearing to hear the thudding of his heart as he closes the distance between us and grips the sides of my face, pressing his forehead to mine.
I close my eyes, terror enveloping me. That gesture alone tells me that what he’s about to tell me will destroy me.
“Si, Uncle Ray has fallen in battle. He’s… gone.”
My world comes crashing to an abrupt stop; my lungs suddenly incapable of breathing.
No. NO!
As Tatum’s words echo through my mind, a choked sob escapes my throat and tears sting my eyes.
No, no, no, no! This is a nightmare! Dad can’t be gone!
I shake my head, looking up at him, wanting him to tell me that it’s not true, that he meant something else.
“He’s alive, though? Right?” I whisper, my voice trembling as I clutch onto his jacket.
He searches my eyes for a moment as if wondering if I’m understanding what he’s saying.
“He’s gone, Si. Ahren is Alpha now. Your mom felt the bond break, and so did Jaddati-”
“NO! He can’t die! We can’t lose him!” I scream, wrenchingfree from his hold, terror and pain crippling my windpipe. Gods, I can’t breathe, but I don’t want to if it means dealing with this much pain!
“Sienna,” Jaddati’s voice reaches my ear – that’s what we call Grandma Maria – but all I can think is Dad is gone. Dad left… He was all we had. He was supposed to take care of Aunty Ri, Heaven and Tatum, too! Why did he leave us?!
Heart-wrenching sobs echo through the hall as Tatum reaches me again, trying to pull me into his arms, but I just want Dad!
“Why?!” The word rips from my throat, jagged and broken, as I fall to my knees. The havoc inside me becomes a catastrophe of anguish and pain. “WHY?!” I scream again, but I don’t get an answer.
Through the blur of my tears, I see Jaddati rushing towards me, her dress billowing behind her against the whipping wind that surrounds us. Her cheeks glisten with silent tears, but no sound escapes her lips, as if voicing her grief will make everyone around her shatter.
“Ya hayati!” She reaches for me, but she can’t get close enough.
