Page 86 of Court of Beasts

My father’s head.

“Jang!” I scream helplessly. “Father!”

Like he hears me, his head snaps around to me, his eyes locking on mine even though he knows his death blow is imminent. “Look away, princess,” he mouths.

“No!” I roar, and with renewed urgency, I kick away the hunters holding me, scramble to my feet, and dive for him, but it’s too late.

The blade falls, and I watch in horror as it slices through his throat. His eyes are wide as they bring the blade out and back down, cleaving off his head.

It rolls across the grass as I fall to my knees, unable to look away from his open, lifeless eyes.

Jang . . . Father.

Arms grab me once more, but I ignore them.

Grief fills my body, taking it over until I cannot breathe.

I shatter.

My scream echoes to the moon, shaking the earth with its fury.

Everything around me fades.

I no longer feel the pain of my body or the hands holding me, nor the heat of the burning pack house.

All I feel is a bone-deep abyss of agony consuming me.

My body is slick with the rain, my hair hanging in drenched ringlets around my face. Our house burns as Marie lets out a grieved howl somewhere behind me.

My own head falls back, my scream ragged as I bellow my pain to the moon.

The lick of flames heats my skin, and I could be burning for all I know, but I don’t care.

I hear the echoing cry taken up by the wolves as they turn to see their fallen alpha.

Jang.

He’s gone.

It’s my last thought as something hard hits the back of my head. I fall forward into wet, muddy grass and my eyes close.

My heart and soul are torn apart.

I welcome the darkness beyond.

Let them kill me.

Let me join both my fathers.

I will not live in a world without my family.

Please,I whisper to the darkness,take me away.

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

The last thing I remember is an agonised scream that tore apart my heart. Quinn was on her knees, bleeding and soaked, shouting as her father was killed before her eyes. I stopped what I was doing, my own horror and pain ripping me apart until I stood stock-still with the rest of the wolves.

It was my downfall.

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