PTE

ars streaming down my face

s that I needed to flee, to escape the shame, the exclusion, and

nly fell. I landed hard, the force making it difficult to breathe. As I lay there, trying to catch my breath, I felt my once

me had changed. The familiar smells of the Clearwater Pack territory were gone, re

owls in the distance. The pack was searching for me. Fear rushed through me when I thought about being pulled

like grabbing hands. Shadows got longer and darker as night approached. Every little noise in the bushes, every broken twig

ts hit me hard. The happiness of finding my partner, the deep sadness of being turned down, the embarrassment of being laughed at

risky my situation was. I was by myself, in a place I didn't know, with no protection. Instinctively, I tried to shift into my wolf form. Bu

eyes didn't belong to an ordinary wolf. As I stood there, too scared to move, Its fur was tangled and marked with scars, and

ers grabbed a strong stick just as the rogue wolf lunged at me. Its big mouth opened close to my face, an

ut, surprised for a moment. But I knew it wouldn't stay like that

quickly with it, my heart beating so fast I was afraid it might burst out of my chest. This was the moment. This was how I was going to meet my end.

nside, and it spread all over me. My vision got better, and I could smell things much more clearly. I looked dow

laws. But this time, I was ready. I met its charge head-on, my newfound strength allowing

wolf than human. But even as its jaws clamped down, I managed to drive my claws into

rogue's throat. The beast let out a gurgling howl, then went limp. I pu

Aurora Nightshade, the omega, the reject.

y win had hurt me. My shoulder hurt a lot, and every beat of my

rry. I fell down next to the dead enemy, and my body went into

ce. Is this what dying feels like? It's not as frightening as I imagined.

ere, not in this way. I had survived years of abuse in the pack. I had survived Asher's cruel r

movement. But my body didn't react. I had lost too much blood, and the injuries were too

air. It was strange, but it also felt reassuring. Using the little

rong, giving off a sense of power I hadn't experienced before. Not even Alpha Dominic had po

olf," a deep voice