Chapter 2

I moved out of Julian's wing.

My new wing was far from his, but quiet, with a wide lily pond beside it.

I had chosen it myself.

When Julian heard, his quill paused mid-stroke. "The wing has no name yet… How about Willowbrook?"

A pillow by the stream, a game of stones among the reeds. No need to seek a drinking friend or force a tired verse.

It was a good name.

I nodded. "Fine. Whatever you want."

The Thorne Pack had been a warrior line for generations. By Julian's time, the line had faded.

After the old Alpha Thorne died on the front, his Luna had taken her own life.

Only Julian and his brother — two years older than him — were left.

That brother was now assigned to govern a distant Pack. Julian, not long after coming of age, had Marked Seraphina. They seemed well-matched. Over time, Julian lost interest in Pack politics and chose to live as a wealthy recluse.

Which was why, when she was taken from him, he had no hand left to play.

There were no elders at the Thorne Estate, and little enough to do.

I settled into my corner and had a stretch of peaceful days.

I liked to fuss over flowers. I planted a patch of them in my courtyard, and I put together a swing.

I was not good at it. The first time I built it, the frame collapsed. Julian happened to be passing, and he fixed it for me.

I had a good head for numbers, so I took over the household ledgers. It didn't take long to see that Julian had a real gift for trade. The shops under his name brought in a heavy purse every month.

But in the past, half of that had gone to Seraphina.

She liked to send coin to her own Pack, to throw every kind of gathering, to buy up every trend in gowns and jewelry.

Sometimes I went with Julian when he was invited out.

Whenever someone mocked me, Julian acted as though he hadn't heard. If he had defended me in public, the words would have reached Seraphina and hurt her. But every time we came home, he brought me gifts. Many of them.

I had no interest in dragging these people into a fight. I would just bring up Damien.

"However poor a match this is, the Crown Alpha Commanded it himself. If you have complaints, take them to the Crown's Estate."

Word was, when Damien heard, he allowed me the insolence.

But he liked me less for it. "Using my name — the audacity. So calculating. Nothing like Seraphina."

And the first time I actually saw Seraphina was because of my younger brother.

My half-brother Syrus was only two months younger than me. Sharp-eyed, sharp-tongued, gifted in both combat and strategy.

He had trained for ten years without missing a single day.

This year, he was going to the Alpha Guard trials.

He had one serious rival. Seraphina's brother.

The day of the trials, Syrus collapsed in Julian's study.

Because of me, Syrus trusted this brother-in-law more than most. The day I heard what had happened, I was eating at a tavern with Julian. My hands shook with rage. I threw the table over and slapped him across the face.

"What did you do!"

He frowned. "I don't even know why he was there—"

Then he stopped, as if something had just occurred to him. "I will find out. I'll give you an answer."

Just then, the door opened. In came a woman in silk, smiling sweetly.

She spoke to me.

"I used Julian's name to send the message. Told your brother you were unwell and lured him to the study. He never suspected — because it was about you."

"Julian had no idea. Start to finish. I only borrowed his seal."

I stared at her, cold.

"I did it. I'll own it. Don't blame him," she said. "You took my mate. I took a Guard position for my Pack. Call us even."

At that, Julian's head snapped up.

He looked at me first.

Then at Seraphina. His dry lips pressed together, and after a long pause, he asked, slowly:

"Seraphina. It really was you? Why? Do you realize you've ruined Syrus for life?"

"And me? Julian, you told me you'd always stand by my side. Am I not pitiful? Am I not innocent?"

Julian closed his eyes. When he opened them, they were faintly red.

He ignored Seraphina and spoke to me. "I'm sorry. This is something I owe you and Syrus. I'll find a way to make it right."

Seraphina was furious.

She pointed at me, nearly in tears. "Why does she get amends? What about me? Julian — you can't just leave me alone…"

I took a slow breath.

"Enough!"

What I was watching was too absurd to bear.

I looked at Seraphina. "Second Mate Seraphina. Tell me again — who took whose mate? You're pitiful? Then am I the one who carved the flesh off your bones? I have had just as little choice in this as you."

"And leave Syrus out of it. He was innocent. What you did was the work of a small, mean-hearted wolf."

In the wreckage of the room, Seraphina's face changed.

Something I'd said had struck a nerve. She stepped up fast, hand raised to hit me.

I had held my temper this long. Seeing her come at me was exactly what I wanted.

She had struck first.

If Damien wanted to make something of it later, he couldn't blame me for touching his beloved.

I had learned archery for a time, running at Syrus's side, and my wrists were stronger than most She-Wolves.

In a single motion, I caught her hand and pinned her.

But as I lifted my other hand to slap her, someone caught my wrist.

Julian.

"You can't hurt her," he said.