ra’s POV

    I tried to jerk my writt free, but his grip was unforgiving

    “Let go ground out, tugging hard against thorne’s hand

    hellstur

    His grip tightened, his face contorting in rage. “What the hell is that? His voice was sharp, most desperate er ma

    My angered. My mouth moved before my brain could catch up. “What does it look |

    Thome’s eyes went wild. He looked like he was about to shap, to break me in hat be his Luna?

    My heart hammered in my chest, the pressure of his fingers squeering harder,

    der, turning my blo

    Before I could get ba /bword in, I heard the soft shuffle of footsteps behind feel his presence, the tension in the a

    Kididn’t need to s

    varound to know Bar

    “Hey!” Relen’s voice broke through the moment, rising “You’re hurting her, man. Let go of

    Thome whipped around, his face contorting in a primal snart. A growl built in his chest, before His face shihed–flesh pulling muscles streching- ws bared and teath glinting.

    The how that erupted from him was more animal than man

    di watched in horror as his pupils temes ishitting, his body tandforms

    I didn’t have time to react. A gut wrenching fear gripped me as Thome’s massive ck wolf form loomed before me, his fur brist

    This wasn’t supposed to happen wolves didn’t ubit in front of their own pack unless they’d lost control.

    could feel my chest fighter, the breath leaving my lungs in a rush & cry escaped me, and instinctively, I shoved Paten back behind me. My own body responded without thinking I shifted, felt the crack of my bones as my own wolf surged forward, silverfur shing as stood in front of homes rang

    “bYou’re /bwilling to fight me for him?” Thorne roared, his voice a growl that sent a chill down my spine.

    “No one’s fighting anyone!” I shouted back, my wolf britting against his. “This has to stop, Tho Please?!”

    But his rage was too far gone. The airbeteren us crackled with tension, fur and flesh snapping together as we collided–his massive ck form crashing against my silver–white wolf. The impact knocked us both to the ground, but neither of us backed down. We stood, shaking off the shock of it, faces inches apart, panting, staring each other down.

    “I can’t believe this,” I muttered under my breath, my chest heaving “You’re losing it.”

    w, pain mixing with fury. “Why bim? After everything we’ve been through, you pick him?!”

    “Why?” His voice bwas /braw,

    I could feel it his heart breaking in front of me. But that didn’t make sense. He had no right to act like this, no right to make me feel guilty for choosing

    “I didn’t choose him to hurt you. Thome.” Htried to reason, but he wasn’t hearing me.

    Before I could say

    y anything else, another voice broke through the air, and the pressure seemed to ease just a fraction, “Please, voice rang out, sharp and desperate.

    top! Prisca’s

    Sheran up to us, panic in her eyes. She did’t ever seem to hesitate as the came to my side, her gaze shitting quickly to Thorne, “What’s going on! Somebody stop this madress!!

    10:56 Wed, 30 Jul G b6 /b

    Chapter 89.

    A fee soldiers gathered behind her, the gares darting nemnly between Thome and my wolf. But not a single one of them moved to intervene. Het with Thorne, not as his woll form.

    svoice was pleading, filled with a mix of confusion and fear as the looked at Thorne. “Please, Alpha, stop. This is Gamma Eliya. You know her You

    know she would never

    For a long moment, their was nothing but the tense silence of the battlefield. Then, just as thought I couldn’t take the tension any longer, Thome stopped. He rose. His well form stood rigid, and Usen, slowly, the change began. His features morphed back into human, but it wasn’t graceful his body shock with the effort. His shoulders were slumped in defeat

    “I wasn’t my best self today” he said hoarsely, his voice barely a whisper. “Sonly you had to see that.”

    Ishifted back, my wolf receding into me. I couldn’t speak. I was exhausted, emotionally drained. He was too much to handle, to vti

    “Thome…“I started, but he was already walking away, not even ncing hack at me.

    “I’ll leave the Craglen fortress. There are regue wolves nearby, take care of it. His words were cold, distant. He didn’t look the city” he added, his tone final as he disappeared into the distance,

    me once. “Take care of

    I stood there, watching him go, feeling a weight in my chest i couldn’t exin. Why did everything have to be soplicated with him?

    bRacen /bstepped up beside me, his voice concerned but soh. I’m sorry for all of that. I know it had to do with me

    I shook my head with a bitter smile, my eyes still on the horizon where Thome had disappeared. “It wasn’t babout /byou,” I said, forcing the words through clenched teeth. “it was about Thorne. His ego is just bruised. He couldn’t handle the idea of me choosing someone else over himb./b”

    A long sigh slipped from my lips, the tension finally starting to loosen just want some pesce

    Prisca, who had been quiet, tugged at my sleeve. “Come on,” she bsaid/b. “Let’s get to the market. I could use some help, and you need to keep busy. You’ll just drive yourself crazy thinking about all of this.”

    Thesitated but nodded, grateful for the distraction. With a final nced at the ce where Thorne had stood, I turned and walked with Prisca toward the

    market

    The market was bustling, full of life, the narrow alleyways filled with the voices of haggling customers and merchants. My gaze shifted over the crowd but then I saw her. Mi.

    She was working. Actually working.

    It took me a moment to recognize the way she was moving–lifting heavy bags, stacking them on shelves. There was no sign of her usualints, no whiny tone. Just the rhythms of hard work.

    “She’s different,” I whispered to Prisca, my eyes still locked on Mi.

    Prisca nced over “She is,” she agreed. “She wasn’t like this before. Not at all.”

    I couldn’t tear my gaze baway/b. Had she really changed? Or was this some kind of act? I didn’t know, but something told me that Mi’s story wasn’t fished byet /b

    “Do you believe it?” asked Prisca, my voice filed with uncertainty

    She shrugged. “I like to think the best of people. Maybe she’s finally figured out what really matters. I hope so, anyway

    Before I could respond, Prisca called out to Mi, beckoning her over. Mi approachedb, /bbut her demeanor was different. Calmer. She was no longer the spoiled princess I’d known.

    “Hey, I greeted her, trying to keep my voice neutral “How’s it going

    Mi smiled shyly. “I’m bdoing /bwell, thanks for asking.” She shifted awkwardlyb, /bclearly ufortable in the conversation “This ce, it’s been bgood /bbfor /b

    TUDO bVIVEU/bb, /bJU bJUI /bollime. It helped me calm down, bfind /bmy purpose again. I’ve got a new perspective now” /li/ol

    I stared

    ed at her, trying in

    in gauge if she was telling the truth. But her smile seemed uncer

    b“/bd to hear that,”

    “And I’m happy you’ve found some peace”

    M nodded eagely, her face lighting up with a genuine sile. “Imani Everything I used to care about money, power–it all This is the life I was meant to live.”

    I wasn’t convinced, but i didn’t have the energy to dig deeper.

    Just I

    it as I was about to say something else, a familiar voice came from behind us.

    “Gamma ra; Priscal What ba /bnice coincidence!”

    We all turned. Lance. He was walking toward us, smiling brightly–but when his eyes locked with Mi’s, his smile faltered. He from

    The tension in the air was thick, Mi’s eyes widened, her whole body stiffening. She looked like she’d seen a ghost.

    “Lanceb?/b” asked, my voice filled with confusion. “Do you two know each other?”

    Miel quickly looked down, her face pale. “No,” she muttered, clearly rattled. “We’ve never met.”

    Lance, his smile now forced, shook his head. ve never met her,” he said, his voice tight. “Anyway, if you need any help with your market stuff, just let me know. I’ll be at the smith shop.”

    With that, he hurried off, almost as though he was trying to avoid looking at Mi.

    I bturned /bback to Mi, who had already gone back to work, her face hidden. What was going on between them?

    “Do you think they

    by bknow /beach other?” Lasked Prisca, a frown pulling at my lips.

    Prisca shook her head. “Not that I know of I met Lance on the street before Mi was around”

    Something was off i could feel it deep down, a cold knot in my stomach. But I didn’t know what it meant, byet/b.

    AD