Chapter 1
Aleera
The heavy footfalls pounding the ground behind me are getting far too close for comfort. I knew better than to breach Silver Hollow during a full moon, but desperation makes you stupid. Four days without food or water, and the last of my grandmother’s jewelry burning a hole in my pocket. I thought I could slip in, trade the necklace for enough coin to get me to the next city, maybe find work and lay low for a few weeks.
But as it turns out, you can’t lie low when there’s a bounty on your head.
And you definitely can’t outrun a pack of flea-bitten were-fae with anger issues when your legs feel like wet noodles and your lungs are staging a full-scale rebellion.
I careen around another darkened corner, nearly losing my footing on the icy ground, and a distant growl makes my heart slam against my ribs. Fae blood is addictive to werewolves, and the moment I stepped into this cursed city, they welcomed me with open jaws and a hunting party.
I thought I’d concealed myself well enough. Turns out, six years without my mates has left me weaker than I realized. My magic, what little I had left started sputtering out hours ago. Now I’m running on fumes, adrenaline, and sheer spite.
As I pass a row of garbage cans, I flick my wrist and send a pathetic wave of energy from my palm. The cans topple behind me with a metallic crash. It won’t buy me much time, but I’m desperate.
There’s a collision of claws and metal, snarls and cursing, but I don’t dare look back. I round another corner between two brick buildings, my breath coming in short, painful gasps. The stitch in my side is threatening to undo me, and I can feel them closing in.
A growl rumbles so close behind me that the wolf’s aura prickles the back of my neck like icy fingers. My hands tremble as I try to summon more magic, but there’s nothing left.
Nothing.
The wolf at my back pounces. I drop to my knees on instinct, and the massive beast sails over my head, skidding on the icy pavement ahead of me.
I scramble to my feet, heart hammering, and spin to run, but more wolves are pouring into the alley entrance, cutting off my escape. When I whirl back around, my stomach drops.
Dead end.
They were herding me here the entire time.
A single door in the back of a building catches my eye, and I make a desperate lunge for it. My frozen fingers yank at the handle, but it doesn’t budge. I pull again, harder, panic clawing up my throat.
Come on, come on—
A man’s low laugh echoes from above and I look up just as he drops from the fire escape, landing heavily on bare feet behind me. I swallow hard, pressing my back against the door.
He’s tall, too tall, with the wide, muscular frame of a wolf shifter and the sharp, angular features of dark fae. Were-fae. Part wolf, part fae, one hundred percent savage.
He smiles, slow and wicked, and I hold up a finger.
“One moment,” I wheeze, doubling over with my hands on my knees. “Just—just let me catch my breath.”
He pauses, head tilted, clearly confused.
I gulp in air like it’s a rare commodity, then straighten up and glance around. The other wolves have shifted back to human form now, closing in on all sides. They’re all naked, steam rising off their skin in the freezing air, and I can’t help but wonder…
Where does their junk go when they shift? Does it invert? Or is it just… jingling around under all that fur?
The man from the ledge growls, snapping me out of my thoughts.
I put up both hands in what I hope is a placating gesture. “Okay, so funny story…”
He takes a step forward. Crap!
“I’m guessing this is the part where you tell me I’ve trespassed on sacred ground, or I peed on someone’s favorite fire hydrant, and now you have to rip me apart, right?”
His eyes narrow, but he doesn’t advance.
“For the record,” I add quickly, “I never cocked my leg on anyone’s tree. No rules broken.”
He snarls, his face twisting in anger.
“Quick question, though,” I press on, ignoring the way my voice shakes. “Does this death sentence come with a last meal? Or maybe a drink? Because I gotta say, I’m seriously parched, and if I’m going out, I’d at least like to go out a little less… stale.”
The men glance at each other, visibly thrown off by my rambling. The leader scoffs, his eyes gleaming with dark amusement.
“No?” I try again. “Well, maybe you could save yourself the trouble of mauling me and just point me to the city exit instead?”
He steps closer, towering over me now, and I have to crane my neck to meet his gaze. More wolves filter into the alley, blocking every possible escape route. They howl and snap their jaws, and I can’t tell if they’re laughing or threatening to eat me.
Probably both.
The man tilts his head, his cold eyes raking over me like I’m already a corpse. “This one’s got a mouth on her,” he drawls, voice smooth yet dripping with malice.
He reaches out, running one clawed finger along my jaw almost gently before tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.
I slap his hand away.
He laughs, deep and throaty, and goosebumps ripple across my skin.
“Imagine my surprise,” he murmurs, stepping even closer, “when I stepped out of the bar tonight and caught the scent of power I haven’t encountered since before the plague.”
My blood turns to ice and I try to pull away, but his hand shoots out and grips my throat.
“I’d recognize your pretty little face anywhere.” His smile widens. “You’re the fae girl with the bounty on her head. But I’m curious…” His claws dig in just enough to make me wince. “What’s so special about you that Darius Wraith would go through all this trouble?”
My heart stalls.
No. No, no, no—
I shake my head quickly. “I think you’re mistaken. I’m just a dark fae. Nothing special.”
It’s only a partial lie. My father was dark fae, my mother white fae, but white fae are extinct. If he finds out what I really am, I’m dead. Or worse.
He leans in closer, inhaling deeply, and his eyes flash with recognition.
“I don’t think I’m mistaken,” he says slowly. “You reek of power. And it doesn’t smell like typical dark fae magic.”
“I’d say you smell like a wet dog,” I snap, “but even dogs don’t let themselves get this mangy. So if you don’t mind—”
He shoves my face away roughly, and I stumble back against the door.
“Does Darius know what you are?” he muses, more to himself than to me. “I’m assuming he does. That bounty’s too high for a nobody.”
He grabs my arm and yanks me against him, his grip bruising.
“But as good as cashing in that bounty sounds…” His smile turns predatory. “I think I’d be pleased to keep a power like yours for myself.”
I don’t know what frightens me more, that he knows what I am, or the mention of one of my mates.
“Yeah, no thanks,” I mutter, bracing both hands against his chest.
He snarls and backhands me across the face.
Pain explodes through my cheek, my head whips to the side and I taste copper as my teeth clash with my tongue.
“I wasn’t asking,” he growls, pinning me to the door with one arm across my chest. He shoves my hoodie up around my neck and drags one rough hand over my breast through my thin tank top. “You’re going to shut the fuck up and do exactly what you’re told.”
My stomach rolls.
“And when I’m done with you,” he whispers, leaning in close, “my boys back there would love a turn. They’ve worked hard tonight. I think they deserve a taste.”
Panic claws up my throat, but I shove it down.
Think, Aleera. Think.
I reach deep inside myself, searching for even a spark of magic, anything but there’s nothing left that would be useful. Six years of running from my mates has bled me dry. I’m pretty much powerless.
The man wedges his knee between my thighs, forcing one leg up around his hip, and bile rises in my throat.
I have one option left.
One choice I swore I’d never make.
My wrist burns, the place where their names are branded into my skin. Four names I haven’t spoken aloud in six years. Four men I swore to kill if I ever had the chance.
But losing my virginity to some mouth-breathing were-fae in an alley that smells like wet dog and garbage isn’t on my calendar either.
“Maybe you misunderstand,” I grit out, trying to stand taller even though my vision is tunneling. “If I call them, we can’t come back from that. I won’t submit to you. I’d rather live through their hell than yours.”
His hand tightens around my throat, claws digging into my skin.
He’s calling my bluff.
He doesn’t think I’ll do it.
“So Darius is your mate, huh?” He grins wider. “Well, you’ve just made this all the more fun. I owe that bastard for killing my brother.” My stomach sinks. “Maybe once we’re done with you, we’ll mail you back to him in pieces. The bounty doesn’t specify what condition you have to be in.” He laughs. “Dead or alive. Your so-called mates must not care too much for you.”
