Chapter 169

• Dane
• I can hear the peaceful sounds of dawn over the Silvermoon Pack territory. It was torn like an injury, crying out into a blue sky bleeding crimson and gold. Jagged shadows stretched over broken, savage borderlands. Our small group of elite-only ten warriors, all Ironclaw Lycans hardened and silent, trekked through those frost-kissed woods; breaths steaming in the chill air, the scent of pine and damp earth sharp in my nostrils. Luisa was next to me, her gray cloak hugging her tiny body, dark curls spilling outside its hood; hazel eyes held a haunted determination.
• My wolf growled within me, a restless beast torn between pride in her courage, and dread at facing Finn, her brother, and Kiara, the architect of our chaos. The weight of my guilt, her parents' blood, and my failed attempt at killing Finn tore at me like a stone in my gut, but I managed to keep my eyes forward. My black tunic and armor became a second skin; my sword was heavy at my hip.