Chapter 44

• The battlefield had quieted, but the air still vibrated with tension. The rogues were retreating, their chaotic lines breaking under the combined strength of the united packs. The allied warriors stood tall, their faces streaked with sweat and determination, their howls of victory rising into the smoky air. Yet, in the midst of the retreat, a shadow moved stealthily among the chaos—Rita.
• Rita had watched the battle unfold from the safety of a concealed vantage point. Her lips curled in disdain as she observed Joshua’s cowardly betrayal of Lucy and Amara’s triumphant severing of the mate bond. Her once-perfect plan had unraveled, piece by piece, leaving her allies scattered and her ambitions hanging by a thread. But Rita was not one to admit defeat. Her cunning mind worked quickly, plotting her next move.
• “They think they’ve won,” Rita muttered under her breath, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the battlefield. “But they’ve only delayed the inevitable.”