Chapter 76

• "Don't go."
• Ash's hand on my arm was like a brand, hot and proprietary, his fingers sinking into my skin. We stood at the edge of the Whisperpine Forest, the moonlight throwing long, abandoned shadows across the ground. The wind was cold, a bitter reminder of the chasm that had grown between us.
• "Have to," I whispered, my voice barely audible. I didn't look his direction, my eyes fixed on the road ahead of me. It was the route that would lead me to the Ceremonial Grounds of Lunitas, where the Alpha Council would be waiting for me. The destination I was meant to reach alone.