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“Look.” He grabbed the hem on the back of my coat and yanked it up over my head.” She’s been chosen. She bears the mark.”
I cried out from the physical and mental pain of yet another public violation and humiliation.
A second mark.
As if one wasn’t bad enough. I thought back, scouring my memories for a time that it could have happened and came up empty. The demon marked me a second time and I hadn’t even realized it.
And that terrified me.
“Fate has chosen Talia, the Bone Clan princess, as the demon mate.” Bjorn clasped Colson on the shoulder, congratulating him and the other clan members for the blessing bestowed upon them.
“Blessing?” I screamed at the top of my lungs. “This isn’t a blessing. It’s a goddamned curse.” I’m cursed.”
“My dear child.” Colson knelt down before me and pinched my chin between his forefinger and thumb; pressing harder when I tried to jerk away. “Our demon wolf god has chosen you as his mate. A great honor has been bestowed upon the House of Bones.”
“Since when are demons honorable?” I spat disdain with every word. “Do you even care about the destruction happening outside your borders?”
It hadn’t escaped my notice that the only place left untouched by the demon hordes that were running loose in wolf territories all over the country were the towns associated with the Deofol pack and their clans.
“Of the four houses, the Bone clan was chosen. The demon wolf god looked upon us with favor despite your mother’s betrayal.” Colson tightened his hold on my chin to the point of bruising. “You will accept this mating or suffer the consequences as she did.”
“Did you kill my mother?” I clasped my hand around his wrist and dug partially shifted claws into his skin until I felt the warmth of his blood well up around my fingertips.
“She chose her fate.” Colson risked damage to his cephalic vein and yanked his hand free from my grip. The skin damaged from my razor sharp nails had already begun to scab over. “Karma came for her.”
“Accept the demon wolf god’s proposal and sit at his side as his mate, or reject him and kneel at his feet as his concubine.” Bjorn stepped in front of me, his fur lined, tan suede snow boots obscuring my field of vision. “Either way, he will claim what is rightfully his.”
“I would rather die than accept his proposal.”
“As much as it would pain your brothers and sisters to witness your death and have shame cast upon their house again, that could be an amicable solution.” Bjorn ripped my knit hat from my head, grabbed a fistful of hair. His nails dug into my scalp as he forced me to look up and meet his gaze. “That would free you of your physical obligation. Of course, he’d still lay claim to your soul.”
Bjorn tossed me aside and strolled back to the circle of burning barrels to warm his hands over the flames.
“Whatever you decide, the demon wolf god will have you. He always gets what he wants.” The alpha wrung his hands over the fire, soaking in the heat as flames licked his skin.
“Not this time.” I snarled and pushed myself to my feet.
“Talia, wait. Don’t back him or yourself into a corner.” Galen’s voice was weak and distant through our weakened bond. “Please, let’s think this through. We’ll come up with something together.”
“Your lover clings to hope. A fool’s hope, but I have to agree with him.” Bjorn broke through our connection, terrorizing my most private thoughts and the safe place I’d found with Galen. “You don’t want me as your enemy and you really should give this some thought. Rash decisions so rarely pan out. Just ask your mother. Oh, that’s right, you can’t. What a pity. I’m sure she would see things the demon wolf god’s way if given another chance.”
“You son of a bitch.” I growled, unable to control my wolf any longer.
The change came hard and fast. Bones cracked, skin split, fur sprouted. Every inch of me burned with a rage so hot it threatened to consume every cell in my body. The Deofol wolves killed my mother and sentenced me to a fate worse than death.
My wolf demanded vengeance and she wasn’t taking no for an answer.
A hush fell over the demon wolf clans clustered around the burning barrels. They gawked, eyes wide and mouths agape like fish out of water, cooking beneath a blazing summer sun.
My wolf, covered head to toe in a coarse haired arctic white coat, stared back at them with her piercing red demon eyes. I recognized the bewildered look in their eyes. I’d been just as struck by my new appearance as they were.
Except mine had been born of horror and not of awe.
“She carries the trait. More proof that she is the next Bone Clan princess and our lord’s fated mate.” Bjorn thrust his index finger in my face, but jerked his hand back before my gnashing teeth snapped closed around it.
A low growl vibrated up from the darkest depths within me and out of my mouth. I gave myself over to my wolf and she took the reins without hesitation. Hackles raised, she lunged for Bjorn and her teeth found their mark, clamping down on his leg.
He dropped a hammer fist on the top of our skull. Black spots danced around the corners of our vision but we didn’t let go; sinking our teeth deeper into his calf. The coppery taste of blood coated our tongue, fueling my wolf’s need for vengeance by way of violence.
