Frankie:
I stood rooted, calm as the storm that churned behind my eyes—silent, potent, and ready to devour. The fire I kept banked inside stirred at the edges of my soul, hungry for release. My mates flanked me like unbreakable pillars, their power thrumming in resonance with mine, waiting for my signal.
This battle was never meant to end in my hands, but I knew without a doubt that I would take what belonged to Rowan before I let her escape again.
Nettie clawed upright, her trembling fingers raking through the new-fallen snow. Blood stained her nails. Her eyes burned with hatred, but beneath that glare, I saw it—fear, creeping in like frost over glass.
"Trial?" I echoed her pathetic word back at her, letting the syllable curl into a razor-sharp smile on my lips. "You misunderstand my
