Chapter 7

"I forgot."

The words had barely left Adrian's mouth before the crowd erupted.

Liliana pressed a dagger to my throat, voice cold enough to crack: "Break the bond with him. Or die."

Bonding required both parties' consent. So did breaking it.

Before I could open my mouth, a small black blur shot out from the corner—three legs scrambling, lopsided but ferocious—and launched itself at Liliana.

Little White.

It had seen the blade at my throat and snapped.

Liliana frowned, flicked her hand dismissively, and sent Little White flying. It hit the ground hard, wobbled trying to stand, three legs unable to hold—toppling over again and again, pathetic and comical at once.

Liliana moved to kick it.

I clenched my fists inside my sleeves. "I am still this tribe's Luna. I haven't broken my bond with Adrian. You'd kill me? You can't afford the consequences."

Fury churned in Liliana's eyes. "You refuse?"

I smiled and said, against my heart: "The Luna's seat—who'd give it up willingly?"

Adrian looked at me with a frown. "I didn't know you'd become so vain."

I sighed. "You've always misunderstood me."

Adrian couldn't bear to let Liliana suffer the bond's backlash, so he relented and asked what it would take for me to agree.

Every eye was on me. Cassian's included.

I thought for a moment. "I want every drop of Scarsbane potion the healer has left."

Adrian's gaze fell to the missing pinky on my left hand. It lingered there a moment. Then, heavily: "Fine."

Potion in hand, I scooped up Little White and hurried back to the cottage. Cassian trailed behind. "I thought you'd cling to the Luna title and never let go—keep Liliana beneath you forever."

I nodded. "I considered it."

"So why didn't you?"

"I was afraid she'd take it out on Little White."

He stood in the doorway and watched me split the Scarsbane in two—half ground into powder and pushed into Little White's mouth, the other half mixed into a paste and spread over its severed leg.

Cassian pointed at me, visibly angry. "The potion you fought to get… you're using it on the wolf?"

Scarsbane was extraordinary. In the blink of an eye, Little White's hind leg grew back.

Before I could celebrate, Cassian grabbed my left hand, face dark with fury. "And your own hand? You're just going to leave it?"

I pulled my hand back with some effort, unbothered. "It's one finger. How does that compare to an entire leg?"

Little White craned its head to look up at me, black eyes wet and shining, something in them I couldn't quite read.

I stroked its head.

As long as you're okay.