Chapter 33

Arya

The words seem to float off the paper and around my head, swirling like a halo of taunts and bad memories.

Suddenly everything starts to come back.

Now, I remember growing up in that pack, Shadow Moon. I remember being called the weakest link. I remember my brother Daniel and my parents there, who were the only ones who were kind to me. And finally, I remember Levi Ellis.

The Alpha who rejected me the night of my birthday there.

The rejection feels like it happened yesterday. Suddenly I can feel the old hurt again. Suddenly I’m back in that pack, facing the cliff and choosing death over the pain that was given to me so heartlessly.

For a whole moment, I can’t breathe. That’s why I wasn’t welcome there. That’s why my power never matched up to any of theirs. This Kingdom is where I belong.

And that place has been the source of my worst pain.

Tears start to fall rapidly down my cheeks. My parents look horrified.

“Why are you crying?” Mom asks in alarm. “What are you crying about? Wh