I can't stop crying as I leave Nicholas's house. I know I had to do it. I had to break things off. I couldn't risk him dying because of me.But still, my heart is broken, and I'm not sure anything will ever be able to put it back together again.I keep thinking about that night on the moon. I keep thinking about the way his eyes looked into mine. I keep thinking about the way he held me and kept me safe. I keep thinking about the way he made me feel.I try to remind myself that I'm doing the right thing. I've been trying to analyze this from all angles, and this is what I've decided is the safest decision for everyone.But it doesn't make it any easier.I decide to take a walk through the woods, the narrow path illuminated by the bright moon overhead. I pass by some of the cabins, and I see a few people sitting out on the porches, probably enjoying the night air and the comforting warmth of a roaring fire.I feel so alone. I should feel myself surrounded by my pack, but I don't f

I'm not sure how long I've been running, but I can't seem to get very far. The woods are dense and difficult to navigate. I've gotten turned around a few times, become completely lost and had to backtrack. I'm covered head to toe in mud, and I feel like I've been running for hours, though I'm pretty sure it's only been a few minutes.But I feel like I'm close now. I can hear the stream and I see the trees rising up ahead. I'm practically sprinting by the time I reach the cabin, and my heart is beating out of my chest. I throw open the door, ready to find a way to prove that Rachel paid this woman to cast a spell on me, but instead I find the house completely empty. I don't see any sign of the sorceress at all. I search everywhere. I even go into the cellar. The whole place looks abandoned. There is no sign of her anywhere. And based on how empty the place is, there's no indication she's ever coming back either.Which means I have no proof. No proof of Rachel's betrayal. No proo

RACHEL’S POVHe's thinking about Marla again. I can tell. And it's infuriating.I know I came in here and gave him the 'let her go' talk. But I was expecting it to work. I was expecting him to at least be able to have a conversation with me about it. But instead, he just let me ramble on about what I wanted for our wedding and what I thought we should do. He didn't even really pay attention. He agreed with everything, but I can tell that his mind was wandering.That's not fair to me."I'm trying to be understanding," I say. "Really, I am. But we're getting married, and you're just sitting here thinking about another woman.""I'm not--" he says."You are!" I insist. "And I don't understand how you can be so upset over her. I mean, she has done nothing but lie to you."Nicholas clears his throat. "I know. I know exactly what she's done. She's--""But you love her," I say quietly."Yes," he says. "I don't want to, but I do."I let out a deep breath. I don't know what to say.

The other pack's alpha is huge, even bigger than Nicholas. He looks like he's at least twice his size. He's flanked by several other wolves, and they're all moving quickly.I can hear the sound of their growls growing louder as they approach. They're running full speed towards Nicholas, and I know they mean to attack.I watch as they come closer and closer. I know there's nothing I can do to stop it. And suddenly, I realize that there's a good chance the fight will be fatal.I look at Nicholas, standing there beside Rachel. He's staring straight at the other pack. He looks calm, almost apathetic. His eyes are focused on the alpha, but he doesn't seem too concerned.He's confident he can handle this. But he shouldn't be. I can't take my eyes off of him. I wish I could know what's going through his mind, but I know I can't. I'm so afraid for him."These woods are off-limits," the alpha of the other pack growls. "You know that."I'm surprised at the sound of his voice. It's deep,

NICHOLAS’S POVI don't want to leave Marla, but I have to. I can't just refuse to check on Rachel. Plus, Marla's wounds have been tended to. She'll be okay without me. I'm not sure the same can be said for Rachel."I'll be right back," I say.She's too weak to speak, but she squeezes my hand lightly. My heart leaps at her touch."I'll take you to her," the beta says, jolting me back to reality. I take one last look at Marla before standing up to follow him.He takes me to a tree about 100 yards away. I'm surprised to see Rachel sitting up against it. Her jacket has been wrapped around her, and one of the betas is tending to her. He's cleaning her wounds, and he looks up at me and nods."She'll be fine," he says. "The wounds aren't deep. She'll heal in a few days.""Oh," I say, surprised. "That's great."I stare at Rachel, confused. From the way they were speaking, I thought she was dying. I didn't expect her to be so... okay."I can take care of her wounds," I tell the bet