Alora. Alora.They reach out to me. Waves of their blood sweep against my ankles. Their cries and pleas come at me like gusts of wind. Not all are sad or bereaved, but all of them want me to notice them. They want me to see them. To hear them.Alora.Their Wolves howl and snarl. So many eyes. So many blank stares.Fingers brush aside my hair and a woman's mouth presses against my ear. Alora.I'm compelled to hear her. Soft...chimes of bells move with her every breath. She speaks to me again, as quiet as the night.Prophet. She says. Come and see."Alora," Jayden grabs my arm, "Stop zoning out-we're lining up." Come and see, Prophet of Death.I turn to face her. Sashi. Her golden eyes pierce me to the core. They hold so many secrets, so much to say...so much to see.She touches my cheek gently, like a siren coaxing a sailor into the depths of the sea. Child of Cecily. Blood of Kaltain. You are in danger.She disappears as Kaizer sweeps me up into his arms, spinning me in circles with a

"Don't worry, we'll behave ourselves."Cam, charming as always, practically wraps herself around Claude. He doesn't react, though the poor rookie beside him is clearly taken by Camilla. He looks ready to faint when she gives him a wink.Claude slips from her hold, "No swimming this time, okay?""Jeez, what are you-my mother?" She rolls her eyes, "Or are you giving us such a hard time 'cause you want us to invite you? You're more than welcome to-be sure to bring the cutie who's riding with you."Again, the rookie's consciousness is questionable."Whatever, just don't complain when you wake up with a hell of a hangover again. I'm tired of hearing Auntie Nic bitch me out for it.""You two are actually cousins?" I look between them as Claude goes back to his car."Yup," She sighs, "Don't know how. He's too straight-laced.""Let's go set up," Hendrick begins to pull me towards the beach but I break away."Claude!" He turns around when I run up to him, "Can I talk to you quickly?"He looks

Kennedy's words echo through my head, and I wince. You know just as well as I do that he's a ticking time bomb."I love you so much. I'm trying so hard to make this work..." I whisper, "Why can't you see that?""I do.""Then why isn't it enough for you," I pull away from him. Tears are building up in my eyes, and I don't want him to see. "For months, I've been putting aside my own things so I can learn more about your world. I just...I feel like we don't talk like we used to. I don't feel like we're as connected as we used to be.""Because we're not connected. We're not on the same page because you're too busy chasing your tail about your sister's death and doing whatever Avianna has you doing. While I'm focusing on being a better Beta for our pack." His words are quiet but the volume of them rung loudly in my ears, "I need you to be what you were born to be, Alora. You're not a Healer and you're not some Rogue-you were born as my mate. Another Beta. But right now, you can't lead your

Orion is in my house.Past the guards. Past the Abregon patrols. He even slipped past me. How had I not sensed him until now?The house is silent.Dread fills me as I walk through my bedroom door. Deep down, I know what to expect-what I'm about to see. But still...I tiptoe around the house...like a mouse...checking each room.He isn't anywhere upstairs. Ariella's room has been left untouched.The air smells stale.The stairs crackle with every step I take. No one is in sight. It's as if he has evaporated into the shadows. I jerk away from every small, white sound. The fridge rumbles loudly. The wildlife outside coo and sound alarms. My heartbeat is deafening....I go downstairs and towards my parents' bedroom. My deafening heartbeat slows. The rumblings of the outside and kitchen fade away. A surprising calm washes over me... should be terrified. I am terrified.I brace myself for what is behind this door.It creaks a hollow scream as I push it open with my foot. In the darkness, I se

"Where are they?"Ariella stands in front of me. Tears stream down her face. I step up to her and hug her tightly. We bury our faces into one another's shoulders, sobbing loudly. She bunches the thick material of my cardigan in her hands, shaking so hard against me."I'm sorry," She whispers, "I'm so sorry, Alora."I only weep quietly into the crook of her neck. The pain is still so fresh- the loss not quite sinking in. I feel so astounded that it's almost like numbness. The only thing I can do is sob and hiccup into my sister's embrace."Where...Are they here?" I finally manage to choke out. I can't find them -no matter where I desperately search in this Plane... they're not here. All I saw is the red, darkening sky that lights up the black horizon and silhouettes of the Plane. Iphigenia is pressing against Ariella's thigh, whining softly. But no one else. Only mist."Ariella," I look at her again. She's biting her lip and I cry, "Ariella- where's Mom and Dad?""Alora, they've alread