*Claire*I winced as I rolled over in bed, still feeling the extent of my injuries from Amanda. It wasn’t anything serious, especially after Avery paid extra care to my wounds and made me a special serum that would take most of the pain away. She warned me that I would probably be feeling the cuts and bruises well into the next day, but the serum would at least help me get a night of good sleep.She seemed frustrated with herself, apologizing for not stepping in sooner. I assured her that it was completely fine because it was me who stopped Avery each time she tried to come to my aid.Even though Amanda beat me, she wasn’t able to beat me into surrender. I wouldn’t let her win and get her way. If Amanda thought that would make me leave here, she was wrong.I had worked so hard to earn my stay and I wasn’t going to give up so easily because of a spoiled brat. She wasn’t worth it. Besides the benefit of being able to stay within the safe border and not worry about unforeseeable attacks

*Claire*Screw him. Screw him and his stupid alpha orders.I was grateful to be a member of Moonstone, but that didn’t mean that I had to like being forced to follow the jerkface’s commands. I felt tears sting the backs of my eyes as I replayed the last several minutes in my mind.For a short moment, it felt like we were opening up to each other, that he was actually taking a genuine interest in who I was. I should’ve known better than to let myself think that even for a moment. I should’ve known from the beginning that he was just asking about my past in order to snoop on me.He still didn’t trust me, even after everything we’d been through and the efforts I made to be part of the pack. Just like the vast majority of the Moonstone pack, no matter how hard I tried.I took a few cleansing breaths to calm my anger. I should’ve known better that the jerkface wasn’t here today to be my friend. I should’ve known this wasn’t something new.Yes, it had been a few weeks since I was named an o

*Claire*I was immediately regretting my decision to track Jared down after our little spat by the lake, but a part of me felt like I had no choice.This was the last thing I wanted to have to happen. The training sessions were going so well, but it was enough. I had only gotten to do a handful of them before Jared caught us. I was just starting to understand how to hold my own, not just against someone in their human form, but in their wolf form as well.Kent was a patient and firm teacher, which is exactly what someone like me needed. I obviously didn’t have my wolf to rely on for strength, so Kent had to even be gentle with me while we sparred.I didn’t want it to end when I was just starting to get better at it.I was going to find Jared and make sure that he would still allow Kent and me to train together. I also needed to make sure that Jared didn’t punish Kent for training me. If anyone was going to be punished, it was going to have to be me, although I wasn’t going to be punis

I pulled my hand out of Jared’s so fast that I nearly popped my shoulder at the quick movement. Although, I didn’t know why I was so affected by the sudden appearance of the redhead. There was no denying that Amanda was intimidating with her slim, tall figure and her flaming red hair that despite being wavy, never looked unkempt or tangled. I knew girls who had wavy hair and hated it because it was difficult to maintain. Amanda looked like she could tame anything, and that easily included wavy hair. Even now, it was the middle of the night and she looked like a fire goddess. She was wearing a blood-red nightgown with a black wrap over it. Her bright wavy hair was loose and wild, but still managed to tumble over her shoulders in neat waves. Her eyes were the scariest at the moment. They were almost orange in the dim lighting of the empty recovery room like they were filled with tiny flames. She literally looked like she wanted to burn a hole through my head, and I wasn’t completely c

“I thought you hated me,” I murmured in a heated whisper.Jared just stared down at me, his golden eyes giving nothing away. His large hand came up to cup the side of my face, his breath hot against my skin as he lowered his head toward me.I tried to push him away, to struggle beneath him, but my body wasn’t my own. It wouldn’t obey me. I just lay there helplessly, waiting anxiously for what he was about to do.Jared sat up suddenly and threw his head back, howling deeply, thick tufts of fur growing on his neck and the sides of his face.“What—” I gasped.My eyelids flew open.Just a dream.I blew out a breath, but it immediately got caught in my throat at the commotion outside my bedroom window. Deep haunting howls shook the thin walls of my room and I jumped out of bed, running to the window to see dozens of Moonstone members running.Was this some kind of fire alarm or something?I looked around wildly. No smoke, which was a good sign.I grabbed a thin jacket to throw over my shou