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“No,” Marley yells, once again slipping out of her sister’s hold. “Now is not the time for secrets. No one cares that we’re royals.”

The collective gasps that go around echo through the trees. Chayton turns to me. His nostrils flare. Not only did we let vampires into our pack, we let royal vampires in. The worse kind. Royal Vampires are entitled, power hungry, pricks. They think the entire world should lie at their feet and the moment it doesn’t; they throw tantrums.

“Save him,” Marley cries out again.

“They don’t want me to. Read the fucking room for once, Marley.”

Marley stops fighting and looks around at the stone faces staring back at her. She finally sees why her sister didn’t want that information out.

Had Chayton known she was a royal, I don’t even think Luna would have been able to convince him to let her stay.

“How can you save my son?” Everyone turns to Phaedra. She’s still kneeling beside Torak’s body.

“Phaedra, be careful what you’re asking,” Chayton snarls. “She can’t be trusted.”

Phaedra cuts her eyes to Chayton. “I’ve been telling you to get rid of them for months. You did not heed my warning. Now is not the time to take a stand.” She turns back to the vampires. “How can you save, Torak?”

Michaela watches Phaedra closely. “I’m a royal, an old one. My blood has the power to give him life. But it has to be given shortly after he dies.”

“Will he be... Like you?”

I can’t believe Phaedra is even considering this.

“He already has supernatural blood in him. So he will remain who he is. But he will forever have a connection to me.”

Phaedra looks down at Torak. She strokes his cheek before turning back to the vamp.

“Do it.”

“Phaedra, think about this.” Chayton warns.

“I’ve already thought about it,” she snaps.

Michaela sighs as she comes over to Torak. She kneels down beside him.

“Open his mouth and hold his head back. White Wolf, I need you to hold him still. He’s going to move.”

Alarick goes over to Michaela and kneels beside her. Phaedra opens his mouth and holds his head back. Alarick holds his arms down.

The vamp bites into her palm. I turn away at the sight of her fangs sinking into her flesh. When I turn back, her hand hovers over Torak’s face. Drops of her blood drop into his mouth.

“I think I’m going to be sick,” someone says behind me.

Right before our eyes, Torak’s chest rises and falls. Michaela places her palm right up to his lips, and he sucks. He takes large pulls from her as if he’s drinking from a straw.

She has to tug to pull her hand away. The moment she does, he thrashes about as if something is fighting to get out of him.

“What’s wrong?” Chayton asks stepping forward.

“His wolf is fighting against my blood. It’s a common reaction. He will be fine in a minute.” I notice she doesn’t sound right. When Marley walks over and helps her stand, she stumbles.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s difficult to do what she just did,” Marley answers. “It’s why I couldn’t do it. I’m too young. It’s even harder when you’re not well fed.”

“What do you need?” I ask Michaela. “Deer?

She leans against her sister. “No. Deer won’t help. I’ll be alright.”