At my old school, I saw the effects of bullying firsthand; I felt them. I felt them in ways I can never forget, never erase. My heart begins to thunder in my chest, and my palms grow so sweaty I have to put down my fork. Heat rushes through my body, and it feels suddenly hot, like I should take off my jacket and loosen my tie. Tristan’s fixing the buttons on his white first year shirt as he makes his way over to me with long, confident strides, his hair glossy and raven-black, his mouth too dangerous to be tempting. My fingers curl tight around the side of my book bag and my heart races, sweat beading at my temples. Bullies don’t quit until circumstances force them to. It’s the nature of the beast, and humans are the worst animal of all. For the moment, I’m drawing a blank, but give me time, and I’ll work it out. There’s a reason I got chosen for this scholarship, and it wasn’t my ability to roll over and take it. No, I’m a fighter, always have been. I just think I’m going to have to fight harder than I ever have before. Then revenge, I can’t wait for a taste.

I always thought nobody could hate me more than my own mother – till I met my fated mate… Nobody rejects a fated mate. But mine did. Half wolf, half warlock, he considers me a disgrace. One he doesn’t want to be linked to. And with his rejection, he crushed that tiny ember of hope within me. That someone will finally love me. I try to pull away, to avoid even more heartbreak, but the more I try to stay away, the more entangled I get in this pack and with this alpha who despises my very existence. But there is something thrumming under the surface of this usually sleepy town, something dark and vicious. There are too many warlocks all of a sudden, another new pack, and I feel like I am being watched. The worst is yet to come, however. When one of the Alpha’s mate candidates is found murdered, all eyes turn to me…