The antidote worked.

But victory tasted like ash in Marina's mouth as she watched Silvain's body knit itself back together, watched the plague's poison burn away, watched him survive yet another impossible thing.

Because they were still surrounded by enemies. Still trapped in Obsidian's fortress. Still outnumbered fifty to one.

And the Shadow Alpha stood watching them with an expression that made Marina's hybrid instincts scream warnings.

"Well," Obsidian said, his voice carrying across the silent courtyard. "That was quite the performance. The dying Alpha, the desperate mate, the miraculous cure." His pale eyes gleamed with something that looked disturbingly like amusement. "Almost poetic."

Silvain struggled to his feet, his...