DESDEMONA

For several seconds, nobody moved.

Muna's words remained hanging in the cold night air.

What have you done, Alaric?

I looked at her, trying to understand what she meant, but she only stared at the mark on my neck as though it frightened her more than anything else in the forest.

Alaric stepped in front of me, blocking her view.

"What does her mark have to do with anything?"

Muna's eyes slowly lifted to his. "You don't know."

"Know what?" Alpha Alaric frowned a little.

She swallowed, but before she could answer, Kieran stepped forward.

"Not here."

Alpha Alaric's head snapped toward him. "You have said that enough."

His...