Chapter 6: The Oath 2

I almost hoped he’d say yes and let me go, but he smirked and shook his head. “No, our blood is stronger. She’ll be fine. But she will be the most powerful offering we’ve ever had.” His mouth went wide across his face, and I blew out a breath. The coldness subsided, the heavy ache being flushed out with a warmth that I knew was their blood. I pushed back from Nikolai and glared. “I have no shadows,” I snapped, feeling somehow violated, but the alphas ignored me. Derik looked up at the moon and cursed. “We’re running late. We need to finalize the branding,” he warned, clearly the more serious alpha of the three. I flinched at the idea of branding. I’d had to brand the cows at the last calving for the year, and the burned flesh smell had made me vomit. I wasn’t cut out for farming. I stuck to the wineries, squishing the grapes, taste testing, bottling. There was something therapeutic about it, but I didn’t have time to think about that now. I had to prepare for a brand I didn’t want. Nik