Chapter 14

“Watch your tongue, Ran’imy,” cautioned Cinder. “Let us not forget that I appointed you to the position of beta, I could just as easily remove you.”

She appeared to be struggling with the idea of having been passed over for someone she deemed unworthy of the alpha’s attention. Whatever nasty words she wanted desperately to share she held back, though Io suspected at some point he would be cornered and become accounted with the fouler side of her vocabulary. “This is the choice you make, Cinder? Him? Have you already forgotten what he’s done just this very evening?”

“You mean his thoughtfulness? His courage? His bravery?”

Ran’imy narrowed her eyes. “I hope you realize what you’re doing, Cinder, because this bumbling fool is likely to take you down.” She didn’t bother waiting for a response before turning around and storming out, slamming the door in her wake.

Silence quickly swept into the room.

The air crackled.