“The old king had the mark,” a woman’s voice called.
I turned and saw the woman who’d helped me earlier. She was still in her uniform, standing out among the guests in their party finery.
“The king should be an alpha,” she said. “You have always been and always will be a fraud.”
“You think because she has the mark she should be king?” Chris laughed. “Just because my father had the mark, didn’t mean anything. Neither of his children had the mark. It proves nothing.”
“It proves that the Moon Goddess knew that neither of you were fit for the job,” he said.
A pair of guards closed in on the woman but she held her chin high.
“Leave her alone!” I called.
“She’s right,” the king said. “Let her watch her hopes and dreams bleed out in front of her. Then we’ll add her to the execution line up.”
Chris turned his gaze back to me. “It’s funny, tonight I thought I’d be executing your mom. Instead, I get to wipe out your entire family. And you are the opening act.”
His body shuddered and he doubled over as he began the change. Fur sprouted along his skin, his bones cracked and broke, his limbs in unnatural directions.
My wolf howled internally, ready for release. I let her take over, guiding me through the change.