Torin was the first to step forward, and it might have been the most alpha thing he’d ever done. “I am the alpha here,” he said, as if he were reading my mind. “My people are innocent. You should judge me and me alone for the sins of Torma.”

I moved toward him, our eyes meeting since I was now his height. “Torin,” I said softly. “Bet you regret rejecting me now.”

He shrugged. “Not really. You’re weird-looking in this form, and I don’t know if I could get into the feathers.”

I sighed, not offended by this rodent. “Thank the fucking fates we aren’t really true mates. My mate—”

“Would like to destroy you,” Shadow said casually, his flames growing larger so Torin was forced to move away.

“Shadow Beast,” Torin choked out, showing him the fear that he was too stupid to show me.

“Torin Wolfe,” I snapped, “for crimes of being a dumbass and a really shit alpha, you’re stripped of your shifter soul.”

Shadow was the one who would take back his gifts, touching Torin’s shoulder to retrieve his shifter side. As Torin lifted his head and howled into the world one more time, a brilliant light left his body, and the former alpha collapsed forward, landing on his hands and knees. He remained there for many minutes, rocking back and forth as he adjusted to the change.

The loss of his wolf soul.

Sisily rushed forward from the crowd, wrapping her arms around Torin. The devastated look on her face told me that maybe… just maybe their relationship was actually real. No doubt that had been half the issue when it came to my bond with Torin. The other half was his dickhead of a personality.

“Take my wolf too,” Sisily snapped, lifting her head toward me, the hatred she’d always felt spilling from her eyes. She had no reason to hide it now, and I appreciated her honesty way more than the fake bullshit from last time.

“You don’t want to wait for judgement?” Shadow asked her.

She shook her head, looking determined and far stronger than usual. “Torin has always been my chosen mate, and I won’t give up on us now. If he’s a human, then so am I.”

I managed not to snort out the derisive laughter, because she would have lost her wolf no matter what, but now she got to dramatically sacrifice herself for Torin. Ugh, whatever. They could have their second rate, sad-ass love story. Mine was a million times better.

Shadow’s power shot out and locked around her, lifting her up to his level. He touched her briefly, and there was the same burst of light as her wolf was removed, before she dropped to her “mate’s” side.

Torin managed to pull himself together enough to wrap an arm around her, as she was the one now rocking back and forth and crying.