She could tell by the tone of Leo’s voice that he was ready to wrap things up, and her senses prickled at the heightened danger as the crowd of werewolves, who also picked up on Leo’s cues, started to fidget.

He was looking at her. Justin. She forced herself to keep her eyes down as her breath stuttered and her heart raced painfully in her chest.

Calm down, she told herself. Calm down. Panic makes him worse. Makes them all worse.

Leo quit talking and people began to move around. Anna had found one gambit that sometimes worked to keep her safe. She’d taken note of where Isabelle was and charted a path toward the Alpha’s mate’s side. Sometimes Isabelle would take her part—and usually even he moderated his behavior in front of Isabelle, who liked to pretend she was a good guardian of her pack.

Halfway to her goal, Anna glanced up from the floor to make sure Isabelle hadn’t moved—and met his eyes. He was pacing her through the crowd.

Cold terror numbed her fingers, because she knew that look, knew he’d decided she was his prey tonight. Again. It had been two weeks; she had hoped for three but had known it was unlikely. He liked her fear. Her pain.

Chest tight, she …

A deep voice wound around her, calling her, lulling her with gentleness. She didn’t understand the words, but for a moment she felt safe. She …

… looked for Isabelle. But the Alpha’s mate was no longer standing where she had been, and Anna couldn’t locate her. A rough hand grabbed her hair and jerked her head back harshly.

We have you safe. You are ours. No hand will touch you if you do not wish it.

A deep throbbing music tried to surround her with safety, but it dissipated in the pain of Justin’s human-blunt teeth digging into her neck, drawing blood. The scent attracted attention. Someone let out a low whoop that seemed to stir the whole room. The pack would join Justin’s hunt tonight. She knew she was lost.

Safe, insisted the music.

“Anna, my love,” said a deep voice.

And, abruptly, as if by magic, everything changed.

Instead of a dark room, too full of werewolves, too full of men, she stood in brilliant sunlight, wearing unfamiliar clothing, on the side of a mountain. Before her there was nothing but evergreen forest as far as she could see. It was autumn, she thought a little numbly, taking in the colored leaves of the undergrowth. But she knew it was summer.

Her neck hurt where Justin had bitten her. She turned around, half expecting Justin’s hold on her hair to stop her. Expecting that he would be there—that this was some game he was playing.