Before Esther could fully process the shock of Samuel's confession, Fortune appeared, gliding onto the rooftop with unnerving silence. He held a small, antique book.
"Don't believe his desperate lies, Esther," Fortune said, his voice calm amidst the wind. "He is right about what I am. But he is a hypocrite. The wolves are bound to this land, not by protection, but by a cursed pact. They need the energy of this place to control their change. If they stop protecting the human order, the beast takes over. They are slaves to their own power."
He opened the book to an ancient, faded drawing of a moon and a snarling wolf, its eyes terrified.
"I offer you freedom from this ancient curse. If you choose me, I will show you how to sever the wolf pack's hold on this city's power. You would save Samuel from his horrible bondage."
"You would destroy the one thing that keeps the beast controlled," Samuel snarled, taking a protective step forward. "She doesn't want your poison, Fortune!"
"She wants the truth that saves the one she loves," Fortune countered, his eyes locked on Esther's. "Choose me, Esther, and gain the power to save him."