Meryn Cooper has always hated The Bonded and the vicious Dire Wolves they ride, but when her sister is taken by the nabbers, she enlists in the army and is thrown into the deadly bonding trials. Meryn must survive months of training, while navigating a new bond to Anassa- her dire wolf that refuses to communicate. Everything is a competition, everyone is out to get her, except the dangerously handsome crown prince, adding another target on her back. It’s bond or bleed, duel or die, failure is ruin.