e out of the tre
. The way you tell yourself a thing is smaller t
sn't
re. Standing at posts, moving in pairs, some still in animal form prowling the outer edges. All
without me deci
not
said. Not unkind
ves in your p
oug
h for
eways. "Enough for w
d that under things to worry
- no nod, no hand gesture. They just opened. Like the wolves
n't performed. It's built
felt every set of eyes in tha
into cold water. Th
these people. I would not make myself small. I'd learned that lesson the h
ybe nineteen, with a jaw too big
yes slid to me
l said. He did
leeding
iced,
onversation like a door shutting. C
felt sorr
mo
t had been around long enough to have opinions. A fireplace already burning - s
sat on the tabl
od in th
said. "There are clothes in the
rvive im
. Started
nditions," I sa
sto
eant
You knew my name before I gave it. You brought me into your compound past thirty wolves without explaining me to a single one of the
re cra
exactly three s
said. "Let me l
the qu
Down.
to sit down like
stopped me mid-sentence. "The cut on your side is deeper than you think. I can see it soaking
oked
de of my shirt was dark a
se he told me to. Bec
Pulled the first aid kit from beneath the basin t
r shirt,"
use
side. I need t
four inches along my lower ribs. Not deep enough to
w it. But his jaw did something - tight
eeds st
kno
going
said again.
heard about him. Kael Dravon who ended pack wars in days. Kael Dravon who'd exiled his own Beta for betrayal without flinching. Kael Dra
I said. Talking helped. K
the last sti
ed a
ut you for six
ved through my ch
hunting her." He stood. Moved to the window. Stood with his back to me, which I noticed beca
e lookin
es
hy
as q
my mouth. Too familiar for strang
rned
hoosing very carefully not to show me. His silver eyes moved across my face with an attention that fe
name," he said quietly, "someth
popped an
a full ans
agreed. "
he
door. "You've lost blood. You need
aving incomplet
e door. Didn't look back. "That
l
my side and his words sitting in my chest
d me I needed
ones who wanted the bounty. The ones who wanted the bloodline clai
n wasn't a
know wh
s you couldn't categorize were t
the bed with
nder th
n the
leep for a
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