Stolen Mate

quiet the nig

s were raw from scrubbing the feast hall floors, my back sore from sleeping on the storeroom's damp boards. But the moonroo

n I heard

l caught in a trap. My pulse quicke

se, heart hammerin

dark shirt torn and glistening. Blood. So much blood. His face was pale

ger. If the pack found him-found *me* wit

wet, shallow breath escap

s raked across his ribs, a bite on his shoulder festering

yes fluttering open. A

"You're

." His voice cra

omething faint. Earth after rain. A scent I couldn'

entless. You i

re a strip from my c

.. wast

ui

cloth to his ribs, his mu

I'm

d his wounds with yarrow and moss, my hands steady despite the

" he g

it m

yl

as set, defiant. A name

la

. "Silvermoo

any

owed, but he

He needed shelter, medicine, but the storeroom ree

walk?"

a bitter sou

rly buckling me. He smelled of sweat and agony, b

chtower stood crumbling at the forest's edge, its stones overgrown with

red, collapsing onto

ough my satchel-willow bark fo

my wrist. "

urned. *Because I'm a fool*, I th

ded it,"

peeling back layers.

ned. *Scentless.

ave, his voice st

aus

nk y

I nodded, fleeing before the l

*

dried meat, a vial of poppy milk. Rylan slept fitfull

ch turning. The claw marks were swol

hook him. "W

d open, glassy. "

ch p

peckling his lips.

f you want

udden and fierce. "D

ho

poured poppy milk down his throat, whisperin

The fever br

is bandages, his gaze

my better

mile touched h

iffe

. "Why a rogue's in your

thing,"

row. "You can

ll w

d-a real laugh, though

s that

his eyes, fe

*

herbs and broth. He never thanked

ce, watching me grind co

have t

hy

"People die

e die

h hung b

ided, his strength returning. "Yo

d a lot o

amber eyes gli

oisone

wolves. My

shade was ruthless, the

lef

hy

ed. "Tha

at him. He cau

e said quietly. "So I

my own heart. B

sked. "Silvermoon's

"Maybe I'm not he

olf stirred, a flicker

en

away. "Res

id, "You're different, Elara. Not just scent

What does

I can h

into the dark, a rid