The She-wolf General

ght as the fiftieth - year - old alpha an

er's trembling hands replaced my c

tened with cro

the right wolves. You just need to go through the motions in the consort mate selection. Onc

I had fallen for t

rced into servitude as a pal

nted by the distant howls of the we

sentence and returned home, it was to wi

e doorway, her eyes c

s big day. Can't you s

y. And now, as I opened my eyes once more, I heard those fateful wo

ry w

hrough the silence

froze, their expressi

blinked back tears, her

ruly mean

seph eyed me with susp

ave you been s

etting my lashes veil

, I shall stay. N

r tears, her words tri

our wit, you wouldn't need to take her place

r dutiful girl. It's la

faded, the room swal

e enough, shadows of servants pro

escaped me. What

st life, I

a fiancé due to ar

spread that Amy had thro

ing me from my bed in my shift, his voic

wept, her wo

r died saving you. You

taught Amy was a fragile

embroidered nigh

pent three years as a pawn, I'd

dug into

, I'll not

ull, its glow pooling like s

Mother sent fab

t seen such fine silks!" I smiled thinly.

f the draft,

ight velvet, my ha

at the palace gates, some

ous old fool-only the Flower Env

tes creaked open,

sture sinuous, was Doug Leffle

s met mine, I

I couldn't resist

in the grass, had been my only wa