Page 35 of Wolf's Reckoning
Not that anyone else noticed. To most of the pack, she didn’t look much like a stormbreaker, despite her being all spine and steel, more like someone they indulged because she was the alpha’s daughter.
We began spending time together; the alpha didn’t approve, but he never spoke against it—not outright. I had been drawn to her fire, her determination, and her willingness to speak out against what she considered wrong.
And then, when it mattered, she’d rejected it all for this pack who still looked over its shoulder to the past instead of the future that would find them all too soon.
I looked up at the Blueridge peaks, listening for the whispers of the mountains to guide me home.
I heard Killian’s harrumph beside me, turning to him in question.
Everyone’s pretending not to talk about the fact that there are Stonefang emissaries here. Everyone is too busy pretending not to notice, while every single one of them watches us.
They don’t trust us,I told him.Would you?
We’re not the enemy here.
I cast my eye over the few pack who were milling around the far end of the clearing. They weren’t scared, not exactly overtly curious, just alert. Like something inside them knew we weren’t here for politics. I didn’t sense any danger from them, but you could never tell.
“Stay alert,” I murmured as we walked back to the hall. “We’ll be gone soon.”
They’d keptus waiting for two days. In that time, I’d briefly seen Rowen again, but we had said little to each other, probably both recalling the heated words that first afternoon. Other than that, we’d spent time with some of the pack,folks who I’d known before and who were open to allowing Killian and me into their homes.
The pack hall had been where we ate, and I was surprised by how well I could avoid the druid. I could mask my alpha scent effectively, but the druid wasn’t paying attention to me the same way his pack might be.
Killian wasn’t a big believer in the power of the druid. He was more inclined to listen to shamans than druids, but I knew better than to write off the druid. And a druid sensed power. I knew they would soon realize I was masking myself, so I was keen to avoid them.
Lewis, the alpha’s beta, walked over to us where we sat at the fire pit, just the two of us. We’d been out hunting and came back with a big fat doe, which we’d taken straight to the kitchens for hanging, cleaning, and eventually quartering when the carcass had been hung for the appropriate amount of time.
“You want to talk to the alpha?” Lewis asked.
No, we’re here just painting our toenails,Killian grumbled.
“We do,” I said, shooting Killian a look and receiving a vulgar gesture in return.
“He is frail,” Lewis murmured under his breath.
That brought both of us up short. We knew that, we’d seen it, and it was on us that we had not taken into consideration the extent of Malric’s frailty.
We followed Lewis through the hall and to the rooms of the alpha. I’d seen Rowen leave earlier with the male Dex. They seemed to be getting on well. I’d wondered how long it would last, but Killian had nudged me, and I’d looked away, clearing my face of the scowl.
The old male hadn’t moved from his bed in two days.But when we walked into his rooms, he was sitting upright. Eyes clear. Spine straight. Like he’d peeled back the curtain on death and told it to fuck off for now.
“Wolfe,” Malric greeted me. His voice had a rasp to it that I didn’t remember.
“Alpha.” I dipped my head in greeting, seeing Killian doing the same.
Malric looked us both over. “Close the door,” he told Lewis. “On your way out.”
Lewis hesitated, but he left the room, and Killian wordlessly followed. I hadn’t asked him to, but he was offering this to my old alpha.
Which was probably a good thing—Killian wasn’t known for his tact.
The room was thick with the scent of sage, sickness, and iron. But Malric’s gaze was sharp and just a touch of something else, not age…but something ancient lingered in his gaze when he watched me.
“Speak.”
“Stonefang Pack has a new alpha. The alpha is keen to let you know that the existing relationship with this pack doesn’t change. They are keen to call you allies.”
Malric watched me, his face impassive. “What else?”
