e of irritation in her chest. When she turned around, her face was

ed and slow. When she reached the elder, she lowered her h

ike dry twigs, cold and rough. They clamped

iron, her nails digging into Kala's skin. Kala kept her s

. They held their breath, their eyes da

ed at the cubs. "To

. Within seconds, the square was empty. The o

n Kala's wrist. The old woman slid her finger back

said, her voice dropping to a severe whisper. "

sing on my new hemostatic herbs, Eld

gain, hard. "Herbs do not breed the next gen

lone female without a strong family to protect her is the weakest prey when the deep wi

d this. She hated the way they talked about females li

y protect me," Kala sai

st Alpha in this pack, yes. But he cannot stand guard at your

se to drawing blood. "The young unmated males are already restless. Your

hard, fighting the urge to gag. The thought of those eyes watc

id, her voice dropping to a lethal whisper, "the Council

like a stone. Forced matching. It was the one thing she swore

he nose, out through the mouth. She was a M

e had. She looked at Morwenna's chest, notin

nal in an instant. "Your breathing is labored. There is a rattle in

it the back of her throat, and she coughed twice, a wet, hack

was e

clinic tomorrow morning," Kala instructed, her tone leaving no room for argument. "I will have a fr

ice silenced her. The elder was old, and her body was failing. She

Goodnight, Elder. I mu

w, her long skirts swishing against her legs. The cold night air hit h

ttlement. She needed to get home, i

pped her in

f howl ripped through the night. It was followed by the th

ng party