meeting when Riven walked in and

tillness and filed it under things requiring attention but not yet. Riven wait

oor c

oked at

ister," Riven sa

after dark, voices lowering, footsteps slowing. Kael had always found the night version of his territory easier to think about. Less noise. Less perfo

order that

n. "Damien missed the secon

he look without difficulty. "You

window was closing." A paus

th. The curse bleeding through the lower territories like a wound that refused to close. He had enough moving parts w

she now,

Riven paused. "She fought back during

e cont

r your name before she

aid no

should know tha

ch was not a certainty but was a reasonable working assumption. The girl would be frightened. She would require

ted and would require his attention regardless and t

g. Nobody gives her information she doesn't need and nobod

erst

one she can talk to." He paused. "People held in sil

ed toward the door and Ka

more

't look u

of the pause. Not the usual measured beat before information was delivered. Someth

t down

oked

something he hadn't fully processed. His eyes were steady but

le used when they wanted to appear cautious. The kind that came fr

Alpha." His voice had dropped slightly. Not softer.

ese four walls. Kael looked at his enforcer and felt something stir at the base of his chest. Low and slow. His wolf, quiet all ev

not qui

aid. His voice came out

nd final. The voice he used when a decision

for one moment lon

, and walked out and pulled

fire burning low and the castle around him settling into the deep qu

ed up h

ain. Warmer this ti

n that didn't serve the work directly in front of hi

with the girl

tever Riven needed to

nd the weight of a territory that depended o

ery good

liberately, over eight years of choices

said noth

low amber dark of his chest and waited. Patient. Ce