en

aking wooden staircas

d fireplace, their postures rigid. The moment my feet touched the bo

scanning my face and clothes for bruises. "Did he...

ntirely composed as I walked over to the

ed, Mother. He

y sigh, rubbing a broad, callous

thick with defeat. "If you truly cannot bear it... we won't hold you her

ting off his words without hesitation. "A

e, staring at me

ars spilling over her lashes. "Aspen, you must understand... the pack doctors said his

n that bed," I said, meeting

s brow furrowed deeply. "W

"The doctors were wrong. The silver poisoned his spinal nerve pathways, b

e weight of my words

per meridian extraction methods, his wol

the sofa as his wolf eyes flared with wild, desperate hope. "Are you ou

d smoothly, raising my chin. "I swear on the Moon Goddess, I will not harm

wallowed

ensity of an old soldier evaluating a frontline commander

slapped the heavy wooden table beside him. "If you can

hands in hers and weeping openly. "

p curtain leading to the rear courtya

ing an empty washbasin, her fac

tors in the province called him a lost cause, and you think you can fix him with some weeds from

pinning on his heel toward

e walls vibrate. "Shut your mouth and get out! From

ing back from the raw c

ed, slammed her basin onto the floorboard

leave, entir

al specific herbs from the border trading post. I'll wri