a kettle on top of it, a window that looked out over the loading dock. He had been the Gamma here since before I w

ffee and set it on the desk in front of me and t

on the south

hav

ed. It was a good smile, warm, the kind that made wolves relax and say more than they meant to. "Maggie se

ee. It was too hot t

marker," I said. "Nora was

for a long time before he said it aloud. "She is a good healer. Careful. Keeps her record

not seem t

about the audit, and now is as good a time as any. Silas will arrive at the pack house on Th

l see every

igned it. That is a great deal of talking, and Silas is not a patient wolf. He will ask questions th

It burned my tongu

you asking

ot take it because the pack was not ready for me to take it. Now the Council is coming, and they will look at this pack and they

sentence

a seat,"

ut stepping down since the spring. If I am to lead this pack through an audit, I ne

quiet. The kettle

be honore

again. "Then we shoul

p down. "Wha

st night to check the cabinet, and I found the lock turned and the resin jar moved out of place. The smell was still in t

in my stomach

down ther

e saw a light in the freezer around three. And the only wolf in th

was mi

nything, Rafe. I am telling you that someone has been moving things in that freezer, and that if the auditor find

ing up the shore path wit

has a ke

is old, and the Beta has been talking about stepping down. Perhaps the Beta has been careless.

nc

es

pack for forty years. If you put his name in front of Silas, you will

r a long moment. Then

e old wolves who cannot defend themselves." He stood up and came around the desk and put his hand

ha

lder. "Not for the auditor. For me. I need to know who in this pack

was neat, and his eyes were kind,

find out

the desk. "Now go and eat something.

a minute with my hands on the rail. The bay was grey and fla

e corner of the buildi

about the free

if I had been

at did

. He knows, Nora. He does not know it was you, but he knows

ent s

did you

l. "I have until Thursday to give him a name. If I

ot fair to

ealer, and I am not going to hand him a wolf who has served this pack for forty years. So we

into step

ggie. She has kept that kitchen for thirty years, and she sees everything from t

ed out over the loading dock and the freezer door

her," I said. "B