stains the sky a deep,

procession is

pack members holding torches. By old law the procession runs by tor

owd, werewolf whisper

"Selene and Alpha Arthur. Their scents are blendi

lose company, their natural scents begin to braid toget

orm above the crowd. The moment

ould you stand under the arch and take a few photographs of us? I

ually know what a guardian escort means under pack law?" I ask hi

challenge my authority in public, Elara. You are to

houlder for one night," he

scort is a claim made in front of the whole pack. Whatever

not answ

to move, heading for the stone a

ectly overhead. The full moon pulls at the blood of ev

en token tied with a red ribbon. By tradition, whoever catches

s it into

his body cutting clean through the air, and sn

ack e

na will not have you!" a drunk warrior bel

the chair, and every wolf in that c

h hands in fake modesty, peekin

the cheering crowd, and comes straigh

to his stops answering - unreachable, like a limb gone numb. Then I reach for her, the way I reach when I need to b

caught it for you! He is using the old custom to declare himself t

of me and holds the to

nty of a man who has already won. "Consider it a formal proposal. My apology for yesterday." He says i

look at his hand. My

out of the crowd and com

breaking pain - she couldn't take it. That is why Arthur canceled your date that night and sat

e. "Can you forgive me for l

do not look away. My heartbeat is slo

an anything no

r it before I see it, that low shifting sound a pac

pens for me the way it opens for a thing it is afraid of. The clerk sees me co

d. Then I set the pen down and let the elders read it. Not a ruling. A question, enter

"Elara, what are you talking

laying hard to get. Punishing you on p

sist on being a stone that refuses to warm, I will wait until you c

away. Finn and Leo follow,

hlight dragging long twisted shadows behind them. I come do

cket. I have not dialed it,

t

t this time, when I turn aw