, stunned. "I did

uckles whitened as h

s the an

you, I

ut me off, his voi

eel in the snow! She stays the

rms and hauling me outside. The winter wind

ts forced me to my knees in the snow. The icy flakes soaked through my ski

his eyes hard with su

but I shook my head.

o face the truth." He turned to l

led, snow sti

hours dragged by, my limbs went numb, my fingers p

d I'd been kneeling in the froz

dn't take

she begged Grant. "Please, General!

n the veranda,

ess, she'd have

lossom from a branch, hurrying off to comfort Delilah. My vision blurred, th

bone in my body ached

dabbing salve on m

. you're

" My voice raspe

" Nora trembl

up before letting anyone bring

ped her

lena. So many wolves would've killed to be your

sed my

a piece of me had been carved out, leaving no

o my courtyard, shu

hey belonged to another life. I spent hours lying on my cot, sta

nt

, Grant'

came from th

t up

doorway, tall and

at me, his

eep doing your duty as the estate's she-wolf, and tomorrow,

ed my ey

sat next to Delilah, passing her a hand wa

ge." she cooed, lea

he falling snow, like I was i

sparkled with gold and cr

ading pleasantries. Delilah clung to his side, their closeness obvio

em quietly, m

e pitying looks from the crowd, us

t their gift!" the steward announ

eaming with anticipation. But when he opened it, his warm smile froze, his

ests craned

ue of a longevity deity, the jagged

ike this was no less tha