wallow the offered water. He tipped the glass. When she began to sputt

lear he would correct her if he h

forgiving, and Dianne knew she'd lost

battles. He wante

ed subm

ke that was wo

he start

made, and the slump of her shoulders was concession enough. H

the rapid gulps required before he might tip the glass back further and d

ked the brown hair at his temples, there were creases on his face, and the hands that h

t he p

gaze. Hopeless, exhausted, and scare

back any cruelty as he asked, "After what yo

f course she didn't want that. Even now she saw the mass grave and i

call for the one thing that might ma

nd your mother will be forgotten." The Alpha straightened, pointing at the table before her. "Now you will eat. When you have finished, ba

ed tub—both items of such a person

n… they were just th

s, and then he had taken his purr and his presence away. C

his hand had left her back, she'd crouched down on t

ss

k if another lesson

e had seen, the girl had done no

townsfolk commit

e air the same way Dianne had prayed to the spirits. And

he received was the

ds up and down her arms, she began to shiver

room, feeling the cold seep into he

before her eyes. Seeing the mist dissipate, knowing the room