eft me

ints leading south. She'd muttered about "bad air" the night before, nostrils flaring

t blam

nd screams through the pines, snapping branches. My cloak is so

rubbing my stomach. "

but raw and lonely. My wolf pricks her ear

. *Dead. He's

Fire burns in my lungs. *Get up. Get up.* But my body wo

ssing an ice chip to my lips under the first wint

swallows

*

rm

hen scent-smoke and iron and something sh

ushes my

out. A strong grip cat

the firelight. Not a rogue. His face is all angles, a scar splitting his le

My thro

to my lips. "Drink. It's

g my limbs. I'm wrapped in a wolf pelt, my boots drying by th

your pack

on

to my stomach

o go

, unreadable.

yr

d." He feeds another branch to the fire. "An

my belly. I b

my stomach, heat radiatin

ams *no*. But the c

nto my skin, soothing the ache. My wolf stirs,

" he says. "The pup'

my vision.

k as if scal

ens a dagger, the rhythm steady. I wa

stills.

s would've robbe

He sheathes the dagger. "Sle

*

m dies b

in. He moves like a predator, all coiled grace. When he catches me stari

W

"The rogues track storms. They'll be hunting easy pre

. "I can han

You collapse

s if siding with

socks. "Where

where

it n

itches. "It'

My legs scream, but I match him step for step. He doesn't s

Jarek stops abruptly, snif

wh

ctua

to a hidden crevice. The rock groans, sliding open. Warm ai

e. *A p

w. "Breathe. And do

s glance up from their tasks-cooking, weaving, sharpening blades. Their eyes li

elvet wrapped in steel.

ds shelt

Human-tainted scent." She sneers

een us. "Because

le. "Since when do *y

I lift my chin. "I can work. Hunt. Cl

at. "One week. Then you ea

way. "Ignore her

whisper. "W

lcove with a straw bed.

se h

ay, amber eyes glinting.

ke him-smoke and lightning

my heart. *He's

in months, I sleep wi