TWELVE

"Rylie. Rylie. Rylie." Conner starts to laugh. "You're in big trouble."

He hauls me roughly back to camp, marching me past the guards.

"Found her," he says triumphantly. "Our special little runaway."

I realize then that the extra guards were for my benefit. Someone must have realized I was not in bed and raised the alarm.

"Can you let me walk?" I huff at Conner.

He laughs. "You must think I was born yesterday."

He hauls me to Hunter's.

The alpha turns as I'm shoved inside.

"Told you I'd find her," Conner says.

Hunter glowers at me.

"Leave us," he tells Conner, without so much as a thank you.

The sniveling beta does as he's told.

I am left alone with Hunter.

"I've been worried about you," he says.

"You didn't need to."

"What were you doing?"

"Patrolling. Val thinks I'm slacking off. I wanted to prove her wrong."

I'm surprised by how easily the lie slides out. I have lost all respect for my alpha since he gave me the ultimatum.

"You know it's dangerous to go alone," Hun