Draven's Mating Moon

I watched the other women.

They lurked around the fire.

Two liked the Mating Moon and were slinking about. Rubbing their shoulders on the trees. Knowing in a few hours their scent would drive the males wild.

Two others were like me. They hid.

Samantha had the Border Guard, Jaecar help her fortify her hut, and she'd lock herself in under the Mating Moon.

Like she does every year.

I wished I had a friend to help me do something similar. But I trusted none of the males enough to allow them to help me.

Besides...I rather thought she was a fool.

Samantha. It hadn't dawned on her the way Jaecar, the Border Guard, looked at her.

He'll be having a taste of her soon enough. I'd seen other males look at she-wolves they intended to breed, just the same way Jaecar looked at her...

And though he'd been kind to her for years, helping her isolate in her tiny stronghold, I suspected he'd built himself a back way in. And one day, one day, she'd learn she shouldn't have trusted him.

Though I