Chapter 19

Valerie

My heart ached for Samantha. Even I—as a slave—had been given the opportunity for freedom. The life of a slave was not an easy one, but I had been torn from my family, not banished by them. That was entirely different. Even if Samantha had been given the opportunity, any chance at actually living her life free and in peace would be squelched the moment she approached another wolf.

I wanted to ask if she’d ever thought about escaping to the North. But I worried it was another stupid question that would simply put a damper on an already-dark conversation.

And anyway, who was I to talk? I wanted freedom so badly, but what were my chances of surviving in the wild, too? I was even more of a target as a human than Samantha was as a rogue. The only difference was that I would be scooped up off the streets and stuck back in a slave shop if anyone spotted me.

That sounded even worse than being imprisoned or killed.

I felt a grim and uneasy thought sweep over me. Would it even be possib