14

AMIRA

Three hours into the journey, it became painfully clear that not everyone was going to survive.

Derrick had brought me along to guide them safely through Moonshade Forest, yet he and his wolves kept ignoring my directions.

Again and again, they rushed ahead, trying to carve out their own route through the wilderness.

Every mile made my injured knee worse. Each step hurt more than the last, forcing me to slow down.

Patience had never been one of their strengths.

Alphas were used to getting their way. They relied on power, numbers, and the loyalty of the wolves around them. But none of that mattered here.

We were moving through a place that didn't care who ruled a pack or how strong they were.

This land would kill them just the same.

The path Derrick kept pushing toward was obvious. It was the fastest route. The most direct route.

The deadliest route.

Four separate times, I cleared my throat and quietly changed direction, guiding us farther around Ravenpeak Summit.

Each turn widened our path a little more. Each turn kept us away from danger.

The fifth time, Derrick finally snapped.

His roar echoed through the trees.

"We need a break," I said calmly as I lowered myself onto the ground. Pain shot through my knee, but I kept my voice steady. "And you need time to cool down."

"How dare you speak to me that way?" Derrick growled. "I am your Alpha."

"You are," I replied. "And you're about to get every one of us killed."

His eyes narrowed.

"If you want me to lead you safely through Moonshade Forest, then you need to listen to me."

"We aren't even in Moonshade Forest yet," he shot back. "At this pace, we won't reach it until tomorrow."

A tired sigh escaped me.

"Moonshade Forest is the entire ring of woodland surrounding Ravenpeak Summit. The Shadowthorn Coven lives at the center. There are two main paths leading into the forest. Those are the routes you keep trying to take."

I pointed toward the mountain.

"Those paths are heavily traveled. They're also packed with rogue wolves. If we spend an extra two days moving around the darker side of the mountain, the journey to the coven will be much safer."

For a moment, Derrick simply stared at me.

His nostrils flared as he considered my words.

Then he shook his head.

"No."

The answer came fast and hard.

"It takes too long. We can handle a few rogue werewolves." His voice sharpened. "You have one hour to rest that damn knee. After that, we move."

The look he gave me was a challenge.

A warning.

He wanted an argument.

Instead, I lowered my gaze and stayed silent.

One by one, the others drifted away from the clearing. Some seemed eager to explore. Others probably just wanted distance from me.

That wasn't anything new.

Most of the trip had been the same.

They acted as if I wasn't there.

Honestly, that suited me just fine.

A few moments later, Eldric walked over and sat beside me.

The instant he settled down, every muscle in my body tightened.

"Derrick asked me to examine your injuries," he said gently. "I won't touch you without your permission."

Knowing Derrick was watching from somewhere nearby, I slowly stretched out my leg and rolled up the cuff of my green cargo pants.

"It's better than it was," I said.

"May I take a look?"

I nodded.

His touch was careful as he pressed two fingers against my ankle before moving up to my knee.

"It's still warm," he said quietly. "Have you been taking anything to reduce the inflammation?"

A humorless laugh almost escaped me.

"The Silver Fang Tavern is a bar, not a pharmacy."

A faint smile touched his lips.

"I have medication with me. Will you take some?"

I immediately shook my head and eased my leg away from his hands.

"Save it for later. We still have a long road ahead of us."

Eldric studied me for a second before giving a small nod.

"Very well. I do have an inflatable pillow. Elevating the leg during breaks should help with the pain."

He rummaged through his pack until he found it.

After blowing it up, he handed it over.

Leaning against the trunk of a nearby tree, I carefully lifted my leg onto the pillow. The relief wasn't much, but it was enough.

Then Eldric's eyes narrowed.

"What is that?"

My stomach dropped.

While adjusting my position, the hem of my shirt had ridden up.

Too late.

I grabbed for the fabric and pulled it down.

"It's nothing."

His expression hardened.

"That isn't nothing."

The kindness in his voice disappeared.

"I'm responsible for treating all of your injuries, Amira. Not just the ones on your leg."

His gaze stayed fixed on me.

"We're depending on you to keep us alive. Let me see it."

The firmness in his voice left little room for argument.

Slowly, I sat up and lifted my shirt.

"I don't think there's much you can do," I muttered. "Most of it has already healed."

The mark he had noticed was the burn Victor had given me less than a week earlier.

Several older scars surrounded it.

Those had long since healed.

This one hadn't.

Eldric examined the injury carefully, his fingers barely brushing the damaged skin.

"There was a blister here?"

"Yeah." My throat tightened. "It burst a few nights ago."

I left out the part about trying to escape.

He didn't need to know that.

"It should be bandaged."

His jaw clenched slightly.

"Did the manager do this to you?"

The question made me look away.

"Does it matter?"

A dark look crossed his face.

"Only because I won't grieve his death nearly as much."

For a second, I stared at him.

The words didn't make sense.

Then they did.

My eyes widened.

"Wait." Shock shot through me. "Victor is dead?"

The sudden movement made me jerk my injured leg beneath me.

Pain exploded through my knee.

A sharp hiss escaped my lips.

Eldric clicked his tongue in disapproval and gently straightened my leg again, settling it back onto the pillow.

The simple act of kindness felt strangely foreign.

Unfamiliar.

It took effort not to pull away.

"Yes," Eldric said quietly. "Victor is dead."

He reached into his bag and removed a clean bandage.

Then he looked up at me.

"Sit up carefully now."