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Between Duty and Conscience

Author: Sable Thorne
last update Huling Na-update: 2025-04-26 06:22:17

I wash the blood from my hands in the icy stream, watching as crimson swirls dissolve into clear water. If only the stain on my conscience could be so easily cleansed. The tribute. A sterile word for a monstrous practice—sacrificing a newborn cub to the Slavers each year to keep our pack safe. A tradition older than I am, passed down through generations of Alphas, each bearing the weight of this terrible choice. Until now, I've convinced myself it was necessary. Unavoidable. The price of our continued existence. But Lyla's voice echoes in my mind, challenging everything I thought I knew. Everything I've done in the name of duty.

The cold water numbs my skin, but does nothing for the hollowness spreading inside me. Four young wolves dead because I hesitated. Because I listened to the doubts that have been growing since Lyla discovered the truth twelve months ago.

The memory of that night is seared into my mind. Lyla had been tracking unusual movements at the borders of our territory, c
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  • Stolen by the Alpha   Own her Heart

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