Lycus circled the mauled bear thoughtfully, his muzzle and paws were wet with blood and melted snow. The kill had been effortless and easy. Perhaps what had been the most difficult part was tracking the hibernating animal so far off into the forest and the further he walked, the more hesitant he grew over the human girl who currently was passed out on the cot. He did not know whether she would dare escape again, though it was obvious that was more hesitant knowing he could easily track her. The forest was large and she did not know where they currently stood. She was foolish enough to escape once. His brothers on the other hand… Lycus’ wolf growled lowly before his bones began to snap and realign themselves, fur sinking in on itself. He straightened with a sigh, rolling his stiff shoulders back and cracking his neck sideways. His body was sleek with blood, bits of flesh and fur stuck between his teeth from

Inayah lay on the snow laden earth. The coat she wore was large, hood draped over her head allowing only her eyes to peek through from beneath. Her breaths came in misted forms of heated clouds by her flushed lips and cheeks.Her eyes quietly drifted across the stretch of land before her. It was silent, eerily so. The only sounds that could be heard was her hammering heartbeat and crunching of snow each time she tried to shift about in search of a comfortable position.Inayah scowled as time passed by and Lycus had not yet shown.She considered getting up and walking away but he made it clear that she was not to move. Inayah blew out a breath of exasperation and checked her nails for dirt. He had brought her to a field of snow and instructed that she lay on her belly, unmoving, before leaving her.Inayah peered up at the grey sky. A flake of snow drifted onto the tip of her reddened nose. It was getting cold and her clothes were growing so

“Three hundred silver coins?” Lycus heard Inayah’s incredulous voice as she counted the coins set on stone by the steaming bath’s edge.He hummed in acknowledgement.“Three hundred silver coins,” she repeated, then shifted, the sound of water splashing her movements, “Kade paid you that much to find me?”“He did.”“Oh,” another shift. The tone of her voice had Lycus lifting one end of cloth placed over his eyes. He peered at her with one eye. She sat a few meters from him, steaming water rising up to her neck, sodden hair held up in a loose ponytail.The bag of coins he had given her was now open, coins spilled over the bathhouse edge. Her chin was set on the edge, flushed fingers pushing them aside one at a time.Lycus picked a stray coin and flipped it towards her. It landed with a soft plop beside her; “Penny for your thoughts.”

There was darkness. Voices. Dreams, dark and murky. Fear, pain. So much pain.Inayah opened her eyes, but the light hurt. She winced and tried to move. She could not. She was in a room, bright and open. She saw Mathilde come into view.Her first reflex was resistance, struggling to relieve herself of the chains and shackles that bore her to the bed. But her body seemed to have a mind of its own, completely slack and hot and in pain. Only her mind seemed hyper-aware of their enemy.Mathilde's cheek was wrapped in gauze, and she walked with a limp towards the bed. Her eyes held darkness equal to Salem's and hate, so much hate."There you are, child. Why'd you go and do such a horrible thing? Master has just been beside himself, he almost lost himself completely. It's such a shame what you did to him. I'd half a mind to let you pass on in your fever dreams, but he demanded I help you heal. I did

Inayah treaded close behind Salem's figure. She fought the urge to reach out and grasp the lapel of his coat for guidance as he led her down a winding hall, down a descent of stairs and further past the cells he had her locked in. Inayah had stopped counting after four turns and followed obediently. He halted before a metallic chamber and pulled out a set of keys, wedging it into the silver door. "This," Salem stepped aside and waved a hand like a magician who had just performed a trick, "is where I keep my enemies."  Inayah's eyes widened as they took in the room all around.  Silver. Everything was silver, from the walls to the floor and ceiling. Stone and silver hardened to prevent escapes. Four cells had been placed, each with large silver shackled embedded to the walls and what looked like a dog plate in each.