Page 9 of Wolves Betrayed

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The werewolvesbehind them were muttering, but Misti couldn’t quite make out what they were saying. Kastner glanced around her to his son and jerked his head. Immediately, Talon left her side, slipping backward.

She glanced behind her.

“He is just checking on how the rear is keeping up,” Kastner told her. “Do not worry. Your husband will be right back.”

Husband.

“I am not worried.”

“Not even about the coming battle?” The alpha stared straight ahead, his marching even and precise despite their traversing uneven forest land.

“I’ve already fought werewolves. Killed werewolves. I know what to expect.” The wolves behind them, were any of them battle-tested? They certainly seemed prepared, but when you see the glowing orange eyes of a werewolf, his fangs dripping with saliva, his claws coming at you… it was not a simple foe you’d face. Yes, wolves were hunters, but animal prey and werewolf prey were not even remotely the same.

“Talon will protect you.”

“I don’t need protection.”

He almost twisted to look at her but didn’t. “Anders would like to protect you, if given the chance.”

“He did that already,” she said before she thought better of it.

She stopped abruptly, so suddenly the werewolf behind her in line plowed into her. Misti resumed her trek after murmuring an apology.

“What is it?”

Misti said nothing. Her eyes shifted, and she saw she was right. “To the left,” she tried to say without moving her lips, hardly speaking loud enough to be heard.

Kastner didn’t seem to hear her or look in that direction, but then his fangs made an appearance. He grunted—not speaking, not using words, actually grunted—and two werewolves from the row behind them darted away, slipping through the trees.

“I would like to go—”

“You will stay.” Kastner’s lips twisted slightly. Was that a smile? She couldn’t tell. “I will not allow you to be hurt before the claiming.”

She suppressed a shudder. “I could be killed in battle.”

“That would be unfortunate.”

Out of nowhere, Talon appeared, dragging a naked man with him. “Look what I found.” He shoved the man to the ground.

Blood dripped from the man’s forehead, but Misti couldn’t stop staring at the tattoo on his back.

Kastner held up a hand and whistled. The entire company halted as one.

Impressive, Misti thought absurdly.

“Who are you?” Kastner demanded.

The Shadowed Star said nothing.

“We should kill him,” Talon said.

“We should learn who he is first,” Misti protested.

Kastner shifted his gaze from the wounded man to her. “You who have already killed werewolves would suffer and allow one of your enemies to live?”

“Depending on if he’s more useful alive.” The werewolves her father had sent she hadn’t bothered to consider this, too intent on staying alive, but this was different. A single werewolf. “If he’s higher up in the chain of command, we might be able to ransom him.”

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