Page 68 of Pack Captive

I would be the one to escort Ayla back to the Dawn Palace. She was the highest priority of us right now; tonight had proved that, and it was so obvious that not a single other wolf questioned it.

What's going on?She asked me through our mind link, her suspicion the foremost emotion.

I was going to answer, but the bridge to the Dawn Palace came into view.

Calian was there, sitting like a silent sentinel.

Go inside, I ordered her, hating that I put weight on the command so she'd be compelled to obey.

But from the look in Calian's eyes, he wanted to speak alone. Possibly about her.

She gave me an opaque look, then stalked across the bridge, her legs and tail held stiffly.

I'd definitely pissed her off.

There's no sign of the Bloodfang. Calian spoke as soon as she was out of sight, behind the warded doors of the Palace.The trail went cold in the middle of the gardens.

He shook his head, letting out a soft, disgusted bark.

How did this happen? Was the Lunar Guardian still intact?I sat down, my muscles trembling a little with exertion after running for hours. The shadow wolves' blood was beginning to congeal and dry in my fur.

It's Merikh, Calian said bleakly.Who the fuck knows what demonic powers Fenris gave him? Look at what he did to Tyra, and I have no idea how long Ayla was alone with him—

Did you check her runes?I snarled the words, my chest rumbling.

I hadn’t felt any corruption, but Merikh had proven with Tyra that just because it wasn’t obvious, didn’t mean it hadn’t taken root in a Caller’s soul.

Calian gave me a sharp look, without so much as shuffling his paws.She admitted to touching him, but I checked her runes myself. She was uncorrupted by the contact. The real question is, what didshedo tohim?

I looked out at the Palace, where the gentle waves of the lake were lapping at its shore. Merikh had to have come up somewhere over there...and had seemingly vanished.

I had the sudden foreboding feeling that he hadn't left the city.

And with what Ayla had said, about something being in the woods...

She was his target.

I didn't believe she would betray us to Fenris, unlike Tyra. I didn't think for a second that she had deliberately freed him.

But we all knew Merikh was dangerous with words alone. He could convince the gentlest soul to commit atrocities.

And if he could manipulate her into feeding him power, he could bring her back to his master...and then he would become Fenris's Second.

Keep a close eye on Ayla, I told Calian.There need to be two of the Claws wherever she goes. If he sticks around, it'll be for her.

He nodded once, a sharp dip of his head.Do you think Tyra...?

Calian let his thoughts drift off, but I remembered that betrayal in as much detail as he did.I don’t know. I didn't smell her out there tonight, but we can’t put anything past Fenris.

I'll check the perimeter again. We may need to look into another way to seal the wall's breach. Calian didn't so much as say goodbye before racing off again.

I went into the Dawn Palace, thinking as I took the stairs up to the quarters I'd gifted to Ayla.

She would be safest up high; even if the shadow wolves made it through the wall, they wouldn't be able to climb the Palace's towers from the outside.

I shifted to my human form and knocked on her door.

It opened slowly, and Ayla looked out at me with a scowl.

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