Page 77 of Pack Captive

Darius, one of Azura's newer Warriors. He was too young to have died this way.

Fucking Merikh. We should've sealed the doors to his prison and let him starve to death inside.

And now the rumors were flying thick and fast.

I'd heard Ayla's name more times than I could count this morning. Of course people wanted to talk now that it was something to smear her name with—their adoration had shifted to suspicion overnight.

But I was sure she wasn't in on this.

Not only were her runes uncorrupted, but she was so worried for her own pack, and she'd joined us perfectly on patrol, like she was always part of us...there was no way someone like that could turn around and disembowel a wolf after that.

I knew what I needed to do now, even if it meant defying the Alpha's orders.

She wasn't going to stay here and thrive, let alone survive, if we kept her in a shackle. We might as well have put a blazing sign over her head that said we didn't trust her if we kept it on.

Ryden could fucking deal with it. If she wandered out of bounds, we'd hunt her down and find her.

And I was going to tell her the truth of why that shackle was so important.

It was going on evening when the rest of the Claws arrived, with two Callers in tow.

Yasemin was slower, her fur more silver than black now, but Ayla kept pace with her like a dark shadow, her eyes gleaming a vivid blue.

The pack gathered around, ears quivering and nostrils twitching at the thick smell in the air.

Who did this?Yasemin asked, sitting stiffly on her haunches. She raised her nose and sniffed.The Bloodfang passed this way.

It was Merikh.I felt Ayla look at me when I spoke but didn't meet her eyes.I'm sure of it. I've done all I can, so you can take Darius's body and hold his rites.

Yasemin nodded, then began ordering some of the Warriors to shift and gather the pieces. They did so, and we all looked away from the tear-streaked faces, giving them privacy for their grief.

How can you be so sure?Ayla asked softly.

One of the Claws nearby raised his lips, displaying his sharp teeth. The fur on Ayla's back rose, but she didn't look around or cower.

He ran around all night and touched no one,she continued, sounding heated.Then he just chose to savage someone like this? For no reason at all?

He's the Bloodfang. He doesn't need a reason. I wanted to tell her to be quiet, because the tension radiating from the Claws was putting me on edge.

One of the other wolves interjected before I could do so, and several others picked up the thread with dissenting murmurs.Maybe she let him out on purpose.

She's a spy.

She belonged to Fenris before you brought her here. It's some new magic to hide their corruption.

I snarled, snapping at one of the wolves who'd spoken and opening a shallow cut on his cheek.Get the fuck out of here. Don't stop until you find Merikh.

I stood up and jerked my head at Ayla.You. Come with me.

To her credit, she didn't slink away from the rest of the pack. She came with her head held high, radiating disgust with her posture.

I took her closer to Lykos, finding a thicket where it was more or less private. There was a small lotus pond to drink from and wash the smell of blood out of my mouth.

You believe me, don't you?She stepped delicately over the moss and joined me.I would never help someone do something like that.

I believe you, I told her shortly.Now shift.

Ayla stared at me.Why?

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