Page 23 of Pack Captive

He should have called it a prison.

7

Ayla

I didn’t realizewhat he was planning until he gestured to someone behind us. I turned, realizing that some of the Claws had followed us to the palace, but they weren’t looking at the palace itself.

Their eyes were still on my pack, appraising the pups.

My lips drew back over my teeth in a snarl even as the Alpha gestured to the children, his eyes on the Claw leader.

Two of his Warriors fell from his pack, herding my people together along with the Claws.

"Pack Vesper is to stay together," he told them. "Take the elders into the city and find them quarters. Have the Claws check the pups for potential. Any pup not taken under apprenticeship is to be returned to their pack and assessed by an artisan."

I was ready to launch myself at them and do whatever I could—which wasn't much—to stop them from taking the pups, but Ryden reached out and caught my ropes with a casual twist of his wrist.

To my surprise, it was Reeva who stepped away from the pack and planted her hands on my shoulders.

She drew in close, her hair tickling my bare shoulders, breath in my ear.

"Don't do this, Ayla. You've done all you could; now it's time to let the pack go."

Tears pricked the backs of my eyelids.

This was the end for me; Ihaddone all I could for my pack, and now even they saw I was a useless Caller and were cutting me loose.

Reeva seemed to sense my feelings even though I'd blinked hard, refusing to cry in front of these new wolves.

"This is the chance of a lifetime for you," she told me softly. "Gods know I loved your mother, but... she wasn't what you needed, and I won't stand back and let you die like her. Your best chance to shine the brightest lies here, with this pack."

She gestured to the Alpha and Calian, who were both watching us intently. I bowed my head, exhaling deeply.

I'd had a deeply buried fear that Reeva would blame me for the decimation of our pack before we were separated.

What I hadn't expected was for her to voice the same feelings I'd been harboring from the moment we walked into Lykos.

My mother hadn't taught me much. Certainly not enough to empower our pack against Fenris.

Whoever Ryden's Elder Caller was, surely she could teach me more than my mother had.

"Take care of the pups, Reeva," I said, my voice raspy. "Don't let them run wild."

She smiled, and Fenn stepped up on my other side. His hand was a warm, comforting presence on my shoulder.

"It's for the best, Ayla," he told me.

I knew what they were trying to do, but bitterness welled up in me, nonetheless.

They weren't the ones who were bound or had been promised to live in the Alpha's quarters whether they wanted it or not.

I forced a smile on for their benefit, and they stepped back, herding the pups into the center of the pack. The Claws and Ryden's Warriors led them away, towards a long road that led down into the heart of the city.

I watched them until they were out of sight, taking slow, measured breaths.

"It's a huge honor to be chosen to apprentice with the Claws."

I almost jumped. Calian's approach had been silent.

---