Page 70 of Pack Captive

I wanted to take the shackle off...but if Merikh came for her, it would be the only way for me to track her. It might even slow him down enough for us to catch up before the worst happened.

"I can't do that, Ayla. I'm sorry." I said it quietly, but her eyes blazed like fire.

"Then good luck with your search." Her voice was as cold as ice. She planted a hand in the center of my chest, pushing hard.

I took a step back, obeying her clear wishes, even though it was like being pushed around by a feather.

Ayla closed the door in my face.

21

Ayla

Two secondsafter I shut the door, a burst of fury rose in me.

I spun around, wanting to kick something, and decided to toss my jewelry on the bed instead.

The Azurans, their Alpha in particular, were ridiculous. I could perform their rituals and run with them, but I wasn't good enough to have the shackle removed?

I hadn't fought them on anything since we'd arrived. In fact, I'd gone out of my way to try to fit in here.

And Istillwasn't trustworthy to them.

I growled, low enough that Ryden wouldn't hear it from all the way up the hall and come running, and turned on the taps for the bath with a little more force than necessary.

I watched the water fill, chewing my lip again as I thought. It was impossible to relax right now, knowing that the Bloodfang was loose and that Ryden still wouldn’t set me free to help them.

By all rights, they should be groveling to me to earnmytrust.

I washed quickly, thinking about how easy it had been to fall in with their pack.

Almost too easy. Like I'd been waiting my whole life for a pack where I blended in perfectly, my strengths complementing theirs.

And now I even wished I could talk to Calian. Of all the wolves here, he would know what that felt like to be convinced you were abandoning your people, when in reality...you were always trying to do what was best for them.

But they were running without me. I pulled on a simple dress and pushed the balcony doors open.

My stomach gave a funny spasm when I saw how high I was, but having the railing to cling to with a white-knuckled grip made it much easier to tolerate the height.

I looked down at the lake. It was a black stain around the city, the lights glittering off the tiny waves. From up here, it almost looked like it was mirroring the night sky and stars.

I couldn't see the wolves perfectly, but their glowing runes made them easier to pick out from up here. That was probably Ryden, running towards the breach with several wolves on his heels.

They hadn't said it aloud, but I knew Merikh's escape was my fault.

This was because of me.

No wonder they hadn't taken my shackle off.

"Do you often come here to brood?"

As soon as I heard the voice, I flung myself backwards, windmilling and holding back a scream.

Merikh sat on the railing only five feet from me, one leg propped up and the other casually swinging.

He looked down at the drop, then back at me, and laughed. "Good thing I didn't slip on the way up, huh?"

"How did you get up here?" I hissed, my heart slamming against my ribs like a hammer.

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