Page 42 of Empowering the Wolf's Heart

Her lip trembled. “Source bless you, my boy,” she whispered, leaning up to kiss my cheek in a show of respect.

She went off with Fen, and it hardened my resolve. The pack was slowly strangled under Mother’s rule. It had to change.

The guard bowedwhen I walked in. A runner darted from a darkened alcove, racing ahead of me through the passageways of the cold, huge building some would call a palace, but which I knew was merely a shell where the pack slept at night.

A long hallway lay before me with ostentatious statues painted in gold and precious metals—some of snarling wolves, others of knights in full chain-mail, and a few of scandalously clad women. Behind them were highly detailed tapestries, each depicting various battles of all kinds of creatures. From werewolves and dragons to dark fae and nymphs, should you look hard enough, you could find nearly any known being. Theceiling, high above as it was, had paintings of cherubim and palaces and endless forests.

My feet sunk into the deep red fabric lining the hallway. A mouse squeaked behind one statue, his little heart racing as I passed. A tiny smile creased my lips. Mother hated the little creatures with a passion. It was good to see one had survived her extermination to chew on her precious tapestries.

At the end of the seemingly endless hallway was a door. Quite plain compared to the rest of the hall, for reasons I had yet to discern.

My heartbeat was steady, my mind caged, my wolf sleeping. It would do no good for him to be party to what would come. I had fought a direct order, something she would not abide.

Why return at all?Lycus whimpered.

Dragon breath. I thought he was still asleep.

Better to be free for a time of our choosing and death to be by our hand than a lifetime of chains,Lycus said.

Were it not for my pack, I might have agreed. I could not leave them behind.

Lycus whimpered, but he knew as well as I what would happen to the pack should we leave without placing another in power. I could not challenge her and win—the Command insured such things. That did not mean I could not have her replaced, though.

The door opened beneath my palm. My oldest sister and my mother sat on glass thrones at the head of a massive hallway cloaked in a red runner. This area was much plainer compared to the hallway outside, putting the emphasis on the sparkling throne chairs on a dais at the far end.

“Come, protector. Come, tell me of your adventures.” Mother’s gentle, feminine voice echoed in the throne room.

I drew a deep breath, clenched my teeth, and barely kept my heart under control. Werewolves heard heartbeats. Mine would not betray any hint of emotion she could use against me.

It was not pain I feared. No. It was the thoughts she may draw from my mind should she enforce a Command to make me speak. It had happened before when she had been suspicious of my actions. Mother was meticulous about obedience.

“I infiltrated the stronghold as asked. They have no one speaking of anarchy. A well-armed party took me from the residence, keeping me for undisclosed reasons. I escaped, but the party later attacked while you were present, knocking me from the cliff as I was attempting to hand the puppy to your knight.”

Mother’s blonde hair uncoiled from its bun as she removed a blade made to look like a fine, silver pendant. “Oh. Do go on.”

Go time. “I survived. My attacker and the puppy did not.”

“Hmmm. And why did you survive?”

“You have trained me well, Mother,” I said, bowing from the waist. The words tasted of ash on my tongue, but they were necessary.

A small grin pulled at her tight lips. Mother’s blue eyes glistened with malice.

My sister, however, sat with her eyes on me, her eyebrow raised a tiny hair and forehead creasing. I might have passed Mother, but Beatrice knew. It would only depend on how she planned to use that information to her advantage that was concerning.

“Good. But you hesitated before giving up the puppy. Why?” Mother asked.

I bowed my head to avoid meeting her eyes as protocol dictated for a contrite werewolf. “Forgive me, Mother. I saw a being behind you. I worried they would attack you, and I struggled within the haze of command.”

Beatrice coughed into her hands. I feared she’d caught my morbid humor. Nothing I could help now.

Mother’s sharp fingernails clacked against the edges of the throne. “Good. Then you will bring me the body of the puppy.”

“I do not know where it is,” I said.

“You bury the bodies of your dead. Do not deny it.”

“It was swept downriver. I did not take time to retrieve it.”

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