Page 29 of Untamed

"Then feed her. Now." Blue-star interrupts.

"I will."

I curl tighter around the dead tree, my eyes eagerly watching Mactiir and the bag in his hand that smells divine.

"You don't have to unchain her from the fucking Post, In. Just fucking feed her." The blue-eyed male growls.

"I brought food for her, Rhet. I won't let her starve," Mactiir snarls back. If I could move up here, I would pull away and hide. That glimpse of anger is scary, even more frightening than Father's rages. I forgot, for a moment, that in the stories Mama told me, Mactiir eats small children who wander away from home.

Mactiir reaches into the bag and pulls out meat and cheese. Oh, I want it. I want itbad. A soft whimper slips free Mactiir turns to me, and his dark eyes soften.

No, Willa! You do not like his eyes. You do not like his dumb, toxic-walnut eyes.

"Qitsuk. You're so hungry, aren't you, beautiful cat? How long has it been since you ate?"

I just glare at him. He knows that he captured me half a day ago. I haven't eaten since, so there's a start, Ogre. Mama didn't teach me much math. Words were our strength. Books we love. But I can add.

"Come down, my Bliss," Mactiir cajoles.

I don't say a word. The males gave me that idea. Mactiir calls mewild; primitive, savage, feral, rude. I'm not going to speak to himat all.See how he likes to be ignored. Serves him right for leaving me here sort-of all by myself.

"Qitsuk, come down and eat," he says softly.

I turn my head around, giving him my back. The two star-males start to laugh.

"Can I help, Alphason?"

The laughter cuts off immediately. I swing around with a wrenching jerk to my neck, my she-wolf's fur ruffled up high at the feminine voice. It's... oily... a tone I've never heard before.

My she-wolf and I don't like it.

---

Inuit

Is this a hidden talent? I suppose Elder Greyson is tickled at what the future Luna of the pack can do. Fucking hell, she's climbed the damn Post. I leave for twenty minutes to fetch her something to eat, and she's scampered up to the top of the damn thing.

Cursing under my breath, I look up at my cat. She’s perched on the top of the post, her legs folded in and around the wood and herself in what I imagine is incredibly uncomfortable. She looks utterly undisturbed by her odd position. She looks as though she could stay up there all day long.

"Foolish female," I mutter lowly. Goddess, she had better not hurt herself. I know she spent days in the trees, but the Post is not atree.

A wordless sneer is all I get. I swear to the Moon she understands every word I say, which only makes it more frustrating that she refuses to speak to me.

"Qitsuk, come down." I ignore the female who has approached me, Elna.

A heavier growl is my only answer. Golden eyes track my movements, flickering to the female at my elbow, then back to my face. When her growl fades, the only sound is the soft tinkling of her chains. I smile internally. It gives me an idea for her.

"Alphason?" Elna tries again.

I don't take my gaze from my cat. Her golden eyes flash dangerously at Elna's approach.

"I just want to help, Alphason. When she's ready, I can maybe train her?"

I grit my teeth. This is a problem. Elna is the most powerful female in her age group. She's not here to see her new luna or offer training. She's here to check out her competition.

RustClaw needs to know that my mate is meant to be by my side. I thought leaving her to be inspected at the Post would do the trick, but apparently, Elna wants to push the issue.

"My mate doesn't need help, Elna," I tell her abruptly. "She is a wild, and I plan on giving her time to acclimate to the pack."

---