Shit. At least the wolves are out of sight, hidden by the trees.
“What’s going on, Daciana?”
I could lie. Should lie. But Seth isn’t stupid, and the evidence is literally in my hands. “There was an incident. A few days ago.”
“What kind of incident?”
“Alpha Kieran was attacked. I was with him when it happened.”
“You were with him?” His voice drops dangerously low. “Alpha Kieran was attacked, and you didn’t report it to me?”
“He asked me not to tell anyone. Said it could cause political problems if word got out that—”
“I don’t give a damn what he asked!” Seth shouts. “An alpha was attacked on our lands. That’s a massive diplomatic incident, Daciana. I should have been informed immediately. And you were there? You witnessed it?”
Heat floods my face. “Yes.”
“Do you understand what you’ve done?” He steps closer. I’ve never seen him this angry. “You kept this from your commander. You chose to protect him over your duty. Over protocol.”
The words have me staggering. He’s right. Gods, he’s right, and I have no excuse.
“That’s insubordination,” he says flatly. “That’s a complete betrayal of trust. You’re being reassigned. You’ll keep your position as the Queen’s guard, but you’re also taking night rounds. Every night. Until I decide you’ve learned what loyalty means.”
“Commander—”
“Dismissed.”
The first nightof rounds isn’t terrible.
The second is harder.
By the third, exhaustion is a living thing inside me, clawing at my bones.
Seth has me scheduled every single night. I walk the perimeter from midnight to dawn, then report for my regular duties with the Queen at seven in the morning. I’m getting maybe three hours of sleep total, if I’m lucky. And even that precious time is plagued with nightmares that jerk me awake, gasping desperately.
The herbs Selene gave me sit unused in my pocket. They would knock me out for six hours, but I only have three. I can’t risk oversleeping and missing my duties. Can’t risk Seth having one more reason to question my loyalty.
So, I don’t take them. And I don’t sleep.
A week in, I’m barely functional.
My hands shake when I grip my sword. My reflexes are half a second too slow. The world has taken on a hazy, dreamlike quality that makes me question what’s real.
“You look like death,” one of the other guards says during a shift change.
“Thanks,” I mutter.
“Seth’s being too hard on you. The overnight shift is brutal.”
Maybe. But I deserve it. I lied to my commander. I chose an alpha with dark eyes and a wounded shoulder over my duty.
Even Astra worries. “I’ll talk to him,” she says angrily, but I shake my head.
“I asked for the night duties.”
She doesn’t seem to believe me but drops the subject. She’s got enough on her plate with the child in her womb. Three months to go, and she’s already ready to get the baby out of her.
The days blur together. Guard duty with Astra, where I force myself to stay alert despite the exhaustion making my bones ache. Night rounds in the cold darkness, jumping at everyshadow. The brief moments in my room where I collapse onto my bed, only to wake minutes later choking on nightmares.
