“My pack left me to die. They basically sent me to my death.” My frown deepened. “Nobody even came outside thewalls.”
Dante stopped and put his hands on my shoulders. His hands were big and firm, and the contact instantly made me look into his fierce purple eyes. There was ferocity in his expression, like he would fight those raiders all overagain.
“Your pack was no pack if they left you to fend for yourself,” he growled. “A pack is family. Families don’t let eachotherdie.”
I found myself unable to keep eye contact with him, like the fire in his eyes wastoohot.
“It was just the Stoneheart way,” I muttered, thinking about all the times in my life I’d heard those words. Had I finally begun tobelieveit?
“Bullshit!” Dante snapped. “They’re not a true pack, just a bunch of wolf shifters living together. They should be ashamed of themselves. I can’t believe they just let you walk out of there knowing the raiders would be waiting. It pissesmeoff.”
Dante was furious. His eyes blazed with fire, and his sharp features were twisted in a snarl. I couldn’t help but stare again. Even angry, he was so handsome. Although yelling alphas usually made me uncomfortable, I felt the complete opposite with Dante. I wanted to be closer to him. I had to stop myself from taking another step in hisdirection.
“Sorry,” he growled, running a hand back through his thick black hair. “I hope I didn’t scare you. I just can’t believe they treated youlikethat.”
“It’s okay,” I said. “I mean, it’s not okay, but I appreciate your concern for me.” I shrugged. “I guess I know there’s worse packs out there, so I should just be lucky with whatIhad.”
Dante frowned. “Don’t let me hear you say that again. Just because other people are in bad situations doesn’t make your experience any less valid.Gotit?”
I shuddered at his commanding tone. I almost wanted to to disagree with him to see what would happen, but I decided not to test hispatience.
“Gotit.”
He huffed out a puff of smoke from hisnose. “Good.”
An excited shiver ran down myspine.
“Come here,” Dante beckoned me as he walked. “There’s something I want toshowyou.”
Curiously, I followed him. He led me through cool, dewey grass that brushed against my ankles. The air here was crisp and clean. I filled my lungs with it. It felt purifying after a life caged withinwalls.
Dante checked over his shoulder to see if I was coming, then smiled. “We’re almost there,” hepromised.
“You seem to know this place pretty well,” Icommented.
“Suredo.”
He beckoned me closer into the suddenly thick trees, whose trunks were covered in snaking ivy. He pulled back a curtain of ivy to reveal a small waterfall. Igasped.
Beautiful clean water cascaded down an outcrop of rocks to become soft, foamy white as it hit the surface of the river. Surrounding the water was tall green grass that waved gently in the cool breeze, and a patch of white flowers blossomed beside thewater.
“This place is beautiful,” Imurmured.
Dante smiled. “Justlikeyou.”
I blushed deeply. “Why are you showingmethis?”
He looked confused now. “Because I want to. Is there any other reasonIneed?”
I guessed not. I didn’t press the issue and just focused on the natural beauty of the scene in frontofme.
“So, the Glimmering Lake isn’t really a lake at all,” Dante began, sidling up next to me. “It’s just called that because of the large pool you saw earlier. It’s actually a river that flows down from this waterfall. And the water that feeds these falls come from ice in our tribe’s sacred mountain. Not to brag, but technically, everything here belongstous.”
“Your tribe?” I asked curiously. “You said it was called Cinderhollow,right?”
He beamedproudly. “Yes.
“It must be pretty if it’s in the mountains.” I gazed at the flowing water, taking in its calming energy. “I don’t know if anything can top this,though.”
