Page 25

The streets aren’t as empty as they were before. A crowd has formed, blocking out the rest of the encampment in towering shadows.

Everyone has come to witness my humiliation.

A single rain droplet lands on my forehead and slides down my face, as if even the sky mourns what’s coming.

Soft rain patters around us and mixes with the dust of the streets.

Unperturbed, Wolf-Godric leads the way. His fur shimmers as he slowly saunters and water rolls off him. He deftly avoids puddles and sharp stones that are left over from my destructive escape attempt.

I’m not as graceful.

My foot stubs against one of the larger rocks buried under dirt, and I curse as I stumble and mud splashes up my legs.

There’s a murmur in the crowd as they watch my walk of shame.

Godric doesn’t shift back into his human form like I expect he might. Instead, he seems to remain a primal sentry leading me to my death. He pauses as multiple familiar Alphas emerge, all of them with their intense stares on me.

“She did this?” one asks.

Ronan, I recall as I take in his darker golden gaze.

He seems concerned, with his bunched-up brow, while the others are downright pissed off.

Wolf-Godric snorts in reply. Ronan frowns at him but bows his head and backs off as if he understood whatever that gesture meant. From my knowledge, wolf shifters don’t have innate telepathic ability with their pack, but I expect they can read body language just fine.

An Alpha with short blond hair that sweeps over his silver eyes snarls at me. He uncurls his fingers, revealing sharp claws.

I have zero problems reading his body language.

“She should die,” he growls in confirmation of my thoughts.

Wolf-Godric keeps his massive body between me and the male, clearly sending a message that no one is going to touch me.

I have a feeling that Godric means to deal with me himself.

An uncontrollable shiver runs up my spine as the other Alpha grabs the male’s wrist.

“No, Yorin,” he says with a softer tone I suspect is exclusively meant for the volatile shifter, as if he were a son, but the two look nothing alike. “Godric will handle the stray. We have a wall to fix.” He overlooks me and whistles to the crowd.

I bristle at the word “stray” but am too stunned as everyone bursts into action. No words are required. All the pack members know what their job is, and they get to it without any complaints.

I hang my head low and avoid eye contact as Godric begins to move. I’m eager to leave the crowd and all the prying eyes.

Maybe I’m not so eager to find out what the Alpha intends to do with me, but whatever it is, I’d rather get it over and done with.

The rain pours down harder as I follow Wolf-Godric through the streets. I would have expected his home to be in the middle of the encampment where he could keep an eye on everyone. But Godric must like his privacy, because he leads me to the outskirts by a tall tower instead.

Glancing up, my stomach rolls as I spot a human form hanging by a noose.

That message is clear. The Blood Moon Pack is under Godric’s protection, and anyone who crosses him will pay the price.

What had been that man’s crime? Looking for food? Maybe he was lost?

And he died for getting too close to the wrong territory.

What price will be mine to pay for trying to leave it?

A growl breaks my train of thought, and I realize we’ve reached a large tent.