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“She’s made her decision.”

Kestria steps up beside me. Her sleeve brushes my wrist, and I leave my hand where it is.

“I’m going back with him now. I’ll be home in two days.”

Two days.

Keer’s staring at her again.

“You expect me to leave you here?”

“Yes.”

Keer jerks his chin at my leg. “After this?”

“I’ll tell you what happened when I get home. You’ll hear it from me. But I’m staying with Rauk today.”

Keer moves so he can see her around my arm.

“Kes. He kept you shut in his den. You don’t have to say this with him standing there.”

He’s not wrong about the den. I keep still and let her answer.

“He just told me I could go.”

“I heard him.”

“Then you heard me too.” She doesn’t move away from my side. “I’m not frightened of him, Keer. I want to go back.”

He keeps looking at her, and she waits with her bad arm across her stomach.

Axan hasn’t moved. “She means it, Keer. Look at her.”

Keer looks at her until his shoulders come down a little.

My forearm’s starting to throb, but it can wait. I let the blood run down my fingers while her brother looks from her to me and back again.

“Two days to set off?”

“Two days until I’m home.”

“Kes.”

“I mean it.” Her sleeve presses against my wrist.

Keer tongues his split lip, and I hear him swallow.

“I’m not happy about this.”

“I know.”

Keer wipes his chin with the back of his wrist. “I don’t think you do.”

I shouldn’t. “I imagine there’s a great deal you’re not happy about, Alpha.”

He growls, and Axan snickers behind him.

Kestria doesn’t look at him. “Keer.”