ting six years for me to

on his boots and something beh

didn't say

nee almost touched mine. "Her seven are positioned. She can move when we move." He spread

d the map. "The

ill. One s

ae

o years. Passing information." A pause

ked a

he said. "She said yes b

e firelight caught the scar on his

e for two years bec

es

unta

es

n the table. You have

n wrist testing t

dn't

us,"

nod

ched to that information - a warmth low in my chest

et a messa

Voss. Tak

g in ten days. Tell her to stay low." I

Started to

ae

ooke

in the compound. Voss's network." I held his

as q

s seventeen

the bou

es

and you built a resista

is face. Not a smil

tood what my father was planning." He looked at his hands. "I couldn't und

re cra

t. Six years of patience. Six years of building something quiet

d at

ed awa

n," I sa

cold and dark-e

for the Howl, not grabbing, just opening a

e forty-five. Forty-

hing. Just stayed there, his presence a steady wa

minu

st. The owl overhead. The slow und

dge of my range,

nds d

ut there

at my shoulder. Close enough that I cou

he said

he dark. Watching me hold the How

ing my progr

es

e extraction aro

been timing this for

eached with the Howl. Extended past the d

ndred

und

familiar it felt like hearing

t for a second, not

li

r breath for eighteen year

oat ti

ion for three seco

en, slowly and deliberately, it move

watchin

t that,"

es

back, and s

es

d enormous in my chest. No longer something I m

days,"

ooked

t seven." I turned to face him.

ent. His eyes dropped to my

t now," he said quietly. "Extended range. S

es

s," he sa

ou

the trees whe

ll Voss,

back in

s of before. Just a night. Just trees. Just the ordinary dar

"Why didn't you tell m

answer i

ing goes wrong, she's there because I asked. That's mine. I

art of t

pause. "I kn

sent his cousin into a wolf compound and carried the weight of that without letting it sh

id. "Any of it. You didn't know I'd w

N

built i

es

hy

as q

ecause you deser

Not because of the bond. Not

deserved t

anything. N

in silence. It was the loude

tage door,

rn

ae

his face. His scar. Those amber eyes t

t, all of them and your father can't reach any of

n had found a gap in the arm

ned hi

ack of my neck, warm, calloused, certain.

d pressed a

was warm

he whispered. "

n't ki

ng the same air, the mark on my wrist blazing s

Turned. Walked

rt slamming and my lips parted and

the door. Pressed my

chair. I put a blanket

he fifth

g. Certain and looping

g me to cooperate. He's start

A man who needs your co

r devotion is somet

ped re

Who had built a resistance in the dark. Who had just held my

devo

hing

idn't have a

Lay back on the bed.

r d

we'

eep when the Bon

ty. Sharp. An alert. The Howl readin

window in t

aring w

areful two hundred yard observation. Closer. Mult

pa

ree th

thout thinking, the Howl

e

bed my

door before I fin

l was still

ng now threat, threat, threat but undernea

Moving.

er's. Deep enough to vibrate in my chest,

s out. Or the

ack h

h, still at the edge