Lorena had bandaged her nose quickly that morning, offering a gentle reminder to rest and drink plenty of water. Rest, of course, was a luxury Evelyne couldn’t afford, not while traveling with a pack of wolves that barely slowed down. Still, she appreciated the healer’s concern.
As if things couldn’t get more irritating, Kaldrek had been waiting for her when she left Lorena’s tent. He’d been standing just a few paces away, arms crossed, eyes fixed on her with that unreadable intensity. She wasn’t sure if he actually cared that she was hurt. It had looked like he might say something, but she’d turned her back before he could. Probably not the most brilliant move to turn away from an alpha, but she didn’t care. After all, she wasdefiant.
Alaric walked beside her now, his stride strong and posture steady. If not for the faint scars on his neck and forearm, no one would guess how close he’d come to dying. And she wasn’t the only one who noticed. More than once, she caught Holden watching him, eyes narrowed, like he was waiting for Alaric to sprout fangs and prove he wasn’t entirely human anymore.
And then there was Reyna, radiant under the afternoon sun, her beauty impossible to ignore. But it wasn’t her glow that made Evelyne’s stomach turn—it was the two small, precise bite marks on her throat.
Had a Noskari attacked her?
Heidara noticed her staring and casually explained, “They’re claiming marks. It’s considered the most intimate part of mating. When the female allows her mate to mark her.”
“Or, in Reyna’s case, mates,” Evelyne muttered.
Heidara grinned. “Exactly. A declaration to the world that she belongs to no one else.”
The whole idea sounded wild. Still, she supposed it was better than the mark of a Noskari’s bite.
“And what about the males? Do they get ‘marked’ too?”
“I guess they can,” Heidara said with a shrug. “But it’s more common for females. Honestly, I think the males just like showing off their possessiveness.” She laughed softly.
Alaric had been right; they reached the next outpost by nightfall. But the real problem was figuring out how to get the horses. They couldn’t just stroll in and ask for them without drawing attention. And using her gold would leave a trail just as dangerous.
“We’ve gotten this far,” Evelyne said to Alaric. “We can’t risk it.”
Kaldrek had already devised a plan: wait for the outpost to fall into a slumber, then send in his quickest scouts to steal the horses. Which meant they had to wait.
At one point, as the others wandered off for privacy or quiet conversation, she found herself alone with the alpha.
“My nose is fine—thanks for asking,” she said with a bite of sarcasm.
Kaldrek didn’t so much as blink. “If you’d followed my instructions properly, it wouldn’t have happened.”
Evelyne narrowed her eyes. “You think I’m defiant, but did you ever stop to consider that maybe you’re just stubborn and insufferable?”
Irritation flickered across his face. “I’m their alpha. There’s no room for softness.”
“Well, that’s just sad,” she shot back. “You can be strong and still have basic human decency.”
He smirked slightly. “You need to toughen up,LadyEvelyne.”
“Yes, well, that’s exactly why I asked to be trained,” she countered. “Though you didn’t seem particularly eager to help. Maybe I’ll take Holden up on his offer. He seemed more than happy to give me one-on-one training.”
Kaldrek barked out a sharp laugh, shaking his head. “Oh, I’m sure Holden’s intentions have nothing to do with fighting.”
Feeling daring, she hummed. “Maybe I wouldn’t mind learning his intentions.”
His smile faltered. Just slightly, but she saw it.
“Be my guest.”
An awkward silence stretched between them before Kaldrek spoke again, his voice quieter this time.
“Who was the man that touched you?”
The words were like ice water down her spine, and she hated how easily he had read her last night.
“That is none of your concern.”
