Hunted by the Alpha novel · Chapter 9 of 24

Chapter 9: Pup Law

They brought my daughter to the clearing at dawn.

Two wolves in human form walked beside Joss's car, and Joss walked beside Hettie, and he looked as if he'd rather be run over.

I stood in Corwin's borrowed coat with moss still in my hair.

"Mama!" Hettie called. She ran across the frosted grass in her yellow raincoat.

I caught her and held on so tightly that she squeaked.

"Are you hurt?"

"Nope. I fell asleep in the car. Joss let me eat cereal for dinner."

"It was one bowl," Joss said weakly.

Sherman stood in the middle of the ring of wolves, hands folded.

Dawn lit the trees behind him in pale gold.

"The pack will witness," he said. "A child has been found on pack land with the eyes of a wolf."

A murmur ran around the circle.

"She is a niece," Corwin said.

He said it for the pack to hear, and then he stopped lying.

"Is she?" said Sherman.

"No."

Corwin walked out of the ring and knelt on one knee in front of my daughter.

He was still bare-chested under a borrowed jacket, and his hands were shaking.

Hettie looked at him with enormous calm eyes.

"Hello," she said.

"Hello, Hettie."

"You're the wolf."

"I am."

"Are you my dad?"

The whole pack went still.

I put my hand over my mouth.

Corwin looked up at me, and I nodded.

His voice came out cracked.

"Yes. I think I am."

"You think?"

"I'm very sure. I just wasn't invited to find out sooner."

Hettie considered that.

"Mama says you're a friend."

"I'd like to be one."

"Okay," she said, and stuck out her small hand.

He shook it, solemn as a judge, and I thought I was going to break in half.

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