Chapter 4: Kneel

Three mornings later, six black trucks came up the gravel road to Silverfen.

I was on the lodge steps with a cup of coffee when I heard the engines.

Wystan came out beside me and said nothing.

The doors opened, and twenty Iron Moon warriors climbed out.

The seventh vehicle stopped last.

Joran Wolcott stepped down from it in a black coat, with Verity Marrow on his arm.

She wore a white wool dress and a silver Luna's circlet on her hair.

Behind me, every Silverfen wolf came out of the lodge and stood in a line.

None of them looked afraid.

I put down my coffee.

"Alpha Sark," Joran said, in a voice built to carry. "You are harboring an Iron Moon wolf who assaulted two of my guards."

"She's Silverfen now," Wystan said. "She's under my protection."

"She was rejected. She has no pack."

"She had one this morning. Ask the wolves behind me."

Joran's golden eyes moved down the line and landed on me.

Something crossed his face, and he shut it away.

He looked tired.

His skin was pale, and a sheen of sweat stood on his forehead, though the air was cold.

"Ilse," he said.

I walked down the steps and stood next to Wystan.

"Alpha Wolcott."

"You threw one of my guards into the creek."

"He didn't introduce himself before he shoved me into a metal rail."

A quiet laugh went down the Silverfen line.

Joran's jaw went hard.

"You attacked my men. You owe Iron Moon a trial."

"You rejected me in front of four hundred wolves," I said. "I don't owe Iron Moon a single thing."

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