His Mate, Her Choice novel · Chapter 10 of 24

Chapter 10: Silver Collars

I told Dain that evening, in his room, with the door shut.

I handed him Ottilie's note and watched him read it.

"It could be a trap," he said.

"I know."

"It could be the first true thing she has done in eight years."

"I know that too."

He folded the paper and held it between two fingers.

"I want to come with you," he said.

"I'm not asking to speak for you. I'm asking to stand behind you."

I thought about it.

"And I want to know what order you meant," I said.

"The one you told Ansel I must not see."

His face closed.

It was a small movement, but I saw all of it.

"After the kennels," he said. "I'll tell you after the kennels."

"Is it that bad?"

"It's that important." He looked at the floor. "Please, Wynn. Let me get you through tonight first."

I should have pushed.

I wanted to see those three faces so badly that I didn't.

We went out at four in the morning, across the hard snow, with the pack still asleep.

The kennels were a long low barn behind the lodge.

The lower farm sat in a hollow past the ridge, a cluster of sheds with one dim light burning.

A guard sat on a stool at the door, nodding.

Dain walked up and stood in front of him until he woke.

The guard saw the gold eyes and went pale.

"Your Majesty. I was told no one comes at night."

"Keys," said Dain.

The guard handed them over with both hands.

Inside the shed it smelled of straw and old sweat and cold iron.

There were three narrow pens along one wall.

Three people lay curled on the straw in them, wrapped in sacking.

Each wore a thick collar of grey metal buckled around their neck.

Keep reading free with an account. Start His Mate, Her Choice from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.