Chapter 11: Daylight

Dane got to his knees with blood on his chin.

He looked at the ring of wolves, and he went for the nearest person he could blame.

"You did this," he said to Soren.

His voice was thick. "Your bond is in my pack. It's in my wolf. You've poisoned him."

"Alpha Callender," Soren said, "your wolf has been silent for two years."

"You're lying."

"I only came through your gate with my mate. Your wolf was silent long before that."

Dane lunged.

He was fast for a man who couldn't stand straight.

Soren caught his wrist, turned it, and held it up between them with no apparent effort.

"Not in front of your pack," Soren said quietly. "Go and wash your face."

He let go.

Dane stumbled back. Sydney was already at his side, wiping his nose with her sleeve, her eyes full of tears.

Nobody laughed again.

That was worse, in some way.

I did not trust myself to speak.

I touched the napkin in my pocket to be sure it was still folded.

Then I walked out of the hall with the Prince behind me.

We shut the guest room door and stood in the quiet.

The window was open. Rain smell came through it.

"Let me see your hand," I said.

"It's fine."

"He was fast. Show me."

Soren held out his right hand. The knuckles were scraped where Dane's signet ring had caught them.

I took it in both of mine, and looked at it, and didn't let go.

"Is anyone watching?" he asked.

"No."

"Then the second term doesn't apply."

"No. It doesn't."

I ran my thumb over the red knuckles.

"I want to break the first one too," I said.

His whole body went still.

"Linnea."

"Say it's daylight."

He looked at the window, where it was gray and cold and eleven in the morning.