Chapter 19: Two White Wolves

He shifted slowly, and he did not hurry.

The Rogue King's wolf was huge.

It was bigger than mine by half a head, white going to grey at the muzzle.

It had the same grey-green eyes I saw in every mirror.

*Daughter,* he said inside my skull. His voice was easy. *Let me show you what a king's wolf can do.*

He came at me across the grass.

I had never fought a wolf my own size.

He hit me so hard that I rolled, and when I came up my shoulder was bleeding.

I hit back. He was not there.

He was much faster than me.

He circled and nipped at my flank, and he laughed in my head every time I turned.

*You fight like a kennel dog,* he said. *You fight like someone who has never been taught.*

*Nobody taught me anything.*

*I would have.*

He struck again. His teeth closed on my ear and tore it, and the blood ran hot down my neck.

I snapped and caught nothing but fur.

The ring of wolves around us did not move. I heard Ellis make a small broken sound somewhere on my left.

I was losing.

He was older and heavier, and he had been killing for thirty years.

On the edge of the ring, I saw Rowan take one step forward. Drew caught his arm.

The law said nobody could lift a tooth. Rowan stood there shaking with it.

He knocked me flat on my side and stood over me with his jaws open.

*Your mother ran,* he said, almost kindly. *She ran so well. I let her think she might get away.*

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