Chapter 21: The Gift

Torin's POV

She sat down in the white oak chair and wiped the dust off the seat with her sleeve.

I had never seen anyone look so tired in a chair.

The hall waited.

"Aye," Isla said, in a clear low voice. "He keeps it."

The old elder nodded.

"The seventh seat has spoken. Torin Ashdown holds the Alpha's seat."

"Not for him," Isla said, before the benches could cheer. "For the pack.

"They bowed to me for a minute. I'd like them to remember who was kneeling next to me."

Nobody cheered.

It was a better sound than cheering. It was two hundred people thinking.

My father sat on the bench where Hugh had put him.

His cane lay across his knees.

He did not look at me.

I went to him after the hall emptied.

The windows had gone amber. Someone had put the silver knife in a drawer of the Council table.

"They won't exile you," I said. "I asked."

"I tried to kill you."

"I know."

"A wolf would have had the decency to fight."

"You aren't a wolf," I said, as gently as I could. "Not since she left.

"I knew you were proud. I didn't know you were alone."

His mouth worked.

"She wrote on the mirror," he said. "Every first of the month. I was too proud to read it."

"I know. You told me."

"Do you want to know what it said?"

I did.

I wanted it, and I wanted something else more, and it was waiting at the lake.

"Tell me when I come back," I said. "I'll bring the cards."

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