Rejected for Being Barren, Now the Alphas Kneel novel · Chapter 14 of 24

Chapter 14: The Tree

The tree stood alone on the ridge above Stormbrook, black against the snow.

I had not seen it in ten years, and I knew it from forty paces.

The bark on the south side was still rubbed raw at the height of my wrists.

Twelve Bloodwood wolves came up the path behind me with Perrin in the middle of them.

They had put him in silver, as the law said.

Chain at the wrists, chain at the ankles, and a loop of it around the trunk, locked with a key that Bloodwood's oldest wolf now wore on a cord at his neck.

Perrin said nothing while they fixed it.

Snow had begun to settle on his shoulders by the time they stepped back.

"Leave us," I said.

They went down the path and made a fire out of the wind, where he could see its light and not feel it.

Lucan stood at the bend with his arms crossed.

He had said nothing since the stable yard, and I had not asked him to.

I walked up to my brother.

"It burns," he said, through his teeth. "Take it off."

"I know it burns."

I turned my wrists in the lantern light so he could see the pale lines the silver had left there, ten years healed.

"It burned for three days," I said. "On the third night the staple pulled out of the bark, and I crawled down the far side of the ridge."

"I don't believe you," Perrin said.

"You don't have to. You're the one who is going to stand here."

He laughed, a short ugly sound.

"You'll let me freeze."

"No. Bloodwood's wolves will keep watch until dawn, and then they'll take you down alive." I stepped closer. "I only want you to have one night. I had three."

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