When the Luna Walked Away novel · Chapter 12 of 24

Chapter 12: The Presentation

Redfern's Moon Hall was built so the first light of the day comes straight down through a round window in the roof onto the dais.

That's where pups are presented.

The old Alphas say a pup's first look at the light shows its sire's wolf in its eyes, for one breath, before the color settles.

Tarran's eyes had flashed pale blue in that light, twenty-nine years ago.

Everyone in Redfern had heard the story.

His mother told it at every feast.

I'd never seen it done.

Robin was born at Cold River, and nobody had asked to present him anywhere.

The hall was packed to the walls at dawn.

Half the Alphas of the North had come, out of curiosity or spite.

The river Alpha winked at me as I walked in.

Thane walked beside me, and the crowd opened in front of us without being asked.

Tarran had put three chairs for us in the front row, dead center, right below the dais.

"He wants me close enough to see him win," I said.

"Then let's sit," Thane said. "I want to see his face."

Robin was at Otter Lake with the cook.

I'd fed him and kissed him and left him sleeping, and my arms felt wrong without him.

Thane's wolves were in the trees around that house.

I knew exactly where every one of them was standing.

He'd told me.

The Blood Moon envoy was in the second row on the other side of the aisle, with six of his people around him.

He nodded to me.

I didn't nod back.

The light outside the round window went from gray to pink.

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