Chapter 15: No Mark

Sixteen days after the Stone, I asked the Alpha King to mark me, and he said no.

We were in my cabin, with the stove ticking and two cold mugs of coffee on the table.

I had spent the evening at the pack hall hearing grievances, and my feet hurt.

Dane had kept his word in front of every wolf at muster.

The eighth oath was gone.

The only thing left between me and Black Pine was nine days and a challenger with a hundred wolves.

"Do it now," I said.

Duncan looked up from the map of the Gathering ground.

"Do what?"

"Mark me. Your bite on my shoulder."

"If the Crown's mate stands at that Stone with your mark on her, nobody from Cinder Ridge will say a word."

"They'll say a great deal."

"Let them."

"They'll say I took your pack to my bed and sealed it with my teeth." His voice was level and very quiet.

"The Cinder Ridge alpha will call it a Crown theft in front of every pack on the continent."

"And he will be half right."

"I don't care what he says."

"I do." He put the map down. "Not until you hold it, Morven."

"When you are standing on that mantle by your own teeth, I'll mark you in front of anyone who wants to watch."

"Not yet."

I stood up from my chair.

I took my time doing it.

"You're being careful again," I said. "You're being the safe one."

"I told you I'm not safe."

"You told me you were patient." I walked around the table.

"Do you know what I remember about the terms? No mark. No claim. My own door."

"I remember."

"I wrote them. I made you swear to them, and you swore."

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