It was midday when her eyes finally fluttered open and she regained her consciousness. She could guess what time it was by the position of the sun, even though she couldn’t fathom how she knew that fact.“She is awake,” whispered a female voice beside Erin. She turned her head and came face to face with a younger version of her present-day/future sister-in-law, Aubrey Silver.“Aubrey, is that you?” Asked Erin.“Who do you speak of? You know that is not my name,” said the Aubrey lookalike. “Have you still not recovered?”“Don’t trouble her, Abna,” said Erin’s mother. She sat at the edge of the bed and placed a warm hand on her daughter’s forehead in a universal gesture of manually checking body temperature. “You do not have a fever, thank the gods. Your sister will go fetch you a bowl of food for you to eat. Perhaps it was hunger that made you faint.”Her

“I heard you were not feeling too well this morning,” said the Prime Alpha. “Do you feel better now?”“Yes, sir,” said Erin unsurely. How did they address the supreme leader in this era? Was it sir? Your majesty? Or your Lordship?“Please, pardon her manners, my Alpha King. She is clearly still in recovery,” her father spoke up from behind her.Vak responded to the apology with an understanding smile, but Erin could see that her new husband, Danshak, wasn’t too pleased with her slip up judging by the scowl on his face as he regarded her with hard eyes.“I apologize, my Alpha King,” said Erin quietly. It wouldn’t do to offend her father-in-law and shock the entire clan with bad manners on her first day of joining the ruling family.“You will ride in the wagon with your maid,” said Vak. “I do not believe that you are strong enough to ride on your mare just yet.

Feeling invigorated by her new purpose, Erin got up with a burst of energy as soon as the head servant announced that dinner was ready and served at the makeshift longhouse that had been erected only a few hours earlier. Only the Smallchief family and about a dozen elite warriors were to eat in the longhouse, while the guards, low-ranking warriors, and servants would dine outside.The sitting arrangement in the longhouse was done in order of hierarchy – the Prime Alpha at the ‘head’ of the table, his wife sat on his right-hand side while his first son sat on his left. Erin was flanked on both sides by her mother-in-law and Zanisck, with Danshak sitting opposite her across the table. They were all seated on the ground where a large quilted fur had been laid to create a barrier between hard cold earth and their bodies. The bowls and plates of food were arranged in rows in front of them on top of a long mat that served as the dining table.Vak Smallchief picked up a piece of roasted meat

The commotion outside drew Erin’s attention and intruded on her sulking. She had spent the last couple of minutes ruminating on how she would give Danshak a piece of her mind when he returned into the tent, but as he brushed her hair in preparation to retire for the night, she thought she heard wild dogs barking, and men screaming. What could be going on out there? Should go outside and see for herself or was it safer for her to wait for her husband to return and tell her what the noise was about.When she heard her father-in-law’s voice, asking what was going on, Erin knew she couldn’t just sit in the tent and wait for secondhand feedback about what was happening outside, she had to go and see it for herself. She got off the sleeping mat and ran to the entrance of the tent to lift the flap. To her horror, she saw a pack of strange-looking black werewolves, making a mad dash to the front of the longhouse where the Prime Alpha stood with a bewildered expression on his face. She saw Dan

She noticed Danshak slowing down ahead of her and she did her best to pick up her speed and catch up with him. When she did, he glanced at her before looking straight ahead again.“Are you tired?” He asked without looking at her.“Not really. I think I’m just out of shape,” she said.“You do not look out of shape to me. You look perfect in both werewolf and human form.”The unexpected compliment warmed her insides, and Erin wondered if he could see her blushing under her fur. Who would have thought that the stone-cold Danshak was capable of dishing out compliments?“Do you want me to carry you?”His question surprised her. “Would you? There’s no way you will be able to keep up with the others with me on your back. I don’t want to slow you down.”“This is not a competition. We are going home and what matters is that we get there alive. Jump on my back, let me carry you.”Erin was touched by his concern for her. Danshak may not have a single romantic bone in his body, but he clearly car