chapter 107

Sable

The silence that falls over the valley after her declaration is deafening, especially in the wake of the violence, when her magic was zinging through the air and ripping up chunks of the ground. Not even a bird sings or an insect chirps. It’s so quiet that I can hear my own heartbeat and the breaths flowing in and out of my companions.

In wolf form, the silence is so amplified it’s almost painful.

Now that I have her attention and my point is made, I shift back to human. The moment I’m back on two feet, I put my hands out to my sides so she can see them clearly. The last thing I need is for her to imagine she sees black smoke coming from my fingertips and attack us again while my guard is down.

My heart pounds as I approach her. I keep my steps short and only close some of the distance between us—not so much that it will put her back on her guard, but enough so that we can easily see each other’s faces and hear each other speak. All four of my mates remain as wolves, gathering a