Page 145 of The Ashpaw: Part One

Her wolf stared at her blankly like she was a fool for asking. Which still didn’t answer her question.

“Good morning, sunbeam,” Reinn called, patting the empty chair. “Don’t you smell lovely today?”

Fern gave herself a nervous sniff. “Do I?”

“You do,” Eidan said, pointing to the little pot of honey he’d already slid next to her. “Sweeter than this.”

She giggled, giving him a light-hearted smack before digging in.

And then she felt the weight of staring, and looked up from her bowl.

The alphas at the table were all watching her. The Sabletails with tenderness, mostly, while the Ironcoats looked curious.

But Katreena’s eyes were narrowed, her nostrils flaring slightly and lips pursing.

“Did I do something wrong?” she asked.

Again?

For had she ever had a day here where she hadn’t broken some silly wolfkin protocol?

“Hm, not quite,” Reinn replied, taking a bite of his sausage. “Hitting an alpha in front of his clan could be seen as provocative. Even if in jest.”

Fern’s cheeks paled, and she whipped her head back to Eidan, afraid to find he may be angry with her. Yet he merely chuckled, patting her knee affectionately. “But it’s nearly impossible for us to see you as a threat. If anything, physical touch from an omega is not only tolerated, it’s welcomed.”

“Impossible to see me as a threat?” Fern scoffed, her wolf chuffing in agreement. “I could be threatening if I wanted to be.”

She stabbed one of Eidan’s sausages with her fork, taking a bite while grinning. “See?”

He shot out to grab her wrist, and then brought her hand towards his mouth with ease despite Fern using all her strength to resist. Then his lips wrapped around the rest of the sausage, pulling it off the fork with a wink. “Terrifying,” he said, his mouth full.

His own scent deepened into something that made Fern’s mouth water and heart race.

Eidan breathed in, swallowed, and then pain shot through her abdomen and she winced, her inner thighs wet with… sweat, she thought. She couldn’t tell.

“Fern?”

“I’m fine,” she said on a slight hiss. “I just… haven’t been feeling well.”

Eidan and Reinn both stood at the same time. “Do you need to see the healer?” Reinn asked.

Fern laughed, shaking her head. “It’s nothing, really. Lucas can take me. I’m sure you’re busy.”

“Who’s Lucas?” Eidan growled.

“Um,” she looked back at the row of wolfkin soldiers standing along the wall behind them, waving at Lucas. He smiled and bowed his head. “My guard?”

“Hm,” Reinn replied. “And you trust him?”

Fern chuckled, getting up and patting him on the shoulder. “I believe I do. I’ll see you in a few hours for lunch.”

* * *

The scent of crushed herbs and clean linen welcomed her as she entered Serich’s healing ward. Shelves lined the stone walls from floor to ceiling, crowded with dried plants, stoppered glass bottles, bundles of roots, and carefully labeled jars of powders.

Sunlight spilled through tall narrow windows onto a long wooden examination table covered in folded blankets and worn leather straps that she tried very hard not to look at for too long.

“Lady Fern!” Serich called warmly. He set down the mortar and pestle he held, rinsing and drying his hands quickly before approaching. “What brings you down here?”