Page 175 of The Ashpaw: Part One

Once spoken aloud, the idea had poisoned them both.

Every punishment Fern suffered, added up like numbers in a ledger, only made it seem less like treason and more like mercy for both Fern and his brother.

Darion didn’t truly want Fern, and removing her from the clan seemed like the best way to help Darion clear his mind before taking over for their father.

The plan was simple enough—take Fern and run. They had bags packed and ready. Reinn had found the perfect route that brought them close enough to Bloodmoon lands so that any group led by Darion in pursuit would be met by force.

Two alphas and a single she-wolf were too small a party to merit pursuit, though, and they could skirt the borders freely until finally arriving on the Westernmost shores. Then they would hire a boat to take them anywhere without worry of being found, for no wolfkin nose was good enough to follow them over water.

It was just a matter of finding the perfect time.

Chapter 44

Fern

“Fern? Fern, are you awake?”

Her eyelids felt heavy, her skin sticky, and her limbs sluggish.

“Alpha?” she croaked through chapped lips.

“Solas’s Hells, look at the state of her. Did he even wash her before leaving? And this nest… it’s filthy. He didn’t refresh anything.”

There were two shapes in the room, although she couldn’t quite make out the details of their faces yet.

And then she breathed them in.

Oh… oh she knew these two.

Alphas.

The good kind.

The kind who would take care of her.

Slick coated her thighs.

“Please,” she whined, rubbing her legs together to ease the building ache. “Please, help me…”

“Fuck…” Eidan moaned, taking a step back. “How… how can we travel with her like this?”

Reinn blurred past her to open the chest against the wall, pulling things out.

“We need to get her dressed first. Find her shoes. Does she have a cloak?”

“I have one for her in my bag.”

What were they doing? Had they come in here for her or her shoes?

She sat up and crawled over to where Reinn was crouched, wrapping her arms around his back and resting her cheek against him as she whimpered. “Alpha,” she cooed. “What do I need a dress for? I only need your knot…”

A shudder ran through his body and he stilled, placing a hand on top of hers where they met over his heart.

“I know, little sunbeam, and you’ll get it. Trust me. Whatever you want. But first we have to bring you to a new nest.”

“A new one?” She sniffed. Fern remembered working so hard on her nest. Even Darion had helped. “Do you not like mine?”

Eidan lowered himself to her side, massaging her neck. “I’m sure yours was perfect, Fern. But Kyntha destroyed it, remember? We’re going to bring you to a new nest. A clean one. Just for you.”