Page 71 of The Ashpaw: Part One

She hadn’t shifted.

Fern collapsed further onto the forest floor, not even finding comfort in the soft blanket of moss beneath her, softer than anything she’d lain on in weeks.

So far gone had she spiraled that she hadn’t noticed her wolf’s insistent whining, the subtle footsteps, the disappointed sigh.

“Oh, little she-wolf.”

Her eyes opened, and the blurry face of Karn filled her vision, her tattered dress strips in his hand, having followed the trail she’d left to keep from getting lost.

“What have you done?”

Chapter 18

Fern

Karn crouched beside her, his hand gentle as it ran up and down her arm.

“Tell me,” he said, his voice low. “And remember, you cannot lie. Did you mean to run?”

Fern shut her eyes and nodded without a word.

He exhaled deeply. “We cannot stop him from punishing you, you know.”

She nodded again, sucked in a shuddering breath, and then asked, “Will he finally kill me this time?”

“No,” he answered quickly. He sat down, easing her head up to cradle it in his lap. “No, not death—”

“My legs, then? Will he cut them off?”

Karn shushed her. “There will be consequences, but nothing that will scar you permanently. Clan abandonment is a serious offense, though. I have a feeling Alpha Darion will be unmoved by your defense, but I will hear it if you have one.”

Her wolf was quiet, Karn’s presence soothing the beast.

And despite Fern’s own strange pull towards him, wanting to curl up higher on his lap and let him rock her to sleep, she knew his sympathy would amount to nothing. Like a small bandage over a slit throat.

“If I said it should be obvious, would you punish me?”

He chuckled, his fingers now running through her hair. Gods, had anything ever felt better? “I would not, no, but I wouldn’t recommend such language during your hearing. My advice is to be honest, contrite, and accept the decision fully.”

Fern snorted. “Ah, that’s good to know. My original strategy had been to appear as insincere and unrepentant as possible.”

And there it was, her disrespectful tongue again. She’d thought she was a good grasp on basic decorum before coming here, but something about the way the alphas could inspire a level of familiarity and safety when they were anything but had her all turned around. Unable to trust her instincts.

She winced, about to immediately launch into apology when Karn threw his head back and laughed, his whole body shaking from the effort.

“Oh, she-wolf. If only I were a younger alpha. I would have snatched you up as my Naravekh the moment you arrived.”

Her wolf very much liked that idea.

He’s old enough to be our father, Fern reminded her.

Her wolf shrugged.

He then started to move, helping Fern up to her feet. “Come, if we leave now, we’ll be back before it gets too late.”

“Are you sure you can’t just… pretend you never saw me?” she asked, giving him hopeful eyes.

He returned them with a pointed look. “I found you crying on the forest floor. I don’t think you would have lasted the night.”