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No one had asked her why she was late that morning—it was, apparently, accepted that if she was late, there was a good reason for it.

No one commented when she’d chosen to take the lunch meal at the market, rather than with the guards at the prison as she’d been doing every day since she was called in to attend the Chimeran Alpha.

And no one thought twice when she took dinner there as well, and left after the baby’s first evening feed.

With each trip to the market, she’d stuffed dried meats and fruits into her bag. She’d even begged two small loaves of bread from the kitchens on her way out—again, without question.

She’d known she was trusted among the Anima, known that her association with the royal family offered her a certain amount of prestige. But she supposed she’d never thought to test its limits. Never needed it.

It was humbling knowing that the very first time she did, she took actions some would consider treason.

And though her conscience was clear that her motives were for the best for the Anima, the niggling voice at the back of her head, the one that whispered in her ear and closed cold fingers on the back of her neck, didn’t entirely leave her.

.....

But there was no time to analyze it deeply, no time for self-indulgence.

In truth, though her mind was uneasy, her heart was full. Her mate was near. Hidden in a copse of trees she knew where the ground sank below the level of dirt—an old tree had died, its entire root structure rotting out from underneath the earth, leaving a wide bowl in the ground that could fit half-a-dozen fully grown males.

She’d often thought it was a good spot for an enemy to hide and had even raised its location to Tarkyn months earlier.

The irony wasn’t lost on her.

She shook off the thought though. Night was beginning to fall over the WildWood. The shadows beneath the trees darkening and deepening. Though she and Skhal weren’t speaking through the link at that moment, they’d stayed open to each other.

She could feel the tension in his muscles, his gentle patience warring with his sense of urgency. And his perked ears as he watched for the approach of any Anima guards or patrols, though Jayah doubted they would find him so close to the prison.

But then, as she walked in the quiet evening, Skhal did speak in her mind, and Jayah’s own nerves jangled.

‘I’d like to bring you to a link with Zev. I think he needs the reassurance of speaking with you himself.’

Jayah agreed and after a moment, felt herself drawn into a link that was… odd.

The Anima wolves could link one on one, or within a chosen group—when any agreed for their minds to be open to others, it simply was.

She’d shared similar ease with Skhal, though he felt different in it. But this link… it felt forced. Or… as if it drew energy from her.

‘I’m here, Zev,’ she sent tentatively. ‘I’m going to make a tea that will make tonight’s guards sleep so Skhal can get you out.’

‘Why would you help me?’ The Chimeran Alpha’s tone was dark and sharp.

Jayah felt rather than heard Skhal growl a warning to him, but Zev didn’t apologize. He waited for her reply.

‘I am convinced that our peoples are brothers and sisters, not enemies. That we have all been harmed by a common enemy. That you need help to find your freedom, and my Queen needs to… see that you and your people can be trusted. I know your mate has a good heart. I trust that you do also,’ she sent, allowing the edge of warning to creep into her tone.

Back and forth, words perfunctory and orders given, they made the plan for the night—Jayah emphasizing to Zev that it was critical the guards before the shift change heard or saw nothing abnormal—that they didn’t put the night shift guards on alert.

Zev understood and agreed, and Skhal reassured her that Zev was well aware of the strategic needs of this kind of operation.

Jayah was relieved by her mate’s confidence, but the cold, distant feel of the Chimeran Alpha tore at her—half of her pressed to even greater urgency to get the male free. Though he guarded himself closely, there was a certain intimacy that came with the link. She could feel the shadows in him. Feel the tension that threatened to snap his control. If this male was going to heal, he needed to get out of that prison. Now.

And yet… that same darkness was a warning. What if their rescue mission went wrong? What if they were disturbed? What if freedom and the tension of running from the danger snapped the last thread of his control?

For the first time, Jayah harbored doubts that freedom was the best course for the male. But she also knew herself well enough to know that her fears for the Anima she loved were coloring that.

If she could free Zev without any risk to others beyond herself, she would.

‘Zev,’ she sent grimly, ‘Do you vow to me that you will trust us to get you out? That you’ll harm no one, take no revenge?’

There was a silent moment that made the hair on Jayah’s arms stand up, but then Zev responded. ‘I will harm no one except in defense of myself or my family,’ he said finally. ‘You have my word before the Creator.’

And so she decided and stayed the course.

But as she listened to her mate and the wolf-Alpha coordinate and saw what they would do, her heart sank.

Their plan was good and true. But Jayah knew that things never went as planned. And what responsibility would she hold for unleashing this wolf among her people if it went truly bad?

That was a question she couldn’t answer until it was done.

*****

THERE WILL BE A MASS RELEASE TOMORROW! I am taking 2 days off over Christmas, so there will be no releases for 48 hours, BUT I will release FIVE chapters tomorrow so you get all your chapters, plus some special extras!

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM ME! Thank you for being a gift from God to me this year!