RETH

Two hours later Reth stalked through the Tree City, barely hearing the greetings from his people who called with tight voices and worried eyes. He forced himself to look relaxed and under control, but inside he was seething. Aymora had been in his ear about showing no mercy to any of the prisoners they took, or any enemies found. And even though he hated it, he knew she was right. There was no room for error now. No space for mercy.

He stalked the City, searing himself against the urge to embrace, to soothe. He stalked the City reminding himself of the loss that had occurred because of these **ing wolves. And he took the route past the storage trees to remind himself what had occurred—and what was about to happen.

A very bloody reminder.

A pile of bodies had been discarded alongside the Trees they used as a prison, just in case more prisoners were taken. Eight of the wolves that had been in place to assassinate him and fire the meadow were now dead, their bodies beginning to swell and stink, and left as a warning to any others who came.

But death had also come for two of Reth's scouts.

Was that how Lerrin had gotten away? Reth's hands twitched with the urge to wring the wolf's neck.

Was he playing Reth, or had he been played himself? Perhaps the same wolves that had killed Reth's scouts had also killed Lerrin? Or taken him to the leadership of whatever mutiny had stepped in when they'd realized their Alpha was handing them over to the enemy?

Reth growled. It was all speculation, there was no point trying to figure it out. He had bigger fish to fry.

Now, having trusted Suhle's information, he'd brought the hidden army forward to the boundary of the City, and to visibly man the defenses deeper in the forest. He hadn't restricted it to the East, though. There were scouts, sentries, and arms all the way around the City, as if they were already under assault. But they'd been waiting the past two hours and… nothing. And Reth didn't know if that was good or bad.

He suspected the wolves were trying to unnerve him, and it was working, and he was pissed.

Then he remembered that Suhle must have gotten her information from the mind link, and it occurred to him that she might be able to get him the answers to some of these questions.

Turning to one of the handful of runners who tailed him everywhere now in case he needed information sent somewhere quickly, he tipped his head back towards the City.

"Do you know the wolf, Charyn?

"

"Yes, Sire.

"

"He has a cousin staying with him. Tell them that I need to see her. Right away. She can come to the Security Council. It is urgent.

"

"Yes, Sire,

" and the young equine, probably not more than fourteen, was off and running.

Behryn had insisted that the young and lithe were the best for this role. But scanning the three more that remained behind his guards, Reth prayed he wasn't putting these young ones in the line of fire.

With a growl of frustration that nothing was as it should be, he stormed into the Security Council building, praying Behryn had made it back now. He needed all his brightest minds to help him see what the wolves were doing.

*****

Half an hour later, while he was still arguing with Behryn about sending scouts to the East to try and find the line of wolves, the door finally opened and Reth turned, ready to growl at Suhle for taking so long to come.

But he was faced not with Suhle, but with Charyn, standing with his shoulders down, his posture rigid, and hands clenched at his sides.

"What is it?

" Reth growled, his stomach sinking. He prayed he was wrong about what he was about to learn.

"I asked for Suhle. Was the message incorrect?

"

"No, Sire,

" Charyn said, his light eyes flicking up to measure Reth, then down again.

"But Suhle could not come.

"

"Why not? Is she hurt?

"

"No, Sire.

"

Reth forced himself to keep his expression blank.

"Then why?

"

Charyn took a deep breath.

"Because she has gone to the encampment.

"

"What?!

"

Behryn stood to his feet so quickly his chair fell over behind him.

"She is a traitor?!

"

"No!

" Reth and Charyn both snapped at him at the same time. But Reth turned on Charyn, furious.

"That is not your call to make! Did she sneak out? Did you only just discover this? Why didn't you tell me sooner? We could have sent trackers to bring her back before she passed the forward line!

"

Charyn's jaw tightened.

"No, I… I knew she had gone. I helped her go.

"

"What.

" Reth's voice was short and dark and brimming with promise of violence.

Charyn's throat bobbed.

"You did not listen to her, Sire, or the reasons she needed to go. If you had… if you had asked why she was willing to argue with you when she never is… you would have let her go too.

"

Reth trembled with fury—and fear for Suhle. But the anger was paramount. This presumptuous wolf had decided that his orders were to be simply ignored?!

"You stand here, before your King, and you tell me the decision I would have made?

" His voice puttered into a growl at the end.

Charyn's head and eyes dropped.

"No, no, that isn't what I meant, only that… she did not tell you the personal reasons she needed to go and… I feel certain if you knew—

"

Reth stalked up to the man who shrank under his gaze when he reached him to stand toe to toe, looming over the smaller wolf.

"You try to tell me what decisions I would have made?

"

"No, Sire. I am sorry. I only…

"

"SILENCE, WOLF!

" Reth snarled. Every male in the room went quiet and still.

"You will speak only when I ask it of you, otherwise you will keep your trap shut, do you understand?

"

"Yes, Sire.

"

Reth looked back and tipped his head for Behryn to join them, then turned back to Charyn.

"What was it that made you think you could determine what my citizen, my friend, and my servant should be doing now, in this time of war?

"

Charyn raised his eyes, pleading, but firm.

"She has found her True Mate and he was… under threat. She returned to make efforts to help him.

"

Reth blinked. Of all the things he'd expected… that was the last. Suhle had found a mate? Then he remembered who they were speaking about.

"Impossible,

" he snarled.

"She takes no interest in males. And besides, her scent was clean. She was not entwined with anyone.

"

"They didn't complete the bond because… because he was protecting her. He didn't want her targeted on his behalf if things went wrong in the war.

"

It flickered through Reth's mind that this was exactly the decision he might have made in similar circumstances. But then he shook his head. It didn't matter. It didn't matter if it was the right choice. It didn't matter if it was a good choice—what mattered was that the Anima with the integrity he trusted had betrayed him.

"She is a trai—

"

"No, Sire… she believes you sanctioned it.

"

Reth stopped cold, staring at the wolf.

"How could she possibly believe that? I told her on two occasions that I did not.

"

Charyn swallowed again.

"Because I told her that you did.

"

The moment hung, silent and pure.

Then Reth exploded.