Chapter 122

• Carlos Caddel’s voice cut through the crowd, authoritative and very much alive. “It’s in your best interests to stand down,” he declared. The wolves he brought with him stirred restlessly, indicating we were now evenly matched. Eyes glimmered from the forest’s edge, watching and waiting.
• “Defy your Alpha and take your own fate into your hands because Maverick Billford will soon be dead,” he warned. Carlos looked at me, and in his pale eyes, I saw a question. I reached out with my magic, seeking the answer. Disappointment flickered in his eyes as I shook my head ‘no’.
• Many of Maverick’s loyal warriors were here, radiating hostility, though I sensed their desire for an escape. Their fear smothered any flicker of hope. My warning bought us a brief head start before a sand-colored wolf lunged at Carlos’s throat, triggering a violent symphony of snarls and clashes.