All evening, I ran, and not once had I come across a deer or larger prey.
I hadn’t gone up the mountain by the manor, but I had to wonder if there was any large game at all. Surely a wolf’s first hunt wasn’t considered a success if she brought back a bird.
I’d have to ask Fallen once I got back. As much as she pretended to hate me, I could tell a small part of her felt sorry for what I’d been through. She’d never say it to my face, but I was pretty sure the tough-guy act was exactly that. As second in command and Ash’s friend, she had to show strength and loyalty toward the Alpha. If she ever let either one of those things slip, her place within the pack would be compromised.
At least that was something I could understand. I’d seen more than a few wolf documentaries to know she had to reassert herself on a daily basis, either by roughing up the other wolves like she’d done to me last night, or by turning her back on someone when they needed her help the most.
Just like she’s doing right now.
Like it or not, she had to prove herself to the rest of the pack, same as me. And that’s when I realized we weren’t as different as I thought.
Chapter Eight
The entire way back to the manor, my thoughts revolved around Fallen. She didn’t abandon me, she was simply testing my strength. It was the same thing Ash had done the night before.
Against the cold, my hunger, and aching feet, I’d somehow found my way back. As soon as I broke through the trees, Ash was waiting for me.
“There you are,” Ash said with a smile in her voice. “I was starting to wonder if you’d run off.”
“I did,” I said, “and then I got lost.”
Garbed in a pale yellow gown, she circled me, running her fingertips on my skin before gently pulling a strand of hair from in front of my eyes. Compared to her, I was covered in scrapes and bruises, and there was half of a tree stuck in my hair.
Embarrassed, I slowly removed a leaf from my hair, followed by another, and another. If it bothered Ash, she didn’t say anything. She simply stood there and waited until I was done. Once I was through, she circled me much like she’d done before.
She’s inspecting me, I realized, lifting my arms above my head when she asked me to do so.
Likely sensing my discomfort, she gave me a nod of approval, then turned on her heels to give me some privacy.
“There are clean clothes waiting for you inside,” she said, making her way back toward the manor. When I headed for the shed, she laughed. “Not in there, silly. Inside the house.”
In there? The last time I’d been inside the manor, there were wolves everywhere. As much as I appreciated her inviting me inside their home, I honestly would’ve preferred getting my things from the shed.
“Others may challenge you,” she warned, continuing up the front steps, “but you’ve earned your place by finding your
way back here. Fallen told me where you went last night,” she said, pausing outside the large wooden doors. “You could’ve run home and brought us a great deal of trouble, but you stayed.”
“That’s because she—”
“You were never going to leave,” Ash said with a knowing smile, holding the door handle. “A wolf’s first run is always a test, made even more difficult if that wolf happens to be human. Inside the pack, our new wolves live beside us from the moment they’re born. They never have to prove themselves because, for us, they’re family.”
“And me?” I hedged, wincing when my voice refused to work.
“As far as I’m concerned, you’ve done exactly as any wolf should. You were right at the edge of our territory, standing with one foot in the past and another in the future. You could’ve tipped either way, but you found your way back here.
I will no longer question your right to be here, but the others might take some time. As for your upcoming hunt, think of it as a formality.”
Considering the way Fallen left me, I wasn’t so sure.
“Where’s Fallen?” I asked, having not seen her since earlier this morning.
“Nearby,” Ash assured me, placing a hand on my back as we made our way into the foyer.
My skin crawled as we stepped between a pair of guards, their eyes averted and their heads bowed as Ash walked by. It didn’t take long for me to feel the heat of their eyes on my neck, my muscles tensing from their silent challenge even as we stepped out of view.
“Is everything okay?” Ash asked, likely already knowing the answer.
“The guards—”