Aldric arrived at Alaric's private chamber that evening uninvited, a breach of protocol the physician rarely dared, which told Alaric immediately how deeply the day's events had unsettled him.
"You permitted a rogue woman access to the royal wing," Aldric said without preamble, closing the door behind him with more force than necessary. "A woman with no verified training, no pack affiliation, no credentials beyond rumors passed between wandering rogues. You are placing your life, and by extension the stability of this entire kingdom, into the hands of a stranger."
Alaric remained seated near the fire, deliberately unhurried in his response, though the pain currently simmering beneath his skin made maintaining that composure more difficult than he cared to admit. "Every physician within t
