The summons from Fen Hollow arrived on a grey morning, carried by a rider who'd pushed his horse hard enough that the animal was lathered and trembling by the time it reached Ashgrave's gates.
"Alpha Renfrew requests Alpha Ashgrave's presence," the rider said, still catching his breath. "Urgent" He wouldn't say more than that, only that it concerns the alliance and needs to be discussed in person, quickly."
Rhys read the tension in the man's face and didn't waste time asking questions the rider clearly couldn't answer. "I'll leave within the hour."
"I'm coming with you," I said, and watched him hesitate, some old protective instinct warring with everything he'd learned, over the past few weeks, about treating me as an equal rather than someone to be shielded.
"All right," he said final
