Maura Fall hadn’t expected to encounter anyone in the desolate remains of the Rust Fur pack. The King's elite warriors had cordoned off the attacked regions, ensuring that only those with express permission could enter. The air was thick with the lingering threat of rogue shifters, and the place was deserted except for the howling wind that carried the scent of decay and fear. Most wouldn’t dare set foot in this cursed land, not when the memory of the bloodshed was so fresh. But Maura wasn’t most people.
She moved with practiced ease through the pack houses, her eyes sharp as she searched for anything of value. The homes were shells of their former selves, but here and there, she found items worth scavenging—a few trinkets that might fetch a shiny coin, some preserved food that had miracu
