Maura’s boots squelched with each step she took as she trudged through the mud, the thick sludge clinging to her worn-out soles and sucking at her feet with every move. Her teeth ground together in frustration, and her breath puffed out in short, angry bursts as she thought about the damn Alpha who had ruined her plans. She cursed under her breath, her voice a low growl as she replayed the scene in her mind.
“Self-righteous prick,” she muttered, swatting away a low-hanging branch that snapped back and hit her in the face. “What do they care about a few trinkets? The people are dead! It’s not like they need them anymore.”
She felt a fresh surge of indignation as she slipped on a patch of moss, her hands flailing to keep her balance. The forest was thick and dark, the canopy overhead block
