“That’s . . .”
“Apex,” he repeated. “Bears will back away from a fight with Pack. Be thankful Dusty moved so fast only a few horses scented him.”
The noise suggested more than a few horses were involved in the chaos, although everyone knew a fear reaction from one herd animal would set off the rest. So would the scent of blood. And Dusty could definitely smell blood.
Nina stared down at him as though she were seeing him for the first time. As though she could finally see the help they were offering. “We could use that reaction against mounted Imperial troops.” She reached out as if to stroke Dusty’s head, then let her hand fall back to her side. “You okay?”
Dusty pushed up against Alver’s leg. He’d been held and tortured by the Empire but Imperial horses had never harmed him, and yet,
