CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
I can't feel the ground beneath my feet as I watch Kyle stride toward me, the decision in his eyes as clear as the full moon above. The rest of the pack is a blur of motion and murmurs around us, but all I can focus on is him—Kyle with his deep brown eyes that haven't changed since we were kids chasing each other through the woods.
"Ava," he says, his voice carrying over the low growls and soft whistles of our kin, "I'm entrusting you with choosing who will go to the new territory."
My heart leaps into my throat, thumping wildly like a rabbit caught in a snare. "You want me to pick?" I ask for clarity, but also to buy a second longer to steady the tremor of anticipation rattling my bones.
He nods, stepping closer, close enough that I can catch the scent of pine and
