“Do you know of any portal nearby?” Rona asked, timid, polite.

“Why do you want to know that?” one of the brothers shot back, quirking a heavy brow.

I winced as Rona turned around and pointed a finger at us. “It’s because of my cousin’s friend. She is a human and needs to return home.”

Now each of their eyes were on Victoria. Drawing attention to her had been just what I had wanted to avoid.

All three men shook their heads. Even if they did know where a portal was, now they knew the information would benefit someone connected to me, they had no reason to give it to us. Not the savviest move on Rona’s part.

Rona moved around, asking a few more werewolves, but nobody gave her an answer.

Rona made her way back to us, shrugging apologetically. “Maybe the Kaelins will know.”

“Maybe,” I muttered. “Thanks anyway.”

She returned to her spot next to Lavonna.

We weren’t waiting long for the Kaelins to emerge after that, along with Weldon and Annik. I eyed the large group of new additions: males and females with mostly narrow, lithe builds, and dusty blond fur.

Now we were three tribes—four if you counted me—but we still had many more to go.

On the journey here, I had already been pondering the impossibility of ever gathering together all of The Woodlands’ tribes in a timely manner. We would need to discard that plan and instead target only the largest, strongest, and sharpest packs to join our ranks.

Keeping Victoria by my side as always, I milled around the outskirts of the crowd, eyeing my aunt and uncle who stood near the entrance of the burrow. They were talking to what appeared to be the male and female alpha of the Kaelin clan.

“It is already late now,” the male leader was saying, “and our hunt today was particularly strenuous. We were all about ready to retire—as you noticed—but of course we see the urgency to leave and make ground as soon as possible. I suggest we travel to Sintel Lake and then stop there for a few hours to rest before continuing the journey to the Cuthrals.”

The Cuthrals. Another pack I’d never had dealings with. I guessed they were on speaking terms with the Kaelins.

“That sounds sensible,” Sergius said, before looking to Weldon.

He nodded curtly. “I have no objections.”

And thus we set off again. I hung back with Victoria as the rest surged forward. I was itching to once again swing through the trees with her, get away from all these wolves who were either strangers or enemies. But at least Brucella was busy upfront talking with the Kaelin leaders, rather than hanging back here to irk me.

On arriving at Sintel Lake—an expansive reservoir in the middle of the woods—we stopped and wolves began wandering around, looking for somewhere to settle for a few hours of sleep.

Finally, I could climb. I warned Victoria to hold on tight as I scaled the highest tree by the lake’s bank. This was the perfect kind of tree to spend the night in. As towering as it was, its trunk was mighty thick, as were its branches. So thick that two people could lie comfortably next to each other without touching. Victoria’s breathing became more restricted as I climbed higher and higher—I truly hoped that she wasn’t still scared I’d let her fall. I stopped as we’d almost reached the very top of the tree, high enough to gain a sense of peace.

Stepping onto a particularly broad branch, I took off my satchel and belt and also removed Victoria’s satchel from her back. I placed them in a secure nook, even as Victoria remained clinging to my arms. She looked more nervous than ever, glancing down at the sheer drop on either side of us. I positioned myself with my back against the tree trunk before stretching out my legs and pulling Victoria down between them. I hoped she felt secure now, with my limbs on either side of her.

“Do you really think I can sleep like this?” Victoria asked, her voice unsteady.

“Would you rather sleep down below? Amidst all those wolves?” I certainly didn’t feel comfortable with that.

“No,” she said. “I prefer it up here… Just doubt I will get any sleep…”

“You could try. A good start would be closing your eyes.”

She smiled faintly. “I guess.” She looked exhausted. I fully expected her to slip off to sleep, if I could just lessen her tension a little. Her muscles felt tight, her posture stiff, even with my body practically wrapped around her as a safeguard. Then I wondered whether it was not just the height that had her so on edge, but because… well, my body was practically wrapped around her. We were very close to one another in this position. Some might even call it intimate. Maybe I had been too presumptuous in drawing her so close to me. I had just wanted her to feel secure.

I was about to suggest a change of position when she began to loosen a little. Slowly, her muscles relaxed against me and she leaned her head back until it rested against my chest.

I glanced down at her face, her eyes beginning to droop. And then after perhaps a quarter of an hour, sleep stole her from me.

I dared not budge an inch lest I wake her from what was likely only a fragile slumber. But I found myself continually glancing down at her face. Her peaceful, sleeping face. I gazed down the gentle slope of her nose, her soft, full lips parted slightly as she breathed.

Even though from this height I had a full view of the dazzling, star-strewn sky, strangely, that night it was Victoria my gaze was drawn to.

Victoria

It was a miracle that I managed to sleep, though I was so very tired. I had almost been falling asleep on Bastien’s back before climbing up here.