“What story?” Anterosqueals, holding his head, fingers trembling as he assesses thedamages done.
“The one we’re going totell to get you into the Houses,” I mumble, feeling thedisappointed stare from Wolf as it bores into my back. “We have tomask you if you are going to survive.”
“We cannot let you go backto Déchets, that much was already certain. But Mynah’s powers ofpersuasion over you add another wrinkle to your situation,” Wolfwhispers as he turns Antero’s hands over to scratch his palms.“Defensive wounds,” he explains as bloody lines crisscross theflesh around his thumb.
“You knew that I wasn’tfrom Cassé? How?” Antero grows very still, hardly breathing as Wolfclicks his claws together.
Wolf barks a derisive laugh. “Ofcourse I did! I knew the moment I saw you. No nameless unchosen hassuch nice clothes! I’m guessing that Mynah has known all along aswell, she just did not trust me enough to mention it.” He points tome over his shoulder, and I am grateful I cannot see his eyes. Iknow he is hostile by the way he stands, his shoulders painfullystiff. He has every right to be upset with me. I just wish that I’dhad the chance to tell him everything myself. “Now, because Mynahknows your true name, you cannot leave. The bond between the namedand the knower is a strange one. Neither of you will survive longif kept apart. You will have to join a house if you are going tosurvive in this land.”
“Okay,” Antero shrugs, notyet grasping the gravity of the situation.
“You explain it. I cannotquite stomach the words right now,” Wolf demands, still unable toface me.
“The houses are full,remember? I told you how the children of masked parents are giventhe right to stay in the houses at birth. There is no other way tojoin.” I reach a tentative hand over to Wolf, trying to apologizefor what this plan will cost him. He edges just out of my reach.Taking a steadying breath, I forge ahead. “But right now, the Houseof Lions is being absorbed into the House of Wolves, which gives usan opportunity.”
“Okay, so I get a mask andlive with his people. What’s the problem?” Antero mutters as hepaces in front of us.
“The problem is Mynah’scontrol over you. Once a name is known, that person becomesresponsible for you. Mynah wouldn’t last a day with you in my pack.She is compelled to check on you. If she did not see you every day,the hold she has over you would drive her insane.” Wolf grits histeeth as he finishes, his hands balling into fists, the clawsextending across his knuckles uncannily like a cat. “Mynah wouldspend so much time worrying over you that she’d probably getherself killed. It’s not just one-sided either; you’d be sooverwrought that you were not near her that you would dietoo.”
“Then I have to join upwith Mynah’s House.” Antero stops pacing when he notices neitherWolf nor I answer. “Is that a problem too?”
I bob my head with a throat so drythat I could swear it is coated in ashes. “Wolf already declaredthe House of Lions as his. For you to seek refuge outside of hispack should have you punished by becoming one of the namelessunchosen. You’d be exactly where you are now, unmasked and a targetfor execution. The only way to keep a mask on you would be foranother house to claim you. However, if they do, then that house isdeclaring war with Wolf’s pack.”
“I’ll be forced to huntyou. I will have to declare myself an enemy of the house thatclaims you. I will never be able to stop fighting until one of ourhouses is destroyed,” Wolf explains when my words fall flat. “Iwill have to risk my people in a battle, all because you ‘chose’ adifferent alliance than mine.”
All I can think of isLynx, knowing she carries my blood kin. Will she die because of this?Because I showed mercy to an injured boy from ourenemy’s lands? How many lives will be lost because I saved myenemy? This is a powder keg waiting for aflint.
“I will forsake the Houseof Vultures,” I rasp, feeling my palms grow slick with my nerves.“I will accept your offer to be your beta. Condor thinks verylittle of me, anyway. Maybe you could trade for me.” I inch closerto Wolf, trying not to let my terror at the idea show. Wolf staysextremely still, his breathing even ceasing the movements of hischest. “I’m sorry, Wolf. That I did not tell you yesterday, and forall of the horrible things that I said after Lion’s death. You’vebeen a good friend to me, and you deserved better.”
Suddenly he lunges, pulling me close.One hand tangles into my hair, the other securing me against hischest. “Forgive me,” he whispers, his words labored. “I havethought about you saying yes to me for so very long.” As quickly ashe grabs me, he releases, stepping only far enough away to see meclearly. “However, I cannot accept your request to join my pack,Mynah.”
“But…why?” I exclaim,feeling embarrassed for even considering Wolf’s offer now. I try tojerk away from Wolf’s embrace, but his hands grip my shoulders sotightly that I cannot move.
“Do not misunderstand me,”Wolf remarks, one hand loosening, sliding up my shoulder to rest onmy chin, and tilting it up so that my eyes are forced to meet his.“I do want you as my beta. I want you to choose it willingly. Youare offering now only because you think it will prevent the battle.It will not—the House of Vultures would still come after me forstealing you away.”
“But if war is inevitable,why not take me into the pack now?”
“Because I want you tounderstand that I would go to war for you alone, Mynah. I will dowhatever it takes to have you.” Wolf’s eyes are bright with a fierygleam that unsettles me. It is not the look of an impassionedlover; it is more like the half-crazed stare of his namesake rightbefore
