Chapter 40

Netya might have remained there holding Erech’s hand until his life left him had Fern’s voice not reached her ears from the top of the outcrop. She filled her lungs and called back in response, yelling as loud as she could over the downpour until her friend’s face finally peeked over the edge of the overhang.

Fern took in the scene in a glance, and to her credit wasted no time indulging the obvious shock that registered on her face before slipping into the shape of her wolf and hurrying back to fetch the others.

“Your pack will be here soon,” Netya soothed, propping the young man’s head up in her lap as he squeezed her hand with rapidly ebbing strength. She knew he could not understand her, but she carried on with her gentle words, almost as much for her own benefit as his.

The sickening sensation in the pit of her stomach had her feeling faint, and she could not bear to look at Erech’s twisted leg and the steady stream of blood seeping out of him. Every few moment