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Our hands both stilled. It was Hector.

“Fucking Gods,” Grae muttered, dropping his head. “I’ll gut him myself.”

“Grae!” Hector screamed again, and the panic in his voice sobered us. “They’ve taken her.”

I snatched the cloaks as Grae ran to the sound of Hector’s voice. “Taken who?”

“Sadie and Navin, they’ve taken her and—”

“The Rooks?”

“No,” Hector wheezed, bending over and sucking in heavy breaths. “Silver Wolves.”

“Shit,” I spat. “Do you think Queen Ingrid lied to us about what she told them?”

“I don’t know.” Grae shook his head, turning back to Hector. “Where have they taken them?”

“I heard her screaming,” he rasped, his eyes wide and haunted. “They were headed west toward the other side of town. I think they’re still here looking for us.”

“We need to get back to the wagon and get our weapons,” I said, already moving toward the crumbled entryway. “We’re going to have to kill them.”

Hector and Grae’s footsteps halted.

“You know it’s true.” I whirled on them. “They took Sadie! If they return without us, they will be killed for failing. If they return with us,wewill be killed. Do you see any other way?”

The two of them looked at each other, knowing I spoke the truth.

“I know it’s your pack—”

“Thisis our pack now,” Hector cut in. “Sadie and I chose you, Calla.” He stepped in front of me, stalling my movement. “Which is why you should stay behind.”

“Absolutely not,” I scoffed, shoving him to the side.

They followed me into the rain.

“You’re the future queen,” Hector shouted, darting after me. “You’re thefuturefor all of us. Let Grae and me go.”

I whirled back at him, pointing my finger into his face. “Firstly, Grae is my mate and if he is killed, I die, too,” I shouted, watching Hector retreat a step at the force of my words. “Secondly, Sadie pledged her sword to me and I refuse to sit back when I know I could fight. This is the queen I’m going to be, Hector. This is the future you signed up for. Get used to it.”

I felt the claiming in those words—a sudden clarity of who I was, of who I wanted to be. I was going to be at the front of the pack, not hiding behind it. I would lead with my kingdom, not rule over them. Splashing through the sodden streets, I dashedback toward the wagon. This was what I wanted out of life, and I was finally stubborn enough to take it.

We stormed into the wagon and toward the bunks, not stopping as the others stared at us. I grabbed my dagger, riffling in my pack for my belt.

“Esh,” Malou cursed, looking us up and down.

“What is going on?” Ora rose from the couch. “Is everyone okay?”

“We can handle it,” Hector said, strapping a belt of knives to his thigh.

Within seconds we were all armed to the teeth, our glinting weapons strapped to our sodden clothes.

“Sadie, Navin, are they okay?” Ora asked, eyeing the fire in our eyes.

“They will be,” I said with quiet menace.

“Where are they?” Malou asked. “Where are you going?”

“Look,” Grae said, climbing down the ladder. “There are things about us we can’t tell you and—”