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“He saw,” she whispered. “The one who already doesn’t like me. Thaas. He saw the wolf tracks.”

I looked back at Thaas.

“What makes you think he doesn’t like you?” My voice was calm, but my blood was thrumming. If he’d done one thing to—

“It doesn’t matter.”

“You look like it matters.”

“For Toke’s sake, Roan,” she hissed, “I said it doesn’t matter!” She wrung out her fingers. “What am I going to do about the wolves?”

“We’ll figure something out.”

But she was shaking her head before I’d even finished the line.

“There’s nothing. We’ve led the hunters right to them.”

And I wanted to tell her it would be okay and that the wolves would be safe.

But I’d never been a good liar.

It was nearing dawn when we arrived in the village. Baer left for the meeting house to call together a quick assembly, and I wasn’t sure what had become of Thaas. Fenli paced on the outskirts of the village, not even wanting to go back to our hut.

It was like she’d been in the woods for too long.

One look at her face, and I could see that I was losing her. Her expression reminded me of a cornered she-wolf’s, ready to fight, and—when the chance came—flee. I knew I might not find her next time.

“Fen,” I said, drawing her gaze. “We’ll work it out.”

She turned her back on me, walking away to put distance between us.

“Fen—”

“This is hopeless.” She swung around, and her eyes were wild. “Don’t tell me it’s not.”

“Hopeless?” I’d never agree to a word like that. It was so wholly far from the truth. She belonged here, but the hardest part wasn’t going to be convincing the clan—it was going to be convincing her. “Slow down.You need sleep, both of us do, and all of this won’t look as bad once we’re rested.”

But she wasn’t hearing me. “I have to join the North Clan. I should have done it already. I—I was stupid.”

“But what about—”

“Roan, Runehall’s people are here now, making demands. My enemies among Toke’s children are bolder than ever. Everything is falling apart.”

“Running away won’t solve any of that.”

“Why is it so hard for you to understand that I don’t want to live in a place where I’m neither wanted nor respected?”

I hardened. I wanted to argue, tell her shewaswanted,wasrespected, but I held my tongue. I understood what she meant. A person needed more than what Toke’s people had afforded her. She deserved better. Who was I to deny her that?

“I’ll come with you,” I said, barely considering the words before they were out.I’ll come with you. I knew without a doubt that I’d meant each one. I’d go with her without question. I could never regret that choice.

But she flinched at my words like they caused her pain. Her brows pinched in together, and she swallowed.

“You belong here,” she said. “You need to stay.”

And it made my anger burn to hear her say it. I moved to her, trying to close the distance she’d put between us. “Don’t tell me where I belong and not give me a say in it.”

“Roan, this is your clan. You fit in here, and they love you. You can’t just give that up.”