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Diana. I shuddered at the name.

She stood before me, powerful and commanding. A line of defense against our enemy. When claws of fire raked across my skin like festering poison, she sprang into action without hesitation. My chest swelled at such devotion on my behalf.

There was a prickle of fear when she disappeared through the trees, that she had been cut like me. But once I saw her again, emerging with glistening black-brown fur, eyes sharp as a knife, I knew we were safe, and I had collapsed on her back as she carried us to safety.

The rest was fuzzy, shrouded in a haze of confusion as fatigue tugged at the edges of my vision. We were in a cave, and the only comfort I knew was her hand on my cheek. But when I opened my eyes again, there was only shivering darkness.

I twisted around to find her, but every movement was a lance of pain through my chest, echoing through the rest of my body. I had to go back to lying on my back, staring at the dim ceiling. I focused on that darkness, the damp ground beneath me, and tried to settle the fear clawing its way up my throat.

She wouldn’t leave me alone; she would never be that cruel. She must be searching for help—

“Ah!” A neck muscle spasmed, jerking at the open slices of skin that burned my chest. The haze of confusion resolved in sharp relief as pain cut through every other sensation.

I clenched my jaw, biting the edge of my tongue, waiting for wave after wave of stabbing pain to subside. Only one balm could ease my suffering.Diana…

I’m coming.

The voice in my head was new yet perfectly familiar at the same time. The pain ebbed away in favor of her promise. I knew it was her, but how? The faint growling timbre of her wolf voice was something I’d only heard telepathically when I was my wolf. I’d never been able to hear wolves in my human form before.

In case it was real, and Diana was indeed speaking to me, I sent my own message back.Thank you.

Within minutes, I heard the soft padding of wolf steps, followed by the shift into a bipedal jog. When I blinked, Diana was hovering over me, and I swear she must have been glowing.

Her hand supported my neck as she brought something to my lips and commanded, “Drink.”

I did, and a gentle stream of water soothed my parched mouth, chasing away the cracked dryness in my throat. When I had my fill, I heard the rustle of thick fabric as she dug through her bag.

“I’m not a healer,” she admitted. “But these salves my mother made should help speed up the healing process and prevent infection. I’m sorry if this stings.”

I was silent as she went to work pressing thick herbal salves to the gashes made by the unnatural stranger. Her fingers were soft, her touch gentle. Even though the salve was icy, I did not flinch from her fingers as they roved over the skin of my chest. When enough salve was applied, the cooling sensation diminished the piercing burns, and I released a steady sigh of relief.

I sat up on my own, despite Diana’s small protest. I’d been on my back long enough. I needed to show her I wasn’t a weakling easily overwhelmed by one assailant. “You said you weren’t a healer, but it feels like you did a good job. Already, the cuts feel better.”

She looked down at her hands, suddenly busying herself with packing the leftover salve. “Mom, taught me a few things, but I’m afraid it does not compare to Selena’s knowledge.”

I frowned at the name, hating how I detested hearing it between us, hating how stiff and awkward things had become. “Your knowledge serves our pack in other ways. You are a great warrior.”

Her mouth slightly fell slack. “You really think I'm a great warrior?” She sounded like she was in disbelief.

“Of course, I do,” I said. “I would not say so otherwise.”

Her mouth moved a few times, but no words escaped. She closed her mouth, thinking, and finally said, “It means a lot to hear you say that. I’ve always wanted to be the best for the pack.”

I titled my head, always intrigued by the gentle, selfless words she said. “For the pack?” I repeated.

She blushed, and I wondered why. She had said nothing wrong. “Yes, for the pack. My father is,” she paused, eyes moist, “was a great leader in the guard. Mom serves as pack seer, just as your father is pack alpha. One day…” She hesitated. “Selena will follow in Mom’s footsteps, just as you will with Nathaniel. I have no such assigned role, so I work hard to be the best warrior I can be. Like Jesse. Well, maybe more like Cara.”

For some reason, this revelation continued to draw my rapt interest. “You’ve never wanted to leave?”

She snorted. “Leave? And go where? The compound is my home. No one outside our borders has any need of me, nor I them. My place is here.”

Her face turned somber, and she looked away. A small action, but one that ignited something in me. I did not want her to look away, to avoid my gaze in shame.

“I am sorry, I know I am nothing like Selena…”

I reached out to grab her face, firm yet gentle, forcing her to look at me. “Goddess, please. The fates choseyoufor my mate.”

Diana’s eyes flickered away as a blush painted her cheeks.