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“Dylan, I want you to meet some people. They’re nice people,” Wren cautioned him, gesturing for us to come over. I moved to go toward them but Trent’s arm was a rigid barrier stopping me.

“Trent,” I said in a low voice. “You go with me or I go through you,” I threatened, not entirely certain how I was going to back up my claim, but he lowered his arm, yielding to my command.

He dogged my feet as I went closer and Dylan’s eyes lit up when he saw me. “I know you,” he cried happily and I smiled, nodding, as I took in the damage to his face. I hid a wince at the condition of his face. Upon closer inspection, I could see the bruising was in shades of green, yellow, and purple; indicating multiple beatings.

When he spotted Trent though, his expression changed. I flinched as his eyes flashed, the wolf showing through, and almost stumbled back into Trent.

“Easy, guy, I mean no harm,” Trent held his hands up, keeping his body loose as he stopped. Wren patted Dylan’s shoulder, reminding him she was there.

“It’s okay, Dylan, they’re friends. I invited them. They’re going to help us,” she soothed, calming him down, and I could suddenly see what Trent had been trying to tell me. Dylan saw things simply. Friend or foe, and he could be extremely dangerous if he didn’t know the difference. “He wouldn’t hurt you,” Wren defended him. “He’s just protective of me.” I waited for Trent to argue, but he simply nodded, crossing his arms.

Wren glanced at me, her eyes beseeching me. “Help us, please. He can’t stay there.” She gestured to his face as she said, “They use him as a punching bag.”

“He doesn’t shift?” Trent asked curiously. “Instinct would force a shift.”

“The Alpha forbade him to shift,” Wren said bitterly and Trent glanced at me questioningly.

“I thought he didn’t have to obey Alpha orders?” Trent mentioned and Wren looked away, exhaling.

“He doesn’t. He can resist them when he wants to and has many times to help me, but I told him he needs to obey this one. It would be too obvious if he didn’t.”

“He has that much control?” Trent asked doubtfully. “That even being beaten he can keep from shifting and hurting them?”

Wren bobbed her head quickly and Trent rubbed his neck restlessly.

“I listen to Wren,” Dylan chimed in, glancing at us and I smiled. I could understand now why Monster had taken such a liking to Wren.

“If that’s true,” Trent said carefully, pausing when Wren interrupted.

“It is, I swear. He listens to me. I raised him,” she said eagerly.

“We can’t leave him here,” I muttered to Trent and he looked torn.

“Taking him with us would be tantamount to a declaration of war,” he said repressively, trying to avoid Wren’s hopeful face. “We don’t have that kind of sway.”

“Caleb may consider allowing him into the Pack,” I offered. “If Dom supports it.”

“It’s not Caleb’s decision,” Trent informed me.

“It’s the Council’s,” another voice interjected and I let out a muffled shriek as Anna materialized from the trees.

“Your stalking needs work,” Trent told her. “I heard you a mile away.”

“Only because I didn’t shift,” she sneered. “If I was in wolf form you wouldn’t have had time to realize who’d torn your throat out.”

“We’ll have to put that to the test one day,” he promised, a glint in his eyes that only brightened when her cheeks flushed.

“I’d be happy to put you in your place,” she declared haughtily.

“Okay,” I interrupted, taking on the role of referee. “Back to the problem at hand, what do you mean it’s the Council’s decision? I thought the Alpha could make the decision.”

“Depends on the decision. Offering asylum to a member of another pack requires more than just Alpha approval.”

“Asylum?” I questioned, glancing between Wren and her brother.

Trent exhaled. “Might work.”

“That’s the only option,” Anna admitted.

“Sam and the other women didn’t ask for asylum,” I reminded her.

“And they’re not technically allowed on Pack land,” she mentioned, intentionally avoiding looking at Wren. “They’re not Pack and if they want to join the Navarre Pack, they’ll need to formally request admittance to the Pack or mate with an existing member of the Pack,” she added, glancing at me quickly.

“Wait, I’m a member of the Pack?”

Anna nodded as Trent chuckled. “You didn’t know that?”

“Well, I didn’t really give it a lot of thought to be honest,” I admitted, embarrassed at being caught ignorant of something yet again.

“Either way, that won’t work in his case,” Anna said, pointing to Dylan. “He’s a member of an enemy pack. Asylum is the best option.”

“So, Trent could ask to join the Navarre Pack?” I questioned, wondering why he hadn’t already. Anna got a shifty look on her face and I set my hands on my hips. “What is it?”