Valtira.
I slipped out of the bed the very moment Draven left for his council meeting, the door barely clicking shut behind him before my feet touched the cold stone floor.
Sleep—gods, no. Sleep was the last thing my body or mind wanted. The pack healer had been stern, her tone sharp with authority as she ordered me to rest, as if rest alone could quiet the storm twisting inside my chest.
For now, she was the only one who knew the truth of what was growing within me, aside from Draven himself. He had made that very clear to her. Too clear. His warning had been edged with steel, a promise rather than a threat, and she had bowed her head in understanding.
At least in this place, I was being cared for. At least here, my unborn pup and I were not neglected, starved, or treated as burdens
