The intruder didn't wait for an answer. She marched deeper into the enclosed courtyard, the heels of her riding boots digging deep grooves into the soft green grass. Her jaw was set in a rigid line, and the scent she brought with her, a sarp, energetic mix of ozone, crushed mint, and the familiar underlying heat of the Up Pack lineage, flooded the small sanctuary.

Nila shrank further into the shadow of Kaelen’s back. Her fingers dug into the thick wool of his tunic, her knuckles aching as her survival instincts screamed at her to find a hiding spot. In the Down Pack, an angry high-ranking female meant a beating...