40

After a few moments, she pulled back. “Glad to see you safe and sound,” she said, her hand warm on my cheek.

“You and me both,” I said.

She smiled and glanced around me to look at Bryn. I turned to look too. She stood a few yards away, looking incredibly out of place in her bulky, borrowed clothing. And yet, as I stared at her, the sun emerged from behind the clouds to brighten her hair and cheeks. Her dark hair lifted in the breeze, and her blue-gray eyes were captivating. Bryn looked like an angel confined to mortal clothing.

“And who is she?” Mom asked, slightly breathless herself. “A new friend perhaps?”

I rolled my eyes. I wanted to chastise her for the ridiculous question, but I caught the rest of my pack staring at Bryn. They weren’t just stares of confusion or curiosity; they were also lingering stares of appreciation from many of the single wolves in the pack. Not even four days of traveling through the wild and being covered in my scent protected Bryn from the attention. Par