Chapter seventy-nine

I got fed up listening to Ariah’s words as I stood at the foot of the stairs.

She was so scared and timid and I hated to see her that way. I walked over to her, the thick carpets that clothed the floors absorbing the sound of my footsteps. I gripped her wrist and spun her around, staring down at her with a frown.

“You talk a lot, Ariah,” I said. “Lowell and I will sort it all out, you have nothing to be worried about.

That didn’t convince her because the worried look never left her eyes. “I wasn’t lying when I said neither you nor Lowell have answers to the questions they will throw at you.” She said in a low, sad voice. “I don’t want to be a burden and I don’t want to be a source that fuels your rebellion against anyone in your pack.”

I stared down at her beautiful innocent face and I could tell that she was slowly losing faith in me. “Come with me,” I said to her, then left an order with Lowell. “Keep everyone off my study.”

He nodded and took another sip of his wine, “You got it.”