THE BURDEN OF BLOOD

Chapter Six: Hostile Ground

With leaning palisades that had not seen new wood in two seasons, the Crimson Howl compound appeared little and humiliated in the twilight.

With Savannah clutched in front of him, her head lolling against his chest, Heath rode through the gates. Now, the woman's skin was paper-hot from the fever, and her breath was rattling like parched leaves. Scarlett stood behind them, supporting the second Savannah across her own saddle while she continued to bleed from the spear wound.

As they passed the outer fires, twenty riders turned into fifteen and then ten. Unwilling to confront what awaited them back home, the others had turned away as soon as they crossed the border.

Something did indeed wait.

With their faces orangely lit by torches, the entire pack stood in the yard, including elders, moms, pups, and warriors. No applause. You are not welcome—just enough silence to pierce.

With boots striking dust that had not had rain in weeks, Heath swung down. Savannah weighed less than a child, so he carefully raised her. Her white-gold hair spilled over his arm like moonlight as her head landed on his shoulder.

With his arms folded and his beard standing on end, Vance took the lead.

His voice was cold as he questioned, "That her?" "The great prize for which you exchanged the valley?"

Scarlett dismounted and assisted Savannah, who was injured, in getting down. "Beta, watch what you say."

Vance avoided eye contact with her. He continued to stare at the unconscious woman. Twenty of us rode in. Fifteen horses and two half-dead females accompany us on our ride. Alpha, tell me one more how this was a win.

The audience echoed with a hoarse groan. Someone spat.

Like a razor, Heath's voice sliced through it. "Now, inside."

Savannah was taken by him to the longhouse. He could feel the heat, hunger, and anger of the crowd as they reluctantly parted. Curious, a puppy lunged forward, but his mother's hand forcefully pulled him back.

Scarlett trailed behind, helping the second Savannah. A dark track in the dust was left by the spear wound's dripping blood.

Smoke and bitter bitterness filled the air inside the longhouse. Heath placed Savannah on their healer's table, which was a fur-covered bench. She remained still.

In order to keep the mob out but not the rage, Vance closed the door behind them.

"Tell me," he insisted. "Because you just brought Beau's insanity home with us, based on my perspective."

He was rounded on by Scarlett. Beau's pack eats meat while ours chews bark because of this "madness." Vance, she is the battery. We just cut his power.”

"And put a corpse in its place!" Vance let out a shout. "Observe her! She is just a breath away from death!

Vance was slammed against the wall with such force that it rattled the rafters as Heath's hand sprang out, catching him by the throat.

Heath whispered, "If you talk about her like that again, I'll feed you your own tongue."

Vance did not resist, but he choked and his eyes widened. The room went absolutely still.

Scarlett’s voice came gently from behind. "Health. Let him go. He is afraid. All of us are.

Heath let go of Vance and took a step back, his chest heaving. The unconscious woman made a little sound, pain or terror, impossible to tell.

The wounded Savannah collapsed into a chair, face pale. She muttered, "She is my blood." “My twin. The night Beau killed our parents, he took her. claimed that the world only needed one White Wolf.

Vance rubbed his throat, eyes wide. "White Wolf?"

Scarlett muttered a curse. "The prophecy." The person who ends up packing or saving them

Heath remained silent. He was focusing on Savannah, the way power flickered beneath her skin like lightning behind clouds, and the small white scars that around her wrists.

The crowd outside started chanting.

"Return her! Return her!

Savannah, who was hurt, winced.

Heath tightened his jaw. He walked confidently to the door and flung it open.

Now the yard was crowded, faces contorted, candles waving.

With her baby boy on her hip, Lira took the lead. “My boy has not tasted milk in three days, Alpha. You did not bring us food, but a corpse?

Garrick's young, fiery-headed son, another warrior, yelled, "Beau will come for her! We have all been killed by you!

Heath entered the veranda. The chant stumbled.

He did not speak louder. He did not have to.

He said, "I gave you hope." Yes, wrapped in bones. However, hope

Lira chuckled resentfully. "I hope it doesn't make you hungry."

"No," Heath concurred. However, it battles. Moreover, we fight tomorrow. Beau loses strength every hour now that she has no power. We will have the valley once more. The hunts will come back. Alternatively, you may continue to be hungry and hold the woman responsible for six years of suffering in order to prolong your life.

Quiet.

The voice of a puppy then came out. "Is she a White Wolf, really?"

Heath glanced at the woman inside after glancing down at the infant.

"Yes," he said. "And she is now ours."

He closed the door on their skepticism and turned back inside.

Scarlett was already removing the spear from Savannah's injured shoulder and using firm hands to bandage the wound.

Vance was standing by the fire, gazing at the unconscious woman as if she were about to blow up.

He whispered, "We're all dead when she wakes up feral."

After soaking a handkerchief in water from a broken pitcher, Heath started wiping blood from Savannah's face.

He answered, "Then we teach her we're not the enemy."

Scarlett's eyes were alert as she looked up. "What if she's not interested in teaching?"

Heath's clothing stopped over a deep-burned scar that resembled Beau's family crest.

He declared, "Then we die free." "More preferable to living like his dogs."

There was a crackling sound from the fire. Outside, murmuring, the crowd slowly scattered.

The White Wolf's fingers twitched toward Heath's hand as she inhaled once, steadily and deeply.