Hushed Willows would you still love me the same.

Harlyn didn't have to wait too long for her call to be answered. She saw the woman approach at a distance and took a steadying breath. She had never before felt so anxious to meet an alpha and request room in their pack. It had never struck her as this humiliating. Perhaps it was the fact that she'd ruled over a pack of her own just a few short weeks ago. Maybe it was the fact that she had failed to keep them safe under her law. Regardless, shame crept through her blood as the stranger approached and Harlyn lowered herself to an appropriately submissive posture before her.

"Warbone," Harlyn replied when prompted, "He came upon my family and I about a month ago and offered us shelter in his pack. I've come to see if his offer still stands and if there might be a place for us amongst his ranks." She was unaware that the woman upon whose paws Harlyn's gaze was trained had taken his place as alpha. As far as she knew, Warbone was the only leader of this pack. He'd never spoken of another. But then again, he'd never warned of a pregnant female within his ranks either, but this one before her smelled too strongly of milk and young pups to have been anything but. In spite of her intentions in coming here, the smallest fraction of doubt slipped into her heart that this was actually the best course of action.