DRAGON TEARS (PACK HOWL)

A small chorus of voices rose up in response to the news. Koontz tried to guess the owner of each. Two Face, Yildun, Barristan, Julooke...? Several other voices were entirely absent, which made her heart pinch somewhat. Yet nothing could poke a hole in the balloon of happiness swelling in her chest. "Puff that chest up, Alpha style," Ariston joked in her ear, probably trying to take away the slight sting of the poor response. It worked.

Those whose voices had lifted into the air tonight would find themselves higher in the new Alpha female's favor than the rest of the pack. Nodding her head decisively and ascertaining the silence in the air for a few moments, Koontz rose to her feet and prepared to make her way to bed. On the way, Ray's voice belatedly called out to her with an affectionate congratulations. A smile played across her lips and she bypassed her sleeping niche to go see him and perhaps have a little celebration over the good news.