Sun Mote Copse The disco hot spots hold no charm for you

She made it back to the copse unscathed. Wildfire immediately went to ground, hiding herself among The Nest's roots as she thought of how to handle the next three to seven days. Her heats had always been poorly timed but this one probably took the cake. She needed to isolate herself somewhere safe, maybe ask the girls to help guard her. She couldn't have the males in the pack come sniffing around in her business...

Her harsh breathing slowed and then hitched. She was an Alpha female now. She didn't have a mate to direct her actions anymore. Did she really need to run and hide? If she wanted, she could take her pick of the pack's bachelors. Unlike in past years, she had totally free reign over her own body. It was a heady realization. It made her hunker even closer to the cold dirt, feeling overwhelmed by the possibilities.

Even if she did have a mate—if she was back at Drageda, still standing by the commander's side—she hadn't planned on any more pups. She thought not only of Antler, Falcon and Hawk, but also of Bat and her estranged children back at the cliffs. Wildfire swallowed thickly. No, she didn't intend to bring any more children into the world. She couldn't let her instincts overrule her good senses.

But then her own words echoed back at her: "The reward is worth every risk." She thought of @Eljay, who wanted so badly to be a father. Despite herself, she groaned under her breath. She peeked up over the gnarled roots, as if expecting to see him. But there was no one there. Was it bad that she was disappointed? She pressed herself down again and resolved to quash her urges. She really shouldn't make any life-altering decisions under the influence of hormones...