Blackfeather Woods Once I was afraid, I was petrified

At first, she thought the summons was part of a dream. She was lost in them, anyway—no, nightmares. Nightmares. Dreams were what you had when times were good, and times were certainly not good. Mou was gone, and this voice calling to her—Lilah's voice—was much too weak and frail to be real.

But she went, anyway. . .and a good thing she did, too. Sort of.

Lilah, Maegi gasped, breath suddenly stolen from her. She stumbled close, crouching low, examining the woman's many injuries. Her nostrils flared as she took in the scent of blood—and him.

Anger, hot and heavy, coursed through her, filling up her veins and her stomach and her throat like burning bile. Her brows knitted tight; her vision blurred with tears of rage. She looked away for a long moment, unable to see Lilah, sweet Lilah, pulled apart before her by the very man she hated most. She couldn't stand it.

I need to get you moss, Lilah, she said, her voice at once both icy and heated. I need to stop the bleeding. But you have to tell me. . .is he nearby? Is he a danger to the rest of our pack?