I stared at the horses like they were monsters.
"You're kidding." I said, folding my arms.
Alaric's eyes, colder than steel and impossibly still, didn't flinch. "We don't joke where I'm from."
Of course not.
The man probably didn't know how to smile, let alone joke.
I stood my ground. I didn't want to look impressed, even if the horses were majestic, taller than any I'd ever seen, their coats gleaming under the sunset.
His people moved with quiet discipline, preparing to ride out. No words. No fuss.
Just like their Alpha, silent and terrifying.
But then my father stepped forward, his voice steady. "According to the rites of transition, the new mate is allowed to spend her last night with her family, before her final departure."
I froze. Wait… what?
Alaric looked at him, impassive. "The law is outdated."
My father gave him a flat look. "It is still law. Unless your pack has abandoned all the old ways?"
What was my dad trying to do?
