One morning the bailey became a place of discipline. A thief caught stealing grain from the stores was dragged forward by Garrick, the new beta. The man was thin, eyes darting, hands bound behind his back. The pack gathered in a wide circle, silent, watching.
Garrick pushed the thief to his knees in front of the throne where I sat with Lila in the sling and Darius at my side. "He took three sacks. His family was hungry, he says. But hunger doesn't excuse stealing from the pack."
I looked down at the man. Lila made a small sound and reached for my tunic. The twins kicked steadily in my belly, a constant reminder of what we were building for.
"You stole from everyone," I said. "Not just the stores. From the pups who need that grain to grow strong. From the women who train to protect them. From the men who ride the borders so we can sleep at night. You should be ashamed of yourself!"
The thief kept his head down, shoulders shaking. "I was desperate, my queen."
