Chapter 5

The Guardian Wolf's power was meant for defense and deterrence, not for slaughtering enemies in a one-against-many fight. Silas knew that. And he'd done it anyway. Luckily, the guards reached me in time. I didn't dare imagine what would have happened without them. I would have been torn apart by the rogue wolves, piece by piece. Even now, I was in bad shape. My left arm had been ripped open by fangs, the wound so deep I could see bone. A sharp, stabbing pain flared through my right ribs every time I breathed. My legs were covered in bloody claw marks. My face was scraped raw, snow mixed with blood smeared across my skin. "Get some rest, Nova." Before I lost consciousness, I heard Sage sigh inside me. "Sage sighs so much lately," I thought, drifting. When I woke up, I was in the infirmary. Clear fluid dripped steadily into my vein. I turned my head and saw Silas sitting beside the bed. Dark circles hung under his eyes. He looked like he hadn't slept at all. He leaned in imm