"I did it on purpose," she whispered, one tear spilling down over a peach-blush cheek, rich curls quivering with her tense trembles. "I had to make sure the alpha wouldn't choose me, of course. Then I'd really be trapped, or worse, dead. But I thought, if I could just make enough of a tangle, they'd spend more time arguing with each other. And I could just…" A sob broke free. "Oh, Mairwen! I don't know! Just put it off a little longer." I rose and hurried to Francesca's side, wrapping my arms around her and drawing her into a hug. Francesca's breaths were rough and ragged. This was more than
...more
