The horns kept sounding through the night, low and frightening, like my father was reminding us he wasn't done. I stood on the southern wall until the sky turned gray, cloak pulled tight over my belly, the witch's mark on my chest throbbing like a fresh bruise. The flutter inside me had settled into a steady little rhythm, almost like the child was keeping time with the distant horns. It made my stomach twist in a way that had nothing to do with the bond.
Darius finally pulled me away when the light broke. "You need rest. The child needs rest."
I didn't fight him this time. My legs felt like they were made of wet rope, and the nausea that had been creeping in since the witch's hut was starting to bite harder. I let him steer me back to the chambers while Kane and Rylan stayed on the wall to watch the tree line.
Inside, the fire was still crackling. I dropped onto the edge of the bed and pressed both hands to my belly. The flutter answered, faint but stubborn. "You hear that?" I whispered to it. "Your grandpa's coming with silver chains. He thinks he can drag us all back south like we're still his to break."
Darius knelt in front of me and started unlacing my boots. His fingers were careful, but his jaw was tight. "He won't get close enough to try. We hit him at the ridge before noon. Hard enough that he crawls back to Shadowpine missing half his wolves."
Kane came in a minute later, snow dusting his shoulders. He poured water and handed me a cup without a word. Rylan followed, axe still in his hand, blood dried on the blade from the night's fighting. He dropped onto the bench by the fire and watched me drink.
"You look like shit," Rylan said, but his voice was softer than usual. "Morning sickness?"
I nodded once and smiled. The room tilted a little when I stood up too fast. "It started yesterday. Feels like the kid's already pissed off at the whole situation."
Darius's hand settled low on my belly again, palm warm through the tunic. The bond pushed his worry straight into my chest, mixed with that raw, protective hunger that had been growing since the witch's mark. "Then you stay off the wall today. You fight from the keep if it comes to it."
I laughed, short and tired. "You really think I'm going to sit in here knitting booties while my father marches five hundred wolves up here? I'm not hiding because I threw up once."
Kane's eyes met mine. "The child changes things. You feel weaker in the mornings. We feel it through the bond."
"I feel stronger too," I shot back. The latent alpha blood stirred under my ribs, hot and angry. "It's waking up faster because of the kid. I can feel it pushing back against the witch's mark every time I move."
Rylan leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "Then we use that. We ride out at first light, hit your father's camp before they regroup. You stay in the middle where we can reach you. No charging ahead like yesterday."
I wanted to argue, but another wave of nausea rolled through me. I swallowed it down and nodded. "Fine. Middle of the formation. But I'm shooting the bastards myself if they get close."
We ate fast. It was a feast of bread, dried meat, weak tea that settled my stomach a little. The brothers didn't hover, but they stayed close. Darius kept one hand on my lower back the whole time. Kane watched every bite I took. Rylan cracked jokes about how the kid was already tougher than half the pack, but his eyes kept flicking to my belly like he was waiting for it to kick again.
* * * * * * * *
By the time we mounted up the sun was climbing, weak and cold. The pack lined the walls to watch us leave. I felt their stares heavier than yesterday. Some of them still called me human-tainted behind my back. Others were starting to nod when I passed. The beta from before actually spoke this time. "Bring back more heads, my queen."
'Queen'. The word still sounded strange, but the bond liked it. I gave him a short nod and kicked my horse forward.
We rode hard toward the southern ridge. So hard that snow flew under hooves. My arm still ached from last night's fight, my chest burned where the mark sat, but the flutter inside me kept me steady. The bond wrapped around all four of us like iron, feeding me their tension and that new, fierce protectiveness.
Darius rode at my left, Kane at my right, Rylan scouting ahead. They didn't crowd me, but I felt them ready to close in at the first sign of trouble.
The ridge came into view just after midday. We had arrived. Smoke rose from the Shadowpine camp below. Hundreds of tents, wolves moving like ants. My father's banner flew at the center. I could almost smell his arrogance on the wind.
Darius reined in. "We hit them from the high ground. Fast. In and out. No full battle today."
I nocked an arrow before he finished talking. The latent alpha blood surged hotter, pushing back against the nausea and the witch's mark. "Then let's remind him who he threw away."
We charged.
The fight was quick and ugly. Arrows flew both ways. I dropped two riders before they even saw me. Darius tore through the front line in wolf form, black fur streaked with red from blood. Kane moved silent between the tents, knives slashing. Rylan laughed as he swung his axe, splitting shields and helms.
Out of nowhere, a Shadowpine wolf broke through and charged straight at me. I pulled out my knife and drove it up under his ribs. He let out a hoarse scream and dropped to the ground twitching. The bond roared with pride from all three brothers at once.
We pulled back before they could surround us. Bodies littered the snow. My father's banner lay trampled in the dirt. We left their dead where they fell and rode back hard, snow kicking up behind us.
By the time we reached the gates the pack was cheering louder than yesterday. I rode between the brothers, blood on my hands again, the flutter in my belly kicking like it approved of the mess we'd made.
People nodded in approval and cheered me all the way inside. I was starting to feel good and finally accepted.
We went to the great hall and inside, Darius pulled me down and kissed me right there in front of everyone, hard and possessive. Kane and Rylan closed in on either side, hands on my waist, my shoulders, my belly. The pack watched. Some of them smiled now.
After that, we went straight to our chambers. I let them strip the bloody clothes off me, let them clean me up again. The bond hummed warm and fierce while they touched me —gentle on the new cuts, rough where I needed it. Darius's palm stayed low on my belly the whole time, like he could hold the child safe with just his hand.
But as the light faded outside the window, another sound drifted up from the southern ridges. Horns again. Closer. Angrier.
My father was regrouping faster than we expected.
Seven days had become six.
And the witch's mark on my chest burned hotter than ever, like she was watching the clock right along with us.