The Journey Begins
Janelle's Pov
The morning came too fast. Sleep had not found me the night before and my body felt the weight of every waking hour. The bandages had been changed but the wounds beneath still ached with each movement. None of that mattered now because the summons had arrived at dawn.
The royal journey to the neighboring pack could not be delayed.
I stood in the courtyard watching the servants load the carriages with supplies. The horses stamped their hooves against the cold ground and their breath formed white clouds in the air. Guards lined the path in their polished armor. Everything looked perfect and orderly and exactly as it should be.
My eyes searched the crowd for one face.
The servants moved in their usual patterns. Some carried trunks while others adjusted the harnesses on the horses. They kept their heads down and their movements quick. None of them looked at me directly. None of them dared.
Then I saw her.
