The cry of the king’s servants could hear something in their bones that night. The two newborn princes had been wailing for weeks, ever since their mother, the queen, had fled the palace with a lover, leaving behind a shattered king and two inconsolable heirs. Every nursemaid failed. Every healer was dismissed.
And the Alpha King, Tristan, grew more furious by the day. No one could calm the boys. Until Josie. She was a wolfless orphaned servant girl, mocked in the kitchens for lacking what every shifter was born with.
She was never meant to touch royal blood. But one desperate morning, when the nursemaids had given up, Josie stepped forward and laid her hand on one of the crying babies. He went still. She sang a lullaby, the only one she knew, and the other twin stopped screaming too.
The royal nursery fell silent for the first time in four weeks. The court was forced to question what kind of bond formed before words, before choice, strong enough to tie the fate of two alpha princes to a wolfless kitchen girl. And what the king would do when he discovered his sons would not give her up. —
Josie stood elbow-deep in dishwater so filthy it had turned the color of old meat.
Chef Margrave would not accept it until he could see his reflection in the bottom. Around her, the evening shift wound down in chaos. Well-dressed house servants swept in with silver platters, heaving them into her sink without a glance. A wave of dirty water hit her square in the chest.
Josie gasped, stumbling back as chunks of fat and gristle clung to her already stained apron. She looked up, still expecting an apology. But the servant was already turning away, laughing with his companion. “Hear those pups from the east wing?
Non-stop. The king hasn’t slept in days. ”
“Shh, not here. ”
They disappeared through the doorway as Josie exhaled slowly and returned to her pot.
“One day,” she whispered to herself. “One day, everyone else will see what he saw in you. ”
“Who are you talking to? ”
Her stomach dropped.
Norma stood in the doorway, her clean apron spotless in a way Josie’s never was. At ten, Norma was two years younger, but she had a wolf. That made all the difference. “No one,” Josie said quickly, scrubbing harder.
An apple core hit her temple hard enough to blur her vision. The pot slipped from her grip and landed with a tremendous splash. More laughter. Not just the kids now—scullery maids had turned to watch.
“Oi. Chef Margrave’s voice boomed across the kitchen. Clean yourself up and get out of my kitchen. You’re dripping all over my floor.
”
“Yes, chef,” Josie whispered. She fled to her room—a storage cupboard with a thin straw mat. She pulled the door shut and stood in the darkness. From somewhere far above came that sound again.
Thin. Wavering. The crying never stopped, not really. Josie sank onto her mat and wrapped her arms around her knees.
As always, when she needed comfort, she thought of him. King Tristan. She remembered being small—five, maybe six—lost in the palace gardens. He had appeared, tall and golden, dressed in hunting leathers.
He’d knelt down beside her. “What’s this, a little lost lamb? ”
He’d scooped her up like she weighed nothing and carried her back to the kitchens himself. She remembered the way the cook’s face went white.
The way Tristan smiled. “The king saved you,” Josie whispered into the darkness. “The king saved you. ”
It was proof she wasn’t worthless.
If a king could see value in her, then maybe she wasn’t nothing. Her thoughts drifted to the crisis consuming the palace. Queen Nezrin had abandoned the king and their pups. Josie’s hands curled into fists.
How could anyone abandon King Tristan and those poor babies? “How could she do that to such a good man? ” Josie whispered. “And to her babies?
”
No answer came. There never was one. —
The next morning, Paula was on breakfast duty. Josie felt it the moment she stepped into the kitchen, the way the other servants kept their distance.
Paula didn’t raise her voice. She simply had a way of looking at people that made them remember their manners. Kitchen maids were gossiping near the vegetable counter. “My sister works in the family wing.
She says it’s driving everyone mad. The nursemaids take shifts now, four hours at a time, because any longer and they start weeping themselves. ”
“No mother to soothe them. What do they expect?
”
“You’re late,” Paula said without looking up. “Wash your hands. ”
Josie obeyed. A ball of dough waited for her, and she sank her hands into it gratefully.
The crying was fainter here. The world was bearable. Then the door slammed open. A woman in a nursemaid’s uniform stumbled in, her cap askew.
“Paula! Paula, please, you have to help me. ”
“Catch your breath, Mara. ”
“The princes—they won’t stop screaming.
We’ve tried everything. Everything. The king is furious. He’s threatening to dismiss the entire staff.
”
Paula’s jaw tightened. “I’ll come. ”
As Paula turned, Josie felt something cold settle in her stomach. The pleasant morning was over.
Paula would leave, and Josie would be alone again. Unless. “Can I come? ” The words were out before she could stop them.
Paula turned, one eyebrow raised. “What? ”
“Can I come with you? I can fetch things—clean cloths, water, whatever the babies need.
”
Paula studied her for a long moment. Mara spoke up. “She can carry my supplies. But we need to hurry, please.
”
Paula sighed. “Fine. But you stay quiet, and you don’t touch anything unless I tell you to. ”
They left at a near run, following Mara through servant corridors and up three flights of stairs to the family wing.
Josie had never been this deep into the palace. The halls were wider, the floors polished marble. But she barely noticed, because with every step, the crying got louder. It wasn’t normal fussing.
It was raw, desperate, utterly inconsolable. The sound crawled under Josie’s skin and settled in her bones. Mara pushed open the nursery door. Two cradles sat in the center of a beautiful room, carved from dark wood, draped with silk.
Inside them, two tiny bodies writhed and screamed. Three nursemaids huddled near the window, haggard. They barely looked up. “They’ve been fed.
Changed. Burped. Rocked. Nothing works.
”
“Four hours, and then someone else takes over. Any longer and you start hearing them even when they’re quiet. ”
Paula moved to the nearest cradle and lifted one of the babies, settling him against her chest. “Hush now, little prince.
”
The baby screamed louder. Paula tried to nurse him. He turned his face away, wailing. She tried rocking, singing.
Nothing changed. In the other cradle, his brother shrieked in harmony. Josie’s feet moved without permission. She crossed the room in a daze and reached the second cradle.
The tiny creature inside shook with the force of his cries. She laid her hand on his heaving chest. He went still. His eyes popped open, wide and dark.
He stared at her as if he’d never seen another person before. She didn’t think. She simply opened her mouth and sang—the lullaby Paula had sung to her when she was small. Her voice was thin and unpracticed, but the baby’s breathing slowed.
His tiny fist uncurled and reached for her finger. In the cradle behind her, the second twin’s screaming stopped. “How? ” Mara began, but couldn’t finish.
For the first time in four weeks, the royal nursery was completely, impossibly still. —
The nursery had gone so quiet that Josie could hear the clock ticking on the mantle. “At last,” Mara breathed. “You’re charmed, girl.
”
One of the nursemaids stepped closer. “Four weeks we’ve tried everything. Wet nurses, rocking, songs. Nothing.
And you just walk in and—”
Josie barely heard them. She couldn’t look away from the twins—Vitto’s long lashes casting shadows on his round cheeks, Theon’s rosebud mouth slack in sleep. They loved her. She could tell.
These perfect, royal, utterly precious things loved her without condition, without judgment. For the first time since the king had carried her from the garden, Josie felt chosen. “Can you bring her back tomorrow morning? ” Mara asked Paula.
“Please. ”
Paula’s gaze was fixed on Josie, her expression unreadable. “Yes,” she said finally. “We’ll come back.
”
—
A year passed like water through cupped hands. One year of following Paula through the servant passages three times a day, slipping into the royal nursery like a secret. Mara and Paula guarded Josie’s involvement carefully. The other nursemaids were sworn to silence.
But after a year, whispers followed Josie wherever she went. “The king himself couldn’t calm them, but a wolfless kitchen girl can. ”
“I heard they scream the moment she leaves the room. ”
“Unnatural, that’s what it is.
”
Josie didn’t care. The king had saved her once, and now his sons needed her, chose her. She had Vitto and Theon, and they had her. The morning sun was cresting the eastern towers when Josie and Paula slipped into the nursery.
The moment the door opened, two small heads popped up from their shared crib. Vitto saw her first. His face lit up and he let out a shriek of pure joy. Theon joined in, bouncing and babbling.
Josie’s heart swelled so suddenly it hurt. “Good morning, my little terrors,” she said, rushing across the room. She leaned over the crib rail and pressed kisses to both their heads. The moment she had them in her arms, they went soft and content.
She caught a glimpse of Paula watching from the doorway, her expression fond but deeply troubled. After breakfast came playtime. The twins wanted to climb on Josie, to play their version of peekaboo. She obliged, of course.
She always obliged. When she finally captured them both and pulled them into her lap, they went willingly, settling against her like puppies seeking warmth. Within minutes, both were drowsy. Josie held them close and hummed softly, rocking slightly.
This was her favorite part—when they were sleepy and content, when their whole world narrowed down to her arms. She couldn’t help but think: the king must know. Maybe he would come to see for himself. Maybe he would recognize her, understand that she was meant to care for his sons.
Maybe he would smile at her the way he had in the garden. “We need to talk,” Paula said quietly. They stepped into the corridor, leaving the door cracked. “You’re too familiar with the young princes.
You forget your place. ”
“I know my place. It’s by their side, because they need me. No one else can calm them.
”
“I know. But that doesn’t change what you are. What they are. ” Paula gripped Josie’s shoulders.
“You are a servant. They are princes. If the king finds out how attached you’ve become, there will be hell to pay. ”
Josie pulled away.
“His Majesty would be pleased that his sons are so well-loved. He’s so kind. He saved me once. He’d understand.
”
“Josie. Think about what you’re saying. ”
“They need me. I’m special.
Maybe this is why the king saved me. ”
Paula stared at her. “You think the king will welcome you? Give you a place of honor?
” She shook her head slowly. “Those pups will grow. And where will that leave you? Heartbroken, cast aside.
Or worse. ”
“You don’t know that. ”
“You are a servant, Josie. Never forget it.
”
Paula walked back into the nursery, leaving Josie alone. But Josie couldn’t bring herself to believe it. She was harboring a dream. She wanted the king to discover them, to see her with his sons, to see how much they loved her—so that he would love her too.
—
Three weeks later, it was an ordinary morning. Josie had dressed the twins in matching outfits, and they’d promptly undone all her work by crawling away the moment she set them down. “Vitto, come back here. ”
He squealed and crawled faster.
Josie lunged for him. He shrieked with laughter. Theon, seeing his brother captured, crawled over at top speed, reaching for Josie with both hands. “Got you!
” Josie gasped, laughing. “Got you, my little monsters! ”
The double doors slammed open. The laughter died in Josie’s throat.
King Tristán stood in the doorway, tall and golden and impossibly handsome. But his eyes were fixed on her with such rage, such utter revulsion, that Josie felt her stomach drop through the floor. The twins, sensing the shift in atmosphere, went still. “Let my children go.
”
His voice was very quiet. —
The king moved so fast Josie didn’t have time to react. He grabbed one of the cradles and hurled it across the room. It hit the far wall with a deafening crash, splintering into pieces.
The twins shrieked. They clung to Josie with desperate strength, their small bodies trembling violently. Vitto buried his face in her neck. Theon’s fingernails dug into her arm hard enough to draw blood.
Josie wrapped her arms around them, staring at the king in absolute incomprehension. Why was he so angry? Paula and Mara came running in. The king whirled on them.
“Why does this servant child have her filthy hands all over my sons? ”
The twins were sobbing now. Josie pushed herself to standing on shaking legs, the twins still clinging to her. “Your Majesty,” Josie said.
“Please try to understand. Your sons need me. ”
His attention snapped back to her. His eyes—cold, vicious, utterly devoid of warmth—froze the blood in her veins.
“Need you? Why would the heirs to my throne need you? ” He stepped toward her, and she instinctively backed up. “You are nothing.
Less than nothing. A servant—and a wolfless one at that. Get your filthy hands off my sons. ”
“Sire,” Paula said, “the girl does have a sort of affinity with the children—she should be removed from here—”
“If I see her even look at my boys again, I’ll have her whipped in the courtyard,” the king roared.
“And thrown from the palace to die in the woods like the worthless thing she is. ”
Josie’s knees gave out. She collapsed to the floor, the twins still clinging to her, and the sob that tore from her chest was animal in its rawness. “No, please, please—I’ll only come at night—”
Paula’s hand closed on her elbow.
“Come now. ”
The king strode forward and grabbed the twins by their collars, yanking them away from Josie with such force that Vitto nearly fell. The boys screamed, high, terrified wails. “Please!
” Josie reached for them desperately, but Paula and Mara had her arms now, pulling her backward. The twins fought their father’s grip, their little bodies thrashing, their arms stretched toward Josie. They were crying so hard they could barely breathe. Then the doors closed.
The sound became muffled, distant—but it didn’t stop. Josie curled onto her side on the corridor floor, pulling her knees to her chest, sobbing into her hands. Distantly, she felt Paula’s rough palm against her hair. “I tried to warn you, child.
They were never yours. ”
The words should have cut. But Josie couldn’t process them. “I don’t—I don’t understand,” she wailed.
“Why was he so angry? I was helping them. They were happy. I made them happy.
”
She kept talking, the words spilling out faster. She could write him a letter. She could wait until he calmed down. Remind him that he saved her in the gardens.
It was because the queen left, wasn’t it? He was upset about his mate leaving, and he saw her with his sons and it reminded him. That was why he was angry. It had to be.
Because he was a good man. “No,” Paula said firmly. “No, Josie. He won’t.
”
“But he has to. The twins need me. Did you hear them? They were so scared, and they wanted me.
”
She dissolved into fresh sobs. In that beautiful nursery, two babies were crying for her right now. And she wasn’t allowed to go to them. There had to be a way to fix this.
There had to be. —
Three days passed, and the twins’ screams became part of the palace’s architecture. Josie stood at the washing basin, her hands raw in the cold water. “Why doesn’t she just go to them?
” someone whispered behind her. “Shh. ”
Josie’s vision blurred. Paula and Mara hadn’t told anyone what really happened.
The other servants knew only that Josie had been caring for the princes and was now forbidden from seeing them. They didn’t know about the shattered cradle, the king’s rage, the terrible things he said. They didn’t know he’d called her nothing. It didn’t make sense.
None of it made sense. The king had been so angry—angrier than seemed possible for someone good and kind. He’d looked at her like vermin. But all she’d done was love his children.
She was just turning toward the corridor when the kitchen door burst open. “Have you heard the news? ” a footman gasped. “Word from the north.
Queen Nezrin—she lives. She’s raised an army. She’s declared war to reclaim her sons. ”
The kitchen erupted.
Josie felt the words hit her like cold water. Above the sudden noise, the twins’ crying seemed louder, more urgent, as if they somehow knew. “King Tristan has declared Queen Nezrin a traitor. The whole palace is on lockdown.
No one in or out until further notice. ”
The murmurs died. The weight of the announcement settled over them like a physical thing. They were trapped.
Trapped in a palace under siege, with two inconsolable infants whose mother was coming to claim them by force. —
Josie lay on her thin mat that evening, staring at the ceiling. She thought about Vitto and Theon alone in that nursery. Were their nursemaids with them?
Was anyone holding them? Or were they lying in their new cradle, exhausted and terrified, crying themselves hoarse? “I could help them,” Josie thought desperately. “Just for a little wile.
”
She sat up slowly, her heart pounding. It wasn’t just for her. The whole palace was on edge. Surely the king would understand she was trying to help.
Her feet moved before she made a conscious decision. The nursery was dimly lit by a single lamp. The crying hit her like a wave—louder here, more desperate than she’d heard in three days. The twins were in a hastily built new cradle.
The moment they saw her, they threw themselves against the bars, reaching for her with both hands, faces red and raw and streaming with tears. They’d been left alone. No nursemaids in sight. Josie’s heart cracked.
“Oh, little ones,” she breathed, rushing across the room. She gathered them both into her arms. They clung with desperate strength, pressing their faces into her shoulders, making small broken sounds that were somehow worse than screaming. “Hush,” she murmured, rocking them.
“Hush now. ”
The crying stopped. The twins sagged against her, their little bodies going limp with exhaustion. Within moments, their breathing evened out.
They were asleep—truly, deeply asleep, probably for the first time in a long time. Josie held them close, tears streaming down her face. She knew she shouldn’t linger. She’d done what she came to do.
She should leave before—
“I warned you. ”
Josie spun around, her heart stopping. King Tristan stood in the doorway, two palace guards flanking him. His rage wasn’t explosive like before.
Now it was cold, controlled. “Surely you can see,” Josie said desperately. “I can help them. ”
“Take her,” the king said to the guards.
Rough hands seized Josie’s arms while others seized the twins. They dragged her toward the door. Behind her, the twins stirred and began to cry again—frightened, confused sounds. “Please!
” Josie twisted in the guards’ grip, trying to see the twins one last time. But they were already pulling her into the corridor. —
The dungeon was cold and dark, smelling of mold and old fear. The guards threw Josie into a cell without ceremony.
“The king has given his order,” one said flatly. “You’ll be hanged for treason at dawn. ”
A sound escaped her throat. She was thirteen years old.
She’d only ever wanted to help, to love, to be loved. How was that treason? Josie crawled to the corner of the cell and curled onto her side. All along, she’d been wrong.
The king had never been kind. He’d never saved her. She’d built an entire fantasy around a man who didn’t exist—and now she was going to die for it. —
At some point, the raw terror dulled into a hollow, numb acceptance.
Josie was going to die. That was simply a fact. She sat with her back against the wall, waiting. Then came soft padding and tiny whimpers.
Josie’s head snapped up. She crawled toward the bars. Two small shapes appeared in the dim torchlight. Wolf pups.
Tiny, fluffy, stumbling on legs that seemed too big for their bodies. Their fur was dark, and they couldn’t have been larger than house cats. Josie’s breath caught. “Vitto?
Theon? What happened to you? ”
The pups saw her face, and their whimpering transformed into excited yips. They tumbled over each other to reach her, little paws skidding on the stone floor.
Vitto pressed his small nose through the bars and began licking at her fingers. Theon crowded in beside him, trying to wedge his entire head between the bars. A tear tracked down Josie’s cheek. They’d shifted—but they were far too young.
Even Josie knew that children didn’t shift until eight or nine. The earliest she’d ever heard was four. The twins weren’t even two. “You were too stressed, weren’t you?
” Josie murmured. Theon tried to climb through the bars, his chubby puppy body getting stuck halfway. Despite everything, Josie felt a laugh bubble up. “You’re ridiculous.
Both of you. ”
Vitto’s nose twitched. He’d caught a scent across the corridor. He launched himself toward it, made it three steps, then his legs tangled and he tumbled snout-over-tail across the floor.
Theon bounded after him, tripped over his own paws, and crashed directly into him. Both pups went rolling, fetching up against a tall stool. Josie’s heart leaped. There, on top of the stool—something metal gleaming in the torchlight.
Keys. And beside the stool, what had attracted Vitto—a crust of bread. “The bread,” Josie called frantically. “Get the bread.
”
Both pups lunged for it. They began a spirited tug-of-war, tumbling sideways and crashing into the stool leg. The stool wobbled. “Yes!
Again! ” Josie encouraged desperately. But the pups had already forgotten the bread, wrestling and yipping instead. Josie made a high-pitched squeaking sound.
Both pups froze and looked at her. “Come here,” she called. They started toward her, but Vitto got distracted by his own tail. Theon stuck his nose in a crack in the floor.
Josie squeaked again. Theon bounded toward her cell, then veered off, spotting the breadcrust. He grabbed it and shook it violently. Vitto charged over to steal it.
They collided near the stool again. The stool rocked dangerously. The pups dropped the bread, now trying to climb on top of each other. Theon went flying and crashed into the stool leg.
The stool tipped. The keys flew through the air and hit the stone floor with a tremendous clatter. The pups jumped, startled, then investigated this new interesting thing. Vitto tried to pick up the key ring—too heavy.
He dropped it, shaking his head. Theon batted at it with one paw. It jingled. He batted again, harder.
The keys slid across the floor—away from Josie. “No, no, this way. ” Josie reached through the bars desperately. The pups wrestled right on top of them, oblivious.
Then Vitto got his paw tangled in the keyring. He panicked and started backing up. The keys dragged along with him, jingling wildly. He backed directly toward Josie’s cell.
Theon grabbed the other end of the keyring in his teeth, pulling the opposite direction. They moved in a chaotic sideways path that slowly brought the keys closer. “Yes, yes, keep going. ”
Vitto gave a particularly hard yank.
Theon’s teeth slipped, and he tumbled backward, right toward the cell. The momentum pulled Vitto forward, too. Both pups and the keys ended up in a heap directly in front of Josie’s cell. Josie’s hands shot through the bars and grabbed the keyring.
“Good boys,” she breathed, tears streaming down her face. “Oh, you wonderful, silly, perfect boys. ”
The pups sat down, tongues lolling out, immensely pleased with themselves. Josie fumbled with the keys, her hands shaking.
First key didn’t fit. Second didn’t fit. The pups started grooming each other. Third.
Fourth. Fifth. Sixth. It slid into the lock with a soft click.
She turned it. The cell door swung open. Josie dropped to her knees, and the pups immediately swarmed her, climbing into her lap, licking her face. “You saved me,” she whispered, gathering them into her arms.
Vitto made a small, proud yipping sound. Theon pressed his face into her neck and sighed contentedly. Josie stood on shaking legs and ran. —
She stumbled through the dungeon corridors, following the torchlight upward.
The pups were heavy, solid little bodies that squirmed occasionally but stayed mostly quiet. She pushed through the kitchen door and stopped dead. Paula stood at the work table, a knife in hand. “Josie.
They said you’d been taken to the dungeon. ” Her gaze dropped to the pups, and her words died. Paula set down the knife. Her voice was firm.
“We need to get you out of here. And those pups need to go to their mother. ”
Paula spread a map across the table, tracing a route north. “I’m loyal to Queen Nezrin.
Always have been. She’s gathering forces in the Northern Territories. The king is a dangerous man. He’ll hurt you.
He’ll hurt his own sons. But the queen—she’ll protect you. Take them. Go north.
”
Josie’s eyes filled with tears. “I’m scared. Please come with me. ”
Paula’s face softened.
“I’ll stay. Lead them off your scent. By the time they realize you’re gone, you’ll have a head start. ” She pressed the map into Josie’s hand and helped settle a pack onto her shoulders.
A warning bell began to ring somewhere above them. Paula pulled Josie into a tight embrace. “Go. Be safe.
”
Josie’s voice broke. “You’re my only family, Paula. I love you. ”
Paula’s eyes glistened.
She brushed away a tear, then grabbed Josie’s arm and pulled her toward a corner of the kitchen. She yanked aside a rug, revealing a trapdoor. “There’s a passage. It comes out beyond the palace walls.
Head northwest into the forest. Don’t stop. ”
Footsteps echoed outside. Voices shouted.
“Thank you,” Josie whispered. “For everything. ”
“Go, child. ”
Josie descended into the passage.
Paula lowered the trapdoor, and the last thing Josie saw was her face before darkness swallowed everything. Josie stood in the darkness, clutching two wolf pups who had saved her life. “All right,” she whispered to them. “Northwest.
To your mother. To the queen. ”
—
Josie fled through the dark forest, her heart torn in two. Behind her, somewhere in that palace, was Paula.
The only person who’d ever truly loved her. And Josie had left her there. The guilt was a physical weight in her chest, heavy as the pups in her arms and the pack on her back. But she couldn’t stop.
She had to get the twins to safety. Only when the forest grew dense did Josie finally slow. She fumbled for the map. Northwest.
Paula had said northwest. But which direction was that? A howl cut through the night. Distant but unmistakable.
Tracker wolves. The map crumpled in Josie’s shaking hands. No time. She had to run.
The pups whimpered as she took off again. Behind her, the howls grew louder. Men’s voices now, too. “Faster,” she gasped.
“Come on, faster. ”
But her legs were already giving out. Without the map, without any sense of direction, Josie knew she was getting lost. Through the trees ahead—amber eyes gleamed.
Josie veered hard left, crashing through a thicket that tore at her clothes. The pups yelped in protest. She stumbled and threw herself behind a massive oak, sinking to the forest floor. The growls of tracker wolves surrounded them.
Three, maybe four, circling the tree. Josie pressed her back against the rough bark. She didn’t stand a chance. The pups’ whimpers grew louder.
They couldn’t help it. They were babies, terrified and exhausted. Then a massive shadow moved through the undergrowth. A wolf unlike any Josie had ever seen exploded from the darkness—huge, easily twice the size of the palace trackers, with a scarred muzzle.
He slammed into the first tracker with enough force to send it flying. The attack was savage, merciless. Another tracker leaped onto his back, but he shook it off, sending it crashing into a tree. Palace guards burst through the undergrowth, swords drawn.
“Rogue wolf—kill it! ”
The lone wolf reared up and released a howl that seemed to shake the very trees. The guards stumbled backward. He dropped to all fours and charged.
The guards scattered, crashing through the undergrowth. Then there was silence. The tracker wolves were either dead or fled. The guards were gone.
The massive scarred wolf turned toward Josie’s hiding spot. His eyes—pale gold in the moonlight—locked on hers. He took a step forward. Josie bolted.
She grabbed the pups tighter and ran. Behind her, she heard a surprised huff—almost like a laugh—and then paws giving chase. The wolf was faster, but he wasn’t attacking. He was just following.
Josie spotted a cluster of large boulders and dove for them, wedging herself into a gap barely big enough for her. She squeezed in, pressing her hand over her mouth. The pups, exhausted, had finally gone quiet. For a long moment, only silence.
Then the sound of bones cracking. The distinctive sound of a shift. “Well,” a deep male voice said nearby, tinged with amusement. “That’s one way to thank someone for saving your life.
”
Josie didn’t respond. “Those palace wolves were about to tear you apart, kid. Can’t say I’ve ever been run away from quite so enthusiastically after a rescue. ”
There was rustling fabric.
He was getting dressed. “You can come out now. I’m not going to hurt you. If I wanted to, I would have left you to the trackers.
”
Josie stayed frozen. A long sigh. Footsteps circled her hiding spot once, twice, then stopped directly in front of the gap. A man’s face appeared in the opening.
He was probably in his forties, long unkempt hair streaked with gray, but his eyes—those pale wolf eyes—were sharp, with something that might have been kindness buried beneath the weariness. “There you are. What are you doing wedged in there? Can’t be comfortable.
”
Josie stared at him, trembling. He studied her. Then his expression softened. “I’m not going to hurt you.
I just saved you from trackers who very much wanted to hurt you. Remember? ”
Josie’s voice came out as a croak. “You killed them.
”
The man shrugged. “Some of them. ” He said it without apology. “They were hunting a child carrying babies.
I don’t take kindly to that sort of thing. ”
Josie’s arms tightened around the twins. The man noticed and huffed a soft laugh. “Easy, Mother Wolf.
I’m not going to take them from you. I’m Bram. What’s your name? ”
When Josie didn’t answer, he shrugged.
“That’s all right. But you should probably come out of there. Those guards will regroup eventually. ”
“How do I know you’re not going to take me back to the palace?
”
Bram’s expression hardened. “Because I’d sooner cut off my own arm than help that bastard king with anything. ”
The venom in his voice was real, raw. Slowly, cautiously, Josie began to edge out of her hiding spot.
—
Josie stared up at Bram’s tall form, her heart hammering. She wanted desperately to trust him. But trust had gotten her nothing but pain. “You don’t like King Tristán?
”
Bram snarled. “The king has no honor. I’d rather have no pack than belong to his. ”
Emboldened, Josie took a chance.
She shifted the twins slightly in her arms. They’d drifted off to sleep. “They’re the king’s sons,” she said, nodding down at them. “I need to reunite them with their mother.
” Her voice broke slightly. “Will you—will you help me? ”
Bram glanced down at the sleeping pups, then back at Josie. “Those are the princes?
”
She nodded. “And they’re here alone with a ten-year-old? ”
Josie huffed. “I’m nearly thirteen.
And I’m all they have. ” She looked down at the sleeping pups. “And they’re all I have. ”
Something shifted in Bram’s expression.
He groaned, then snatched her map and studied it in the moonlight. “I’ll walk you to the river crossing. About half a day’s journey from here. But after that, kid, you’re on your own.
”
Relief flooded through Josie. “Thank you. ”
“Don’t thank me yet. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover before dawn.
”
—
The river crossing came and went. Bram didn’t leave. “The water’s too fast here,” he’d said, barely pausing. “We’ll need to go upstream.
Another few hours. ”
Those hours turned into a full day, then another. “There’s a village near here. Royal sympathizers.
We’ll need to go around. That’ll add another day, maybe two. ”
By the end of the first week, Bram still hadn’t left them. Josie stopped questioning it.
She simply accepted that he was staying, at least for now. The days fell into a rhythm that was almost peaceful. Bram taught her how to set proper snares. At night, they slept in a formation that felt sacred—Bram stretched out in his massive wolf form, Josie with her back against his warm flank, the twin pups curled against her stomach.
One morning, Josie watched in horror as Vitto discovered a rabbit snare Bram had set. The little pup approached cautiously, then pounced. The snare collapsed immediately, and Vitto found himself tangled in cord and sticks. He yelped, thrashing.
Theon rushed over to help and promptly got tangled himself. Within seconds, both pups were a yipping, rolling ball of fur and rope. Josie rushed over, but Bram was already there, kneeling with surprising patience. His large, scarred hands worked gently through the tangles, freeing one pup, then the other.
“Easy, little warriors. You’ve conquered the fearsome rope trap. Very impressive. ”
Vitto, finally freed, shook himself indignantly and immediately tried to attack the remains of the snare.
Bram’s lips twitched. He glanced up at Josie, who was trying hard not to laugh. “They’re going to destroy every trap I set, aren’t they? ”
“Probably.
”
Bram sighed. “Wonderful. ”
—
That night, after the twins had fallen asleep, Bram fed another stick into their fire. “We’ll reach the foothills tomorrow.
After that, maybe three more days to the Northern Territories. ”
Josie’s heart sank. “And then you’ll leave. ”
Bram didn’t answer immediately.
He poked at the fire, sending sparks spiraling up. “I left Tristan’s pack when he banished my brother,” he said finally, his voice low. “My brother was injured in one of the king’s wars. Took a wound that never quite healed right.
He couldn’t shift properly anymore. Tristan said he was too weak. ”
Josie watched him in the firelight, seeing the pain in his face. “I should have left with him that day.
But I stayed—told myself I was a man of honor. A few weeks later, I found my brother dead. ” He looked up, his eyes fierce. “If I’d left when my brother needed me, he’d still be alive today.
”
Josie’s eyes burned. “The Alpha King destroys anyone he deems unworthy,” Bram said. “But I won’t let that happen to you. I won’t let any harm come to you or those boys.
”
Josie believed him. “Get some sleep. We’ve got a long walk ahead of us tomorrow. ”
She was just drifting off when the first howl echoed through the trees.
Josie’s eyes snapped open. Bram was on his feet instantly. “Get behind that tree. Take the pups and the supplies.
Stay down. ”
Josie grabbed the pack and scooped up both pups. Through the trees, she could see shadows moving. Tracker wolves—at least four—and guards with torches and swords.
Bram surged forward and launched himself at the first tracker before it could enter their camp. The fight was brutal. One of the guards broke through, heading straight for Josie. Without thinking, she kicked the dying embers toward him.
The hot coals scattered across his face, and he screamed. Bram was on him in an instant. The others fled. Then Bram made a sound.
A low groan of pain that sent ice through Josie’s veins. She scrambled out from behind the tree. Bram had fallen to his knees, one hand pressed to his side. Blood seeped between his fingers—dark, too much.
“It’s not healing. Why isn’t it healing? ”
Bram ground out through clenched teeth. “Poisoned.
”
“What do we do? ”
“There will be more. They’ll have heard the fight. We have to move.
”
“You need to rest. ”
“It’s not safe. We keep moving now. ”
Josie stared at him.
“All right. We move. But I’m helping you walk. ”
Bram gripped her arm and levered himself to his feet.
He swayed. Josie braced herself to take his weight. Together they stumbled forward into the dark forest. They would make it.
They had to. —
They stumbled across terrain that had finally flattened—rocky and sparse, but blessedly clear after weeks in dense forest. Bram leaned heavily on Josie’s shoulder. Every step seemed to cost him, his face gray with pain and exhaustion.
But they were so close now. She looked up and saw it spread across the wide valley ahead. A massive camp. Dozens of canvas tents, cook fires sending black smoke into the gray sky.
Figures moving with purpose between the structures. An army. “Bram,” Josie said, her voice cracking. “I think we’re here.
”
They pushed forward one agonizing step at a time. The camp was a hive of activity—soldiers sharpening weapons, armor-smiths hammering at forges, scouts reporting in. No one noticed them at first. “Somebody,” Josie called out.
“Please help! ”
A few soldiers glanced their way but didn’t stop. “Please! ” Josie shouted, putting every ounce of strength she had left into her voice.
More heads turned. People started noticing the filthy girl supporting a bleeding man, wolf pups stumbling at her feet. At that moment, Bram’s legs gave out completely. He collapsed, pulling Josie down with him.
They hit the rocky ground hard. Bram didn’t make a sound. Didn’t move. Suddenly, people were rushing toward them.
Soldiers, camp workers, a woman in healer’s robes. The twin pups scrambled to Josie, whining with fear. A woman with gray-streaked hair knelt beside Bram, turning him onto his back. She glanced at Josie with sharp eyes.
“What happened, child? ”
Josie’s words tumbled out. “We were attacked by King Tristan’s army. Bram fought them off, but one of the guards had a poisoned blade.
”
The woman examined Bram’s wound, pulling aside his blood-soaked shirt. “I need to find the queen,” Josie said desperately. “The twins—please—someone fetch her Majesty. ”
A soldier sprinted away.
“What’s your name, girl? ”
“Josie. ”
“I’m Pandra. I’m going to help your friend.
”
Soldiers appeared with a canvas stretcher and lifted Bram onto it. His eyes were closed, his face ashen, but his chest still rose and fell. Pandra glanced at the twin pups. “Unusual, to shift so young.
”
Josie pulled them closer protectively. “They’re special. ”
Before Pandra could respond, a powerful feminine voice cut through the crowd. “What’s the meaning of this?
”
The crowd parted. The queen appeared. Josie immediately knew it was her—tall, regal, beautiful even in fighting leathers, dark hair pulled back in a severe braid. Her eyes swept the scene, then locked on the twin pups pressed against Josie’s legs.
Recognition and disbelief flashed across her face. Her hand went to her mouth. Her eyes filled with tears. Then she was running.
She dropped to her knees and gathered both wolf pups into her arms. “My babies! My babies! You’ve come back to me!
”
She held them and wept, her whole body shaking. The pups pressed closer, nuzzling against her, their tails wagging slightly. They recognized their mother’s scent instantly. The entire camp had gone silent.
The queen pulled back, her voice thick with emotion. “Who—who brought you back to me? ”
Josie found herself suddenly visible as the queen’s gaze locked on her. The queen’s face went absolutely white.
“You,” she whispered. Fear trickled cold down Josie’s spine. “They were lost without you,” Josie hurriedly said. “I tried to keep them safe.
I’m sorry if I did something wrong. ”
Nezrin reached her and cupped Josie’s face in both hands. Her touch was warm, careful. Her eyes were filled with tears.
“You brought my sons back to me. ”
“I tried,” Josie managed. Up close, Josie could see the queen’s hands shaking, see the way her eyes searched Josie’s face with an intensity bordering on hunger. The queen pulled her into an embrace.
Josie went stiff with shock, but Nezrin held her with the same desperate relief she’d shown her sons. “Thank you,” Nezrin whispered against Josie’s hair. When they pulled apart, Nezrin kept both hands on Josie’s face. “What’s your name, child?
”
“Josie. ”
The queen flinched as if the name had struck her. “Josie,” she repeated. “How old are you, Josie?
”
“Thirteen. I think. ”
Nezrin’s eyes closed briefly. When they opened, they were swimming with tears.
She pulled Josie close again, pressing a kiss to her forehead. Behind them, Pandra called out urgently. “Your Majesty, the wounded man—we need to get him to the healing tent immediately. ”
Nezrin pulled back but kept one hand on Josie’s shoulder.
“Who is he? ”
Josie’s voice broke. “Bram. He helped us.
Protected us. ”
Fierce determination flashed across Nezrin’s face. “Take him to my personal healer. Use whatever you need.
I want him alive. ”
Pandra nodded and followed the soldiers carrying Bram’s stretcher. Nezrin turned back to Josie, brushing a strand of dirty hair from her face. “You must be exhausted.
When did you last eat? Sleep? ”
Josie couldn’t remember. “I’m fine.
The twins—they’re home now. ”
Nezrin smiled through her tears. Her hand trembled against Josie’s cheek. “And so are you.
You’re home too. ”
Josie frowned. She couldn’t understand any of it. —
Josie woke to the warmth of two small bodies pressed against her chest.
The twin pups were curled together on top of her, their soft breathing steady and peaceful. Sitting in a chair beside the bed was Queen Nezrin. Josie’s heart jumped. Nezrin raised a hand gently.
“Easy. You’re safe here. ”
Josie settled back against the pillows, her arms instinctively curling around the twins. The queen’s expression softened.
“Thank you again. I don’t think I can ever thank you enough. ”
Josie nodded politely, not trusting herself to speak. Nezrin studied her face and frowned.
“Is something the matter? Are you still hungry? Cold? Do you need anything?
”
Josie shook her head, looking away. She stroked the pups’ soft fur, focusing on the feel rather than the queen’s searching gaze. She wanted to ask about Bram, but she didn’t know if she had the right to demand anything from a queen. Nezrin’s voice was gentle.
“It’s all right, child. If there’s something you need, you can tell me. ”
Josie hesitated. She’d trusted a king before.
She wouldn’t be that foolish again. But when Nezrin reached out slowly, Josie flinched back before she could stop herself. The queen froze. Her scent changed—not angry, but sad.
Painfully sad. Nezrin withdrew her hand. “I apologize. I didn’t mean to startle you.
”
Josie swallowed hard. The queen didn’t smell angry. Didn’t look threatening. She looked at the pups worriedly, and the words came out small and frightened.
“They haven’t switched back. ”
Nezrin leaned forward. “What do you mean? ”
“Not since we left the castle.
They’ve been pups the whole time, and I don’t know why. ” Josie’s voice cracked. “I should have made them feel safe. I should have done better.
”
“Stop. ” Nezrin’s voice was firm but not unkind. “This is not your fault. ”
“But I was taking care of them—”
“They were taken from their home, from everything they knew.
Babies need stability, security, familiar surroundings. Of course they were scared. Not even their own mother—a queen with an army—could have prevented that. ” She paused.
“So it is certainly not your fault. Do you understand me? ”
Josie wiped at her eyes. “You were incredibly brave.
You saved them. You kept them alive and brought them home when no one else could have. I am so—so proud of you. ”
The words settled around Josie like a warm blanket.
“May I see Bram? ” Josie asked quietly. “I need to know if he’s—if he’s going to be all right. ”
Surprise flickered across Nezrin’s face.
“How about you rest for a bit longer? I’ll go check on him and ask the healer if you can visit later. ”
“All right. ”
Nezrin stood.
“Sleep. You’re safe now. I promise. ”
Josie tried to stay awake, but the bed was so soft and the twins so warm that sleep pulled her under like a tide.
—
When she woke again, the tent was darker. Queen Nezrin hadn’t returned. Josie carefully extracted herself from beneath the sleeping pups. She had to find Bram—had to see for herself that he was all right.
She slipped out and let her nose guide her. Even without a wolf of her own, she could track Bram’s scent. It led her to a larger tent on the far side of camp. Inside, a soldier sat sleeping near the entrance.
Beyond him, rows of cots held injured soldiers. At the very back, she could see Bram—lying unconscious, chest bare and bandaged. And beside his cot, bending down to check his wound, was Queen Nezrin. Josie froze.
Suddenly, Bram’s eyes snapped open. His hand shot out, and he pressed a knife against Nezrin’s throat. “Where are the kids? ” he growled.
Nezrin didn’t flinch. She reached up slowly and gently removed his hand from her throat. “They’re safe. Sleeping.
”
She helped ease him back down as he blinked at her, clarity slowly returning to his eyes. “You’re the queen. The twins’ mother. ”
Nezrin nodded.
Bram stared at her for a long moment, his brow furrowing. “Have we—have we met before? ”
“No, I don’t think so. Why?
”
“Your scent. It seems familiar somehow. ” Then he seemed to remember himself—he was lying in bed, having just held a knife to a queen’s throat. “I apologize, I didn’t mean to—”
“No apologies necessary.
You were protecting my children, even unconscious. I owe you a great debt, sir, for bringing them all back to me. ”
Bram shrugged uncomfortably. “It was all Josie.
She got them out of the palace. She kept them safe. She’s one brave kid. ”
Nezrin tensed visibly at his words, though her expression remained neutral.
“Yes. She is. ”
Bram studied the queen’s face. “What are you planning to do with her?
”
“What do you mean? ”
Bram pushed himself up to sitting despite the obvious pain. “She brought you back your pups. Great.
Happy for you. But now—what’s going to happen to her? ”
Josie’s breath caught. She pressed herself closer to the tent wall, her heart hammering.
“I don’t plan to send her back to the king, if that’s what you’re wondering. ”
“Glad to hear it. But there’s a world of difference between not being sent to her death and being properly taken care of. She’s just a kid.
She’ll need guidance. ”
“Guidance? ”
“You know what I mean. Someone to look out for her.
Care for her. ”
“I assure you, the child will be well taken care of. ”
Bram sighed. “Right.
But the kid’s been through a lot. It’s not just about giving her food and shelter. ”
“What are you saying? ”
“I could take her.
” Bram met her eyes again. “Take care of her. I’ll do it. ”
Josie’s hand flew to her mouth.
“You’d do that? ” Nezrin asked, sounding genuinely touched. Bram shifted uncomfortably. “Well, somebody has to.
Might as well be me. ”
Queen Nezrin was quiet for a long moment. When she finally spoke, her voice was gentle but firm. “That’s very kind of you to offer.
Truly. But it’s one I cannot accept. Josie will stay here with me. ”
“Why?
Did you even ask her if she—”
“Because she is mine. ”
Bram gaped at her. “Josie is my daughter. ”
From her hiding spot, Josie felt the world tilt sideways.
“You’re—you’re serious, aren’t you? ” Bram stammered. “You said yourself my scent reminded you of someone. ”
Bram’s eyes widened as realization crashed over him.
“You’re saying Josie is a princess. And that’s why I smell her on you. ”
Nezrin confirmed it. “Yes.
A princess. And King Tristan’s firstborn child and heir—one he rejected the moment he discovered she couldn’t shift. ”
Josie staggered backward, her hand pressed to the tent wall for support. The king.
The king she’d idolized. He was her father. “When Josie was born without a wolf, it didn’t matter to me. I loved her.
She was beautiful. Mine. But Tristan—his voice hardened—was furious. He demanded that our daughter be killed.
Said she was defective. An embarrassment. ”
Josie couldn’t breathe. “I begged him for her life.
I said I would try to give him full-shifter pups—would keep trying—but only if he let her live. ”
“And he agreed? ”
“Yes. But to keep me compliant, he took her from me.
Josie, my baby. ” Fresh tears ran down her face. “I wasn’t allowed to hold her or nurse her or even see her. Not until I gave him his heir.
His proper heir. I was a prisoner in my own palace for twelve years. I endured miscarriage after miscarriage, all while my daughter lived floors below me, and I couldn’t even speak to her. ”
Bram cursed.
“Bastard. That absolute bastard. ”
“But it wasn’t enough. When the twins were born, when I’d finally given him what he wanted, he still wouldn’t let me see her.
I realized then that he never intended to keep his word—that Josie wasn’t safe, that none of my children were safe. So I tried to escape with all three of them. I was caught. Tristan had me arrested for treason.
He was going to execute me in front of the entire court. But those loyal to me—servants like Paula—helped me escape. ”
Josie’s heart lurched at Paula’s name. “I fled to my family.
My old pack. Gathered an army. Declared war. Not for the throne—I don’t give a damn about the throne.
But for my children. ”
Silence fell. Josie stumbled backward, her hand falling from the tent wall, and turned to run. But she only made it a few steps before a hand caught her shoulder gently.
“Josie? ”
She turned. Queen Nezrin stood there, tears streaming down her face. Their eyes met.
“Is it true? ” Josie asked. Nezrin nodded. Josie began to cry—great, heaving sobs that tore from her chest.
“You have to keep fighting,” she said. “You have to stop him. For Paula. For everyone he’s hurt.
”
“I will. I promise. ”
Josie threw herself into her arms. The queen caught her, holding her close, and they both wept.
For the years they’d lost. For the cruelty they’d endured. For Paula’s sacrifice. For everything that had been stolen from them.
And for the impossible fact that, despite everything, they’d found each other again. —
Bram’s recovery was slow but steady, and Josie visited him every day. At first, she came alone, slipping into the healing tent to sit beside his cot and tell him stories about the twins. But as the days passed, she noticed she wasn’t always his only visitor.
One evening, as the sun dipped low and painted the canvas walls amber, Josie approached the healing tent to find Queen Nezrin already there. She sat beside Bram’s cot, sleeves rolled up, carefully unwrapping the bandages around his torso. Bram was watching her face with an expression Josie had never seen on him before. “You’re terrible at following orders, you know that?
”
Nezrin said something too quiet for Josie to hear, and Bram huffed a laugh that made him wince. “Pretty sure I told you to stop fussing and let the healers do their job. ”
“And I’m pretty sure I told you to stop being so stubborn. ”
Bram caught her wrist gently.
“I’m serious, Your Highness. You don’t need to—”
“I want to. ”
Their eyes met and held, the air between them thickening with something warm and waiting. Josie felt suddenly like an intruder.
A smile tugged at her lips as she turned away. She found the twins exactly where she’d left them—two wolf pups sprawled on a blanket outside Nezrin’s tent, playing with carved wooden animals. They’d finally shifted back to their human forms a week after arriving at camp. Josie had woken to find two small boys instead of pups, and she’d nearly cried with relief.
Now they switched back and forth constantly, as if making up for lost time. Theon spotted a butterfly landing on a nearby flower and pointed his nose at it urgently. “Yes, I see it. It’s very pretty, but you have to be gentle.
”
Too late. Theon bounded after it. Vitto gave chase. Within seconds, both pups were tumbling through the grass, yipping excitedly.
Josie laughed and lay back on the blanket, letting the last warmth of the sun wash over her face. Above her, the sky turned from gold to pink to deep purple. She heard footsteps and opened her eyes to find Nezrin standing over her, silhouetted against the sunset. “How is Bram?
” Josie asked. “Healing well. ” There was something soft in Nezrin’s eyes. “Stubborn as ever, but healing.
”
They sat together in comfortable silence. Eventually, both pups tired themselves out and trotted back. Theon curled up in Nezrin’s lap. Vitto flopped against Josie’s side with a dramatic sigh.
As darkness settled and the stars wheeled overhead, Bram made his way slowly from the healing tent. He settled himself on the grass beside the blanket with a low groan. “Should you be up? ” Josie asked.
“Should you be mothering me? ” Bram countered. Vitto yipped happily and scrambled over to climb into his lap. Bram winced but helped the pup, settling him carefully against his chest.
“You’re getting heavy, little warrior. ”
Theon lifted his head from Nezrin’s lap and whined softly. “I’ll stay with your mother,” Bram said. “There’s not enough lap for both of you.
”
Josie watched them exchange a look over the pups’ heads—something warm and knowing passing between them. Then Nezrin smiled at Josie. “They love you. They trusted you when they couldn’t trust anyone else.
”
“Because I smelled like you. ”
“Because you are their sister,” Nezrin corrected gently. The fire crackled between them, sending sparks spiraling into the star-filled sky. Josie looked at her small, fierce family.
Nezrin beside her, Theon sleeping in her lap. Bram with Vitto curled against his chest. Tomorrow would bring more preparations for war. King Tristan wouldn’t surrender easily.
But tonight, for this one perfect moment, they were just a family.
