I had braced myself for some grave offense. But the crime, it turned out, was nothing more than this: after delivering the Bond Severance petition to the Alpha King, Rowan had taken it upon herself to summon the pack healer for me.
The Alpha King and his Luna already carried guilt over the Alpha Heir breaking his fated bond with me. When they learned what had happened, they'd rebuked Cressida harshly.
Called her vicious. Said she'd shown callous disregard for another she-wolf's life.
Cressida couldn't touch me, not with the Alpha King and his Luna shielding me. So she'd turned her fury on Rowan instead.
I watched Rowan's broken body twitch with each blow, barely clinging to life, and the tears wouldn't stop. The silver left thin lines of smoke rising from her skin. My wolf pressed itself flat inside me, whimpering low, unable to look away.
I seized Hadeon's sleeve and begged. "My lord, please save Rowan. Every fault is mine, all of it."
"She was only worried about me."
Hadeon's expression pinched with reluctance. "Perenna, she's just a servant. Let the Alpha Heir's mate vent her anger and it'll blow over."