The Heart of the Lone Wolf Read Online Free Page B

building inside him, for he dared not disturb the Shepherd. Instead, he ran. But there was no escape from his aloneness. The night was interminable, the worst he endured in three years and the Wolf despaired the darkness would never end. When the horizon streaked with rose, he caught the aroma of smoke. The Wolf knew the Shepherd must be up, preparing his meals for morning and afternoon, enough to sustain him for a long journey.
    Without thinking, the Wolf followed the scent of frying venison, what was left of the deer they killed a couple of weeks ago. The Shepherd turned when the snap of a branch gave him away. Shame flooded through the Wolf at his appearance. He’d never seen the Shepherd so haggard. The lines on his face had deepened overnight and his eyelids were swollen.
    “What are you doing here?”
    “Please let me come back. I swear it will never happen again.”
    “I can’t. Not after an attack like that.”
    “Ella Bandita has destroyed so many lives. Does she have to ruin our friendship as well?”
    That was the worst thing he could have said. The Shepherd stared hard at the Wolf, his brows drawn together.
    “Ella Bandita had nothing to do with what happened yesterday,” he said. “That was all you. If you refuse to admit it, you have nothing left to say to me.”
    “I’m sorry! Surely you must know that.”
    “Of course I do. And I’ve already forgiven you for yesterday.”
    “Then let me come back,” the Wolf begged. “You know I can’t stand to be
    alone!”
    The Shepherd sighed and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, the Wolf saw no hostility in his regard, only sadness. Somehow, that made him feel worse.
    “You need to make peace with that fear,” the Shepherd finally spoke. “How can you if you stay with me? You have so much to learn.”
    “Like what?” the Wolf muttered.
    “Ironically enough, the same lesson Ella Bandita taught me. For all your talk about following your heart, have you ever listened to it?”
    His head jerked up and the Wolf was unable to stop himself from baring his teeth.
    His fury was sudden, the growl stirring in his belly before he could stop it. He managed to restrain himself enough to grow quiet. But the Shepherd stared at him and slowly raised his brows.
    “Or,” he said. “You could just learn how to be a wolf. You certainly have that nature and you may be this animal for the rest of your life.”
    “What do you expect?” the Wolf snapped. “What you just asked of me is
    impossible.”
    “That’s not true,” the Shepherd replied. “Because your heart is always a part of you.”
    The Wolf was reminded of the last dream he had about his grandfather and started to cry. He couldn’t feel the tears streaming down his face through the fur, which made him sob even harder. The Shepherd stroked his back and scratched behind his ears, murmuring soft words of comfort. But the kindness only added to his sorrow.

    “I don’t think I can do this,” the Wolf wept. “I’m terri fied, Shepherd.”
    “I know you are. Just listen to your heart and you’ll never be afraid again.”

Chapter two
    A year and nine months later…
    The Youngest had to look twice to make certain his eyes didn’t deceive him. But the pack of wolves was still there, tearing into the belly of a stag, too intent to hear his approach.
    He hated this time of year. Hunting season always started with the first snow. The frost crunching under the hooves of his mare irritated him further into a foul humor. The trees were naked of leaves, but his eye caught the berries still hanging from the bushes.
    He resisted the urge to dismount and gather them, for he could only imagine the scorn of his father if he came back with frozen blueberries.
    His brothers were just like the old man. They were all big men who loved to hunt.
    Their father taught them everything he knew about the sport, and the son who returned with the largest buck or the most kills was the one he treated with respect. His