A week passed without Aster approaching or following her. She never expected to miss his irritating habit of being everywhere she went. But, she did. Her cat also gave her a hard time, so Esta trained the frustration away, or tried to. She lifted weights and sparred with anyone willing to get into the ring with her. And she waited.

Nicolas called a meeting of the pack on the seventh day. Esta knew in her heart that Aster had finally challenged. She was as ready as she would ...