"He's suffering," Aimes pointed out with the slightest throb in his voice for his former friend and pack mate. "End it."

Stride gurgled a laugh. "Thank you for being in such a hurry to see me go."

"Would you shut up already?" Aimes snapped. "You never did know how to quit while you were ahead."

"Enough!" Annecy kicked Stride hard enough to crack bones. "This is funny to you? The fact that you're about to die?"

Stride groaned and screwed his eyes shut. "I came to ...