73 [Bonus chapter] Strategy

~ ZEV ~

As they trudged through the snow, Skhal still didn't smile. Zev could feel the tension in the male, though he'd submitted now, so it wasn't aggression. Zev supposed he should be grateful for that.

"Tell me how we ended up here," he said when they reached a spot where Skhal leaned down to put his hand under an overhang of rocks and pulled out a set of clothing and fur boots.

Skhal dressed slowly, only his feet red and showing the signs of the cold. But he was still shirtless when he began to speak.

"You left us," Skhal said through his teeth. "No warning. Everything spun out of control because the hierarchy was decimated. You expect to just walk back in and be applauded?"

"No," Zev said through his teeth. "But I also don't expect to be held accountable for the decisions the new Alpha made in my absence.

Skhal snorted. "Why, because you're so noble?"