Chapter 69

　　Celeste's heart was pounding very fast in her chest. Her thoughts were racing as she tried to recall every detail of the wolves lying on the floor.

　　Maybe... Maybe her parents were still alive! Maybe the hunters had kept them alive! The idea gave her a sudden surge of hope. The weight on her shoulders seemed to have lifted a little. For the first time in what felt like so long, she could breathe a little easier.

　　Celeste paced back and forth under the tree. She could hear the sound of her own heart racing in her ears. Her wolf, too, seemed to be energized by the possibility that her parents might still be alive. She could feel the wolf's presence in her, pacing back and forth.

　　She lost track of time under the tree, lost in thought. When she finally looked up, she realized that the birds that had been perched on the tree had flown away.