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Alice watched from the treetops. She had noticed them more than an hour ago. But, so far, they hadn’t noticed her.

The girl was skilled.

She had carefully moved along the trees. So quickly and with such a light foot, the snow did not fall from the branches to reveal her position.

Alice knew that there were at least four others with her. The scouting parties of Winter always had at least five. Unlike Spring, who often sent scouts out alone, believing them less likely to be spotted this way.

It was true. But, it was also much easier for those scouts to be killed or die from an accident without the aid of a team. That, however, was not the primary concern of Spring.

In fact, every scout was required to make hourly notes and place them in a small container at their waist. The opening at the top allowed the paper to be slipped inside, but the only way to open it was with a device kept by the scoutmaster in Spring.

It also had a tracking device inside of it. That way, their task was still completed whenever the dead scout’s body was recovered.

Alice was not required to carry one of these containers. Instead, she was programmed to defend her life and return to Spring at all costs. If she could not do so, there was a failsafe.

A command that would erase her entirely. Leaving her an empty shell with no memory or likely any brain function left.

Or at least, there had been.

Alice had spotted two other scouts on the other side of the ridge. But unfortunately, they were not as stealthy as their female counterpart.

Luckily, the people they were observing hadn’t noticed them.

Down in the valley below were the targets of both the Winter party and Alice herself.

It was a rogue encampment. Larger than most.

An unusual sight to see. Most of the wolves gathered were nomadic, not generally willing to be a part of a group or a pack. But these seemed to have been here for at least a few weeks.

Tracks leading in and out of the valley had all but disappeared, showing that there hadn’t been much movement in recent days._.

Alice put her hand to her hip in a subtle and slow motion, resting her fingertips on the small dagger she wore there.

His approach was quiet but just noticeable enough for her to be ready when he finally spoke.

“It’s strange, isn’t it?” he said. “They don’t normally congregate like this.”

“What’s strange,” Alice smiled, “is approaching a random scout up in a tree with friendly words.”

She didn’t turn. She was fast enough that if he drew a weapon, she could turn and stab him or drop out of the tree if necessary.

“But you are not random,” he said warmly. “I recognize you from Axel’s ceremony.”

Alice felt a tight pull in her chest at the mentioned name. But she didn’t understand why.

“Who?” she asked.

“Axel,” he repeated. “It seems what I heard about you might be true.”

“And what’s that, sugar?” Alice asked, turning just enough to glance over her shoulder.

She caught sight of his grey braids and his imposing figure. His face was kind yet worn. A man of many years and many more hardships.

Alice had wondered about the Alpha of Winter. What he was like.

“A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Alpha Wyatt,” Alice said in her most charming voice with a smile to match.

Wyatt returned her smile.

“I hope everything is true,” he said.

“Well, it is impossible for everything to be true, isn’t it?” Alice said coyly.

“I meant everything that my son believes about you.”

That feeling again, the tightness in her chest. Her brows furrowed, and she felt her heart quickening, but she didn’t know why.

Alice lifted her head, preparing her mask once more when suddenly she stopped.

Wyatt observed her reaction. She had seemed confused more than anything at the mention of Axel, not as though she had been caught, but as though she genuinely didn’t know him. She had also called Wyatt the Alpha.

Spring was most definitely aware of the shift in leadership, so why would their favorite scout be uninformed?

As she lifted her head, he watched as she smoothed her brows and replaced the look of confusion with aloofness and gaiety.

Had Corrine not already told him about the life this child had lived, about the roles she was forced to take. He might never have noticed the way she slipped on the mask.

But then, she froze.

Her expression was not completely transformed, and she didn’t move. But he saw her breath. He saw panic in her eyes.

“Alice…” he whispered. “Are you alright?”

“…don’t…” she whispered, her voice strained and short. “don’t say any more about Axel….”

Wyatt watched and listened as she spoke, her teeth clenched together and her body immobile. Each word sounded like it took all the effort in her body to say.

“I can’t… control for long… the rogues… they came from the south…. Something is chasing them north….”

Wyatt furrowed his brows and looked past her into the valley. Matteas had moved further down to observe them closer. They had never seen so many this close to Winter.

It was an observational mission. The rogues were not within Winter’s territory; they were roughly ten miles south, but it was close enough and large enough to raise a flag.

“Do you know what it is?” Wyatt asked.

“No,” Alice replied. “But… there are more… more nomads moving…ugh!”

Alice let out a painful groan.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

“Please… I can’t hold much longer… I won’t remember this… don’t mention Axel. I will be forced to report it…. “

Wyatt clenched his jaw; he could see she was struggling.

“Come with me,” he said, without even thinking it through. “We can help you clear your mind.”

“Can’t…” she whispered. “If I leave… you won’t know… if he comes back….”

“Who?” Wyatt asked.

“Please… tell Axel… I lov–UGH!!”

Alice suddenly moved, grabbing her head and crying out in pain, almost losing her balance on the branch.

“Alice!” Wyatt called to her.

Alice lifted her head, her face contorted in pain and confusion. He was about to reach out to her when in an instant, her face changed. The mask fell over her, and she stood up straight.

“How kind of the Alpha of Winter to show concern for little old me,” she smiled.

Wyatt took a deep breath and straightened himself.

“I am concerned about your proximity to Winter,” he said.

Alice pursed her lips.

“Are you trying to shoo me away?” she asked with a pout. “Because we are not actually in Winter, Alpha. This is technically a neutral zone; you got no claim here.”

“Is there a problem here, Wyatt?” a voice called.

Alice smiled and turned her head to the tree beside them, there stood the girl of the group, holding her bow with an arrow notched and aimed directly toward Alice.

“No, Penelope,” Wyatt said. “I just noticed that we weren’t alone.”

Penelope nodded and lowered the bow, keeping her eyes on Alice.

“Matteas has called us to return home. We got what we came for,” she said.

“Oh,” Alice smiled at Wyatt. “Guess you’re leaving,”

“We aren’t the only scouts out here,” Penelope smiled.

“Oh, I know, darlin’,” Alice winked at Penelope.

Penelope growled.

“Leave it,” Wyatt said.

“Bye, bye,” Alice said in a cheerful tone.

Wyatt and Penelope retreated from the trees, and for just a moment, Alice felt as though she had forgotten something.

Letting go of the thought, Alice pulled out her phone and dialed the familiar number.

“Hello, Alice.”

“You’ll never guess who I ran into,” Alice laughed. “The Alpha of Winter.”

Holden was quiet, but the kind of quiet that Alice had learned to fear.

“Is something wrong?” Alice asked, swallowing down the fear.

“Where are you?” Holden asked.

“About ten miles south of Winter,” she replied.

“That was not where you were sent,” Holden replied coldly.

“No,” Alice quickly replied. “But, you told me to monitor the rogues. They were gone when I got there. But I found their track and followed them up here. But that’s not all I found–”

“Return to Autumn,” Holden interrupted. “You have no reason to be near Winter or their wolves.”

Alice wasn’t sure what she had done wrong, but she knew the tone in his voice. She licked her lips and closed her eyes. It seemed likely that she would be receiving another treatment.

“Yes, Holden,” she said sadly. “I’m on my way.”

Inside her mindscape, the actual Alice worked to fix the hole she had punctured in her defenses. Her desire to keep Wyatt from revealing too much had overwhelmed her. She had taken control of her body to protect the secret of her bond with Axel.

But doing so recklessly damaged the space she had built inside her mind in the process.