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"Alexia, enough Little one, your ured it all out We even have the Alpha transition in place I wanted to wait for Kingair to return I don’t like to leave my pack with an inexperienced Alpha and no Beta But they are still in India and I seehten you Youras I did without a preternatural spouse She’ll nota little thin"

"Too true," said Lady Maccon with feeling "I thought you were iht This" – she raised their joined hands – "is torture!"

Rue frowned, re Quesnel had said She’d been annoyed with hiht you were staying with your parents Don’t you have to right now?" She’d thought he’d meant for propriety’s sake, but had he meant because of Paw’s illness? Because she could certainly help her parents in this particular arena

"Oh, for goodness’ sake, you two" She allowed her annoyance to show "You should have told me from the start and this could have been avoided"

They blinked at her, confused

"Just use me instead!"

"Oh!" said Lady Maccon "What a fabulous idea"

Paned "If you’re sure? You won’t be able to acco a wolf"

Which was really all it took

Lady Maccon, with an expression of profound relief, let go of her husband’s hand

Rue felt the snap back of the tether as it hit her own flesh like a physical wave of tingling Then she was shifting and changing And there she was, brindled earing her father’s power in her skin and the reown It didn’t feel unusual; whatever it was that made Paw Alpha and insane didn’t transmit to her She felt like her norht before when she’d filched fro She wasn’t surprised While Rue’s wolf form looked like a smaller version of her father’s, she wasn’t actually hie to doh as a female olf she should auto over, for even with her limited wolf eyes, Rue could see the profound relief on both her parents’ faces That hat mattered

"You’ll have to stay within tether distance of your father, infant Please don’t forget He can’t be alloolf forht"

Rue nodded her big shaggy head

They were interrupted by so – loudly and persistently – on the parlour door

Lady Maccon, freed up froations, went to open it

Winkle stood there, looking sheepish He was, as only to be expected fro His dark glossy hair, a true glorious blue black, shone under the hallway lights and his up-tilted eyes gleamed

He took in the family dynamic without comment "Lady Maccon, Lady Prudence" A small bow to both the woman and the wolf "Lord Maccon"