These two moonroots had just struck me across the face hard enough to leave a mark.
On a working day, during the morning hours, I gathered my belongings and headed straight home.
The Beta Enforcer Marcus Frostveil spotted me leaving. He couldn't stop me, but he made sure to mention he'd be reporting my departure to the Alpha.
Before long, Aurora announced in the pack's message-rune channel: not only would my rations be docked for abandoning my post, but my merit standing would also suffer—for displaying an "uncommitted attitude toward pack duties."
When news of this spread, several of my den-mates immediately spoke up in my defense through the shared channel.
"First she's cheated out of ten thousand marks, and now her merit gets slashed? They really don't see our Den-Leader as anything more than prey!"
"Exactly! This entire year, our Den-Leader has always arrived at first light and left well after moonrise. Even when her own family fell ill, she never requested leave—she'd wait until her duties ended before rushing to the healers' sanctuary."
"Alpha Aurora, aren't you worried this treatment will freeze the hearts of those who've served the pack longest?"