There was no steering her from her single-minded goal, though Valko couldn't blame her for this. Ylva had suffered greatly, and Valko had only sat by, doing nothing. It mattered little to him that he had only known of Ylva through reputation and traded words between alphas. Her father had spoken fondly of his daughter the handful of times Valko had been lucky enough to speak with him before his untimely passing. No, his murder. No need to soften the blow. Ylva didn't. The alpha felt a great aching in his chest at the thought of his mate being locked away like a slave, a mindless animal, a toy to be used and tossed at the user's discretion. How could he not have realized his duty to her? How could he not have known?<br/><br/>"Ylva, please," he whispered, watching with a hard frown as her eyes began to gleam. He reached for her, pulling her back to him. Leaning over her, he pressed his lips against the corners of her eyes, tasting the salt there. "I cannot sit here idly and watch your heart break in your chest. If disposing of Antony is the only thing that will bring you peace, I will do what I can to help you," he promised, his voice low.<br/><br/>"Come. You must be properly introduced to the elders. We shall also inform them that there is to be a gathering tonight. We will present your case and see what the pack thinks." A large, calloused hand lifted up and settled against her cheek, gently rubbing the wetness from her skin. He touched her tenderly, as one might carefully stroke the petal of a delicate flower. His lingering guilt over Ylva's suffering made him question whether he was even worth of even this gentle caress. "You should dry your eyes. I want the elders to see you at your best."<br/><br/>He released her, moving toward the door and peering out. Wolves had left their homes and were performing daily tasks as though nothing were out of the ordinary. Washed laundry hung out to dry, meat brought back from the daily hunt. Pups frolicked around the village without worry while protective parents kept a watchful eye. Valko felt as if his life had changed completely in a single night, but the rest of the world hadn't noticed at all.<br/><br/>"Come, the elders like to meet at the river." He offered his hand. "There may be eyes on you, but do not worry. You are a difficult wolf to ignore, Ylva."