Ylva almost recoiled when he gently reached for her hands.  Antony had kept her in a cage for much of the last few weeks and had rarely offered any kindness towards her.  She had not expected such tender treatment from anyone, especially not from the Alpha of another pack.  As he was taking a clear risk, allowing her into his pack like this.  Most packs had more than enough males and females between them, so she waited for him to explain his angle in all of this and followed carefully as he led her through his hall.  She sat down, but relief did not fill her body until he voiced his disapproval of Antony's actions.<br/><br/>His eyes were not on hers, which meant he was either distinctly trying not to intimidate her or...He saw her as his equal.  Perhaps he was just trying to be gentle with her.  Ylva frowned when he mentioned the idea of being outcast from her own pack.  He was right, at this very moment, her anger would not serve her and so that fiery emotion suddenly twisted into equal parts exhaustion and sorrow.	She nodded her head.  "He only sent me because he's afraid of you and he thought I would be the highest prize he could offer.  A well-bred female he could give to you as a slave."  She sighed, as if expelling some of the ferocity he had seen moments before.  Now that he was closer, he would clearly see the mistreatment she had suffered at Antony's hands.  The dress and veil had been clean, but the woman beneath it had smudges of dirt on her neck and bones that were a little too visible under her skin.<br/><br/>"I..."  She began but stopped when the smell of fresh meat hit her nostrils.  A tall, thin woman approached them with a plate that held a variety of cooked meats, bread and other morsels.  Ylva forgot her manners the moment the place was placed before them and immediately grabbed a leg of chicken, devouring it in just moments.  Once it was picked dry to the bone, she seemed to remember herself and used the veil as if it were a napkin to wipe her lips free of any oil.  "I don't intend to do anything rash, I know how this works.  My parents take in--  My parents<i> took</i>in lone wolves.  I know respect is paramount."  Her voice was softer now, quieter than it had been before.<br/><br/>Ylva took another deep breath in and the meal and Valko filled her senses.  He smelled good, better than perhaps he should have.  The other person he had ordered to get supplies returned a moment later and Ylva reached out her hands to take the cloth and small bowls from him, but he bypassed her and set them next to Valko.  It was strange to feel like she had no place with the people around her, no rank or position, no idea where she fit in all of this.  She extended her wrists out toward him to allow him to tend to the wounds she had made so much worse with her anger.<br/><br/>"His sights are not only on my pack, he wants to grow his territories and pack like the humans so often do.  I will not be the first gift he offers an unmated Alpha."  Antony was right to move quickly, otherwise a lesser wolf or neighboring Alpha might challenge him in his weakness.  It was their way.  Had he not used silver and concontions to keep her docile while she was locked in a cage among her pack, Ylva would have no doubt attempted to challenge him herself.