on my dresser at noon and

hat little black rectangle. Blank screen. My thumb ke

tomach was eating itself and also because I could smell som

itchen. There was a w

ed, arms thick. She had an apron on and she was stirr

Of course she knew. Whole pack probably knows

irt. And bare feet. My hair was up in a

it wasn't all fakey nice. It was real tired smile. "He said you might be hungry

er about the apple slices. W

kay,"

liked her instantly. "Sit. Eat. He's going to make you come

. What

inner?"

y like the old woman in the shed gave me. This had

id. "All the pack comes. Alpha sits at the head. It'

So me. I'm

o my mouth. "I have to go

. Tonight. Seven. He said to tell you it's not optional but you can wear whate

ady past noon. I h

salty that makes you drink water after. I ate all of it and

his a lot?" I asked. Qui

d. Just that. No. Then after a second, "Never. N

h

I'm the fi

e stairs where Kael left them. I dragged them up. Zipper on

make it fast." So I grabbed whatever. Two good dresses, three sweaters, jeans with a hol

er the dresser. I looked... wrong. My eyes were puffy. My hair was still damp from last night. And the

f. Threw it

ter but too... too much

tarted crying. Not pretty crying. Like ugly, snotty, shoulders shaking crying. Because I

nock. Soft this ti

you came down. You okay

hirt. It smelled like him and now

Voice cracked agai

us

id through the door. "

e I was in underwear and his

ng a bag outside the door. Just

ps go away. Qui

. Then crawled to the

a dress. Dark green. Soft. Like... like velvet but not heavy velvet. Simple. L

nothing. J

lap and cried again. But different this time. Not the ugly s

e bought me socks bec

t. Not tight. It fell loose and the sleeves covered my wrists where

erty. I looked like... I looked tired. But I looked like me. Maybe a little bit

downs

He saw me and his whole... his whole face did something. His eyes went wide for a second

arted, then stopped. Cough

socks," I said

said. "Yeah

new socks kept my feet warm though. He walked next to me but not too close. Left space. But I could feel him there. Like a sha

Long tables. Smell of more garlic and meat and fire.

Instant

near my back. Not

not the 2 AM apple voice. "She's under my roof. She's under my prot

uzzcut - looked at me weird. Like up and down. Kael'

e. I went and sat next to her. Kael w

Mara kept putting food on my plate. "Eat," she kept saying. I ate. The

ner, my old phone that I had in my bag

. From

ing house with a monster? He'll get

ain. The old shake. Teeth c

s looking right at me. Like he knew.

up his plate. And came and sat next to me. At the side ta

there, big shoulder almost touching

zcut gu

ght. Let Jonah watch.

ot pr

f is eating potatoes next to me like I'

stopped