omeone would save

st in my own skin. No one spoke to me. Not even Milo. Not after what happened. Rejec

g hadn't

had the

er?" "He made the right call. Loo

each step heavier than the last. If I walked like I couldn't

y alway

Carried through every hallway, every clear

someone called

he back of m

ow to walk? You m

ing. Slow steps. Deep breaths.

another voice laughed. "

I kept my face blank as I stepped inside, grabbed the mop and

ed another bucket beside me with

ta," I m

s that?

voice steady

off. I wanted to throw the bucket at

lood clung to the rubbery surface like it didn't want to

trode in. Her ponytail swished like a weapo

es sense. You're good at

n't r

ue of yours only works whe

was the only defense I ha

ou'd begged. Think he would've taken you behind the shed?

dle snapped

l, omega. Anger doesn't look good on you. Ma

hair. I stared down at the broke

For the actual dogs Blackfang used for hunting. My job? Muck o

I dragged a full bucke

d. "That makes tw

n the metal water dish. Dirt smudged acro

ut it twisted

se I look

d exactly how t

aking fingers, and hissed when the cold hit raw skin. Th

raining. Or yes

ang. Time

if I skipped, they'd fi

gs and a shirt that still smelled like last week's blood. The tra

course. I could feel his star

rel

across the clear

cused on breathing sl

with L

cou

lf who smiled while making others bleed. We circle

asily," she said.

swer. Didn'

ait

lu

ed, caught myself, rolled, came

got some bit

the one after. Let instinct move

legs. I hit the ground hard. Wind knoc

idn't

and whispered, "Still thin

called,

her hands. I lay still for a

ed over, slo

Bruised. Blo

ou keep letting everyone walk over

that be ni

mile

storage shed, pressing ice t

r match,

More like ta

lding out a bottle of wat

n't cry,

's th

ay,

ice soaked through the cloth. It stung. A remind

thought about l

oment. "Sometimes. B

nswer echoed in my head: a

ld rest,"

n't change

t sat with me until

come out yet, but the moon was rising. Just a sliver

y arms arou

ey'd always called me. I never shifted. Never

hey wer

I was

g. Fast. Free. Wild. And when I woke, the ta

the pack in the distance. Laughter, foo

t, faint but

rom in

fr

d didn'

roa