#Chapter 401 – The Camps

Ella

Someone must have called ahead because when we pull up to the refugee camp I see Isabel standing outside the gates, her arms crossed over her chest and a big smile on her face. I give a little squeal of excitement when I see her, my hand immediately going to the lever on the car door. “Seriously, Ella,” Cora murmurs, grabbing my other wrist. “Let’s not leap out of the moving vehicle just because we see our friends.” “Ohhh,” I say, tossing her a little glare over my shoulder.

“I’m not that dumb, Cora -” “You’ve done it before,” she sighs. “Once!” I snap, giving her a real glare and then quickly moving to unbuckle myself and then Rafe, getting him strapped to my chest as fast as I can when the car stops. The result of the delay is that Isabel pulls open my door the moment I turn around, ready to grab the handle again. “Ella!” she shouts, laughing already, and I burst out of the car, wrapping my friend in a one-armed hug, kind of regretting that I already strapped Rafe to me so that I can’t hold her properly.

“Isabel!” I gasp, giving her a big kiss on the cheek. “It issogood to see you!”

“And you, friend,” she says, sighing a little in relief that looks like it was a long time coming. “We were all going crazy when we didn’t hear from you for so long and we got some of the details, but no one really knows what happened? Some kind of…attack?” ” It’s an insane story,” I say, rolling my eyes as Cora and Conner come around the car. “I’ll tell you all about it, but it needs a long telling, so maybe…not now,” I say, glancing over at the refugee camp. “All right,” she nods, still looking at me.

got. She smiles at me and nods, understanding, and then takes a moment to fuss over Rafe, telling him how big he got, and then giving Cora a kiss on the cheek as well. As Isabel hugs Cora, she pauses

says, laughing,” though I’m not sure I’m used

“This baby…is a pup?” Cora laughs and shrugs a little. “Listen, it’s complicated. But yeah…. I’m a human with a wolf soul and I’m pregnant with a hybrid mostly-wolf baby.” Isabel blinks in surprise and then laughs, narrowing her eyes at her.

again, harder now and blushing to be called out. “God,” she says, running a hand through her hair, “were

everyone but yourselves, apparently,” Isabel says, smirking at her. And then she turns her attention to Conner. “And who are you?” “A bit of a new addition,” he says, rubbing his hair awkwardly but giving her a

my friend on her shoulder. “Isabel!” I laugh, shaking my head at her. “You’d have bitten my head off if I asked that of you the moment I met you.” “Well, I’m different now,” she says, grinning at me. “More romantic, now that I see how much it turned my life around. after tragedy. I’m a meddler

all of us towards the gates. “We’ll see what we can do about that.” And then, together, Isabel walks us towards the gates. As

resources now -” “I know,” she says, placing

says, nodding and starting forward. “Let’s get started.” She fills us in on her family as we begin to walk, letting us know that James is well and –

knows it. The little girl is apparently growing like a weed and a fast learner, eager for every picture book she can get her hands on. While all of this news about my friend’s family warms my heart to its core, that heat fades from me the deeper we get into the camp. Isabel gives us a thorough tour, taking us down row after row of tents where

Isabel says, turning to me with narrowed eyes.

anyway, these wolves are all people who had their home destroyed during the war and don’t have family to take them in, or have no way to get to that family, or who otherwise don’t have access to the resources they need to get their lives back together.” “Why the fences?” Cora asks, looking around at the tall chain-link fences all around the perimeter with

Isabel sighs, “people can come and go as they please. The fences are here to

she says, shrugging to me. “There’s probably a better word for it – but there are plenty of people – both human and wolf – who do not like the

people around us, dozens and hundreds of them living in tents, doing their best just to survive after the war took everything from them. “Will you…will you take me to the human camps too?” “I will,” she says, biting her lip and looking up at me. “Though…they may

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