Chapter 72

“Good riddance,” Marla says.

I glance at her sharply but she doesn’t notice. She’s busy sh ooting daggers at Aaron’s back with her mascara-caked eyes.

I take a deep breath.

I’m not being nice.

I look around the hall at the other wolves that are hanging around. A couple of older males look vaguely familiar and there are two younger guys who are conversing with

my brother.

No one approaches me. There are no welcomes.

Everyone is still grieving, I remind myself. But that doesn’t make this ‘homecoming’ feel any less like ‘home’.

It’s not like there would’ve been time to clean out my room or to assemble the pack, but everything about today just feels anticlimactic, and, well, bad.

What’s worse, I don’t know what to do with myself or where to

start.

approaches and he’s smiling. He pulls me into a

this hug. I

crystal clear-they were the only thing that kept me going in those early years-that I think seeing all the differences and feeling like

he tells me. “You

how Aaron

heart is in the right place. I’m a mess right now and it has been a brutal night.

few hours. We

I’m sure I’m ruffling a lot of feathers and most people, no matter how supportive,

“Yeah. Sure. Okay.”

Marla grins.

as I

don’t go back to my room. I hit the kitchen first.

pans used for my bacon and eggs are still on the stove. Di rty bowls are left on the counter. It isn’t a disaster, but there isn’t a spread of food laid out or the team of wolves that would be up

giant refrigerator. There are a bu nch of takeout containers and leftovers that look too old.

stairs up to the main landing. From here, I can go up two or three flights. I can turn

long while. There are pawprints on the floor, and the kind of stains that come from dirt being ground in by foot traffic over a long time. Again, I remind myself not to judge. Life is

is inwardly grimacing. Between the main hall/den, my room, I’m a little anxious that dad’s room won’t be much better. I would think with all the money I’ve been sending that they could’ve

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