Page 5 of Wolf's Gambit

With its not-so-quiet whisperings, veiled looks, and backward ways, this pack was not my home.

But as I finished my daily chores and with a casserole in the oven for our dinner later, I knew I shouldn’t be so harsh.

Our pack was stable. There was hardly any in-pack fighting. Bale was a good pack leader. He was fair and reasonable in any raised disputes, adored his children and wife, and strived to be an example in every way. He had good relations with neighboring packs, and we hardly had any issues with humans.

I’d heard many tales where pack leaders were terrible tyrants, so I was glad that Bale was not one of them. I’d also heard tales where the pack females also defended the pack, and felt envious of their recognized equality.

Leaving our small two-bedroom cottage, I headed to the small bakery north of the village. I’d made lamb stew for dinner, and while I could cook, I couldn’t bake worth a damn unless it was bread.

If asked outright, I would deny that I was perhaps feeling bad that my brother may miss the Luna Ball because of me, and buying him an apple cinnamon pie was not out of guilt. I was just being a dutiful sister.

It happened. Sometimes. Rarely, but sometimes.

At the store, I tried to ignore the fact that three girls my age turned away when they saw me enter. Kris encouraged me to make friends when I was younger, but I already had resting bitch face mastered, and I would rather be ignored than be fake.

I wasn’t popular in our small school, and when they realized I preferred it that way, it didn’t ease my social status in the pack.

“Kezia?”

The store owner, Belle, called me forward, and I greeted her with a smile. Belle was always nice. “Hi, do you have any apple cinnamon pies?”

Belle narrowed her eyes at me, but I saw her small, teasing smile. “What did you do?”

Behind me, I could hear the other girls stop talking.

“Nothing,” I told Belle, forcing my smile to stay on. “I just thought he needed a treat.”

“Mm-hmm,” she said with an arched eyebrow. “I’ve got one in the back. Give me a minute.”

I watched her retreat with dread, and sure enough, as soon as the door to the back kitchen swung shut, they were around me.

“Supposedly, you’re banned from the Luna Ball,” Melanie said to me from my left.

“Yeah? Bonus for me,” I replied dryly. I hoped the town didn’t know this, because I hadn’t told Cass yet that there was a possibility I may not be attending. I didn’t want her to hear it from these idiots, either.

“You really don’t want to go?” Lisa asked me incredulously. She was the more tolerable of the three but still annoying.

“I really don’t mind,” I told her honestly.

“Is it because you can’t afford to go?”

Turning my head, I smiled at Melanie, experiencing a small thrill of delight when she stepped back. “Did you just say that Pack Leader Bale doesn’t provide well enough for his betas?”

Melanie’s face drained of color. “No, I…no!”

“Really? Because you asked if my brother was poor, and to ask if my family is poor is to imply he isn’t well paid. But…” I shook my head as I pretended to think about it. “My brother works directly for the pack leader, so…”

“Why are you twisting my words?” Melanie wailed. “I said nothing like that.”

“Really? Lisa, what did you hear?” I asked, turning back to the other girl.

“I…” Lisa looked between us, and then, with her head lowered, she murmured, “It’s what you said, Mel.”

Belle came back out to the front, suspicion clear in her eyes as she looked at the four of us. “All okay here?”

“Never better,” I said smoothly, taking the boxed pie from her. “Melanie was just telling me how unfair it was of Pack Leader Bale to pay his trusted advisors so poorly for their pack work.”

Belle’s gaze sharpened on Melanie, who squirmed beside me.

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