Page 18 of Wynter Abandoned

“Sister, Mama is going to have a hissy fit if you ask for another one. She says we’re running through her husband’s funds too fast.”

“Well, isn’t it just too bad? She must realize that once we get married, she won’t have to support us anymore, it will be just her and the maid. So isn’t it a savings for us to buy the perfect outfit for the ball so we can catch us some alpha mates?”

Catch them? Clearly these were not the women I sought, and they sounded so crazy, I did not want them to get any ideas about “catching” me. We might take the assistant roles in the pack, but we were every bit as alpha as the leader. Images of being leapt upon by these females made me shudder. I took a step back and then another, trying to be silent but less graceful in this form. A branch cracked under my heel, sending a sharp piece of wood into my heel and forcing me to clap a hand over my mouth to keep from shrieking out my pain.

But the stick was enough to catch their attention.

“Did you hear that?” the first one asked. “What if it’s a bear?”

Chapter Seventeen

Wynter

My stepsisters had done something entirely out of character, and I was in trouble for it.

“Where are my girls?” Stepmama did not like them out of her sight, at least when she wanted them for something. Not work—they did none of that, but other things. “It’s time to try on all the dresses and decide which one to wear to the event.”

“Can’t I come, Stepmama? The invitation said everyone, regardless of age or status. I could be of help to you all.”

She smirked. “You? Helpful? You don’t even know where Violet and Calla have gone.”

“I can go look for them.”

“Then do it.” She turned away, muttering to herself something on her usual theme of ungrateful girls who didn’t appreciate everything they received from the goodness of her heart. I wasn’t sure if she meant her daughters or me. Maybe all of us. It should feel good to be included, right?

Of course, it didn’t. Because after I tracked down her girls, they’d all line up against me again, I’d be sleeping in my leaky shed, and they’d all pile into the limo they’d rented for the occasion and go off to meet handsome males who might be stupid enough to marry them.

But I had better things to do than feel sorry for myself, starting with finding Violet and Calla. They hadn’t left by car, since theirs was still in its spot, and no rideshare had come rumbling down the long, dirt drive that led to our house. So, they couldn’t have gone far at all.

But once I’d walked all around the farm and found no sign of them, there was only one possibility I could come up with. They had to have gone into the woods. Something they did onlyon pack runs, to the best of my knowledge, leaving their poor wolves trapped inside the rest of the time. I was a fine one to say anything though. My wolf wasn’t even speaking to me anymore, although I felt her in there, somewhere.

If only I knew the reason I was forbidden to shift. But every time I asked, my stepmama responded as though I knew the answer. As if I’d done something terrible in wolf form or was cursed or…I didn’t know. Except that she implied very bad things would happen if I disobeyed. Every now and then, I gathered my courage and determined I’d free my wolf no matter what, but something always got in the way.

Maybe Fate was protecting me from myself.

But for now, I needed to find my stepsisters or pay the price for failure, probably in the form of missing dinner. Or worse. Shrugging into the big coat, I pulled up the hood over my hair and set out into the cold woods.

I still didn’t find it likely that they would be there, but with no other options, I had to try. It wasn’t as if those alphas they were talking about had arrived to sweep them off their feet. Their delusions knew no limits.

And I didn’t mind the opportunity to visit the forest, breathe the clean air, and see the animals. It was cold enough to see my breath, and I was muttering under my breath about people who weren’t smart enough to stay in the house when it was freezing outside.

I heard them before saw them, marching back toward home and discussing…what else? The ball, their dresses for the ball, their hairstyles for the ball…accessories, makeup, and that’s when I lost interest. In fact, instead of hollering that I was there, I stepped into the bushes and remained silent while they walked past me, arguing and bragging at the same time.

A moment later, I stepped out to find myself face-to-face with the biggest wolf I could recall seeing. His eyes met and heldmine, and I swallowed hard. I didn’t need someone to tell me he was no natural animal, but it had been such a long time since I’d been around any other wolves, I didn’t know who it was. Was he someone I used to know when I was a little girl and still attending events with the pack?

No idea. I began to speak, wanting to say something to him, but Violet shrieked, and I turned to see what happened. When I looked back, he was gone. Had I imagined him? Could he possibly be the male who saved me from being run over?

No. Of course not. Violet yelled again, and I let out a sigh and jogged toward where the cry came from. I hoped she wasn’t hurt because she’d take to her bed, and I’d be spending the next however long waiting on her twice as much.

Chapter Eighteen

Xerxes

Nobody knew who I’d been talking to…at first. I called the alphas of all the packs invited to the ball and anyone else I could think of, but when I described the female I’d helped, they all seemed to draw a blank. Her beautiful hair and those eyes with their long lashes. I described the delicacy of her form, the fact that she seemed underfed and like a strong wind would blow her over, yet she managed to pull free of my hold without too much effort.

Finally, when speaking to an alpha from a pack on the other side of the mountain, I described the two pushy females who waited for her in the car. And I struck gold. “Two heavyset, loud females?” he asked.

“Sounds right. I met them in town another time before I ran into the female I’m asking about and they were a little overwhelming.”

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