Page 19 of Wolf Roulette

Sascha remained impassive. “There are wounds other than the physical. You saw what was done to her.”

Ugh.I resumed chewing.

“Are there other pack members who support this claim?” he asked.

Swallowing, I counted the hands.

A lot of hands.

The thought of me freeloading was the most hilarious thing to happen in a long time.Me,who’d made sure the bills were paid as best as possible since age eleven and who’d cared for her sick fake-mother, taken on her debt, and then somehow ended up caring for more than a thousand tribe members.

I snorted and slapped a hand over my mouth.

“Andie?” Sascha said. “Do you have something to add?”

“No. Nope.” My voice was strangled. “Sorry. Continue.”

He focused on Rosalie again. “What do you propose?”

“That she pays her way. She could help in Clay or Water.”

I wouldn’t mind that actually. The tribe knew precious little about pack operations in those grids.

“The Dens,” Hairy interjected. “She can play music again. Profits increased by over 2 percent while she was with us.”

Wade brought my saxophone with my other stuff, and I’d wasted no time sneaking the instrument back into the Jeep when he wasn’t looking. “I won’t play music.”

Hundreds of eyes found me again, including Sascha’s.

Hairy cast me a confused look.

I’d never touch that saxophone again. “Is there a different job at The Dens?”

Mandy spoke, “How about the casino side of things? You could work a table.”

Sascha’s growl unfurled like a whip. “You know she won’t do that.”

Yeah,that bothered me once. But who the hell cared anymore? Life was already as fucked up as it could get. What was one sliver more?

I smirked. “The casino? Sure, why not.”

“Andie.” Sascha began.

I stood, empty plate in hand. “I’m not sure how it works here, but I’ll need to be paid money.”

Rosalie crossed her arms. “That’s not how it works in a pack.”

“I have the rest of my gambling mother’s debt to pay off, so the pack will need to make an exception.Or,I can find other employment and pay a set fee to the pack for living on this territory and eating your food. I’m fine with either.”

Finding other employment could prove difficult though. The tribe owned most of the other companies, barring a few family-run businesses in town that didn’t hire outside help. The supermarket and bank would be the best bets.

Murmurs broke out.

I’d wager that Sascha didn’t want me off his territory.

He also needed to keep his pack happy.

“We have communal pack funds that each Luther has access to,” he eventually said. “Instead of this, we’ll transfer the personal share of what you earn to your account. Are you certain that you wish to work in the casino? We can find different work.”

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