Page 57 of Wolf Roulette

He’s not coming back,Booker growled.

She was majorly pissed.

I was just devastated.

This was a huge misunderstanding, but there wasn’t time for Sascha to pull this move. The possibility of Rhona returning from Bluff City had occurred to me after the head team left. Refusing the position to allow the pack to win wasn’t an infallible plan.

The head steward offer could disappear before Grids next week.

It could disappear in mere hours.

Booker. I think we need to do this the hard way.Tears trekked over my cheeks.

We sure do.

I sniffed.You’re in? But you hate human politics.

For you and reproduction, I’ll partake.

I wiped my face.Thanks, girl.

Let’s go eat some hearts.

I chose to interpret that metaphorically. Dragging out the moment, I peered around the bungalow for anything I might have missed, then started lugging my bags out to Ella F.

One day, I’d unpack them in Sascha’s wardrobe.

That was my goal now.

Ironically, to achieve that, I had to take a huge step away from him.

I grabbed my phone and keys and walked to the pack house. Members of the pack roused an hour ago, and the bungalow was steadily filling. Their discomfort had ramped overnight with Sascha’s absence—and no doubt wondering what my decision would be.

I ignored the male Luthers, my attention on the females.

Nodding at a sombre Evelyn, I faced the half of the pack who’d somehow accepted me in the short time I’d been here.

I’d accepted them too.

“Your attention, please,” I said softly.

The males shut up, too—whoever decided that men didn’t like to gossip were absolutely wrong.

My gaze wandered over Jemma and Axel—still in his boy form, then to my bacon-sandwich thief, Essie.

Rosalie, Bailey, Kara.

Emily.

They’d think I was letting them down, and their opinions meant something to me. I wanted them to look up to me.

“During my absence, I want to make it clear that Evelyn is in charge. Is anyone opposed?” I asked them.

Kara tilted her chin. “Your absence?”

In answer, I unleashed the uncertainty and hope and determination filling my every thought for them to scent out. I wasn’t joking when I told Booker this was the hard way. “If there are any issues, you’re all welcome to reach out at any time. I’ll leave my phone number with Evelyn to distribute.”

There was more I wanted to say.

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