Page 36 of Savage Hope

“Why would they do that?” I ask as she starts to choose her dinner, but I can’t bring myself to reach for a plate with my mind still struggling to process all of this new information.

“Why does the Alpha Pack do anything? They’re insane. Some might call them savage, but sticking up for a witch isn’t usually on their agenda. You should be honored,” she says with a wink, and my eyes flare wide in shock.

Honored? I feel anything but.

I don’t say that, though, dipping my chin to my chest as I take an easing breath before forcing myself to look at the food options. Reaching for a burger and fries, I also grab a bottle of water, refusing to go anywhere near the drink machine.

Bryony falls into a comfortable silence, eating her pizza while I nibble at my fries. The deliciousness is wasted on me as I drown my thoughts, overanalyzing every moment. More than anything, I’m acutely aware that I don't deserve her positivity and support, just as I didn't deserve S’s back at Florentine’s.

I'm lost in my head as I devour the burger, not really tasting it as I chew on autopilot. I’m ready to be done in here, head back to my room, and hide away for the rest of the night when a shadow casts over us from across the table.

He curls his hands over the back of a chair, not bothering to take a seat as his gaze settles on Bryony. “Are you guys coming to the wolf party tonight?” he asks, offering me a side glance, but it doesn’t last long before his attention quickly shifts back to Bryony. He stares her down, and there’s a sparkle in her eyes as she preens in her seat.

“Tonight?” she asks, cocking her brow at him, and he shrugs.

“The wolves don't care if it's a school night. We only need an hour’s sleep to survive. Besides, it's a full moon, so the party won’t run too late,” he explains, leaning closer.

Instead of answering him, Bryony turns my way. “What do you say?”

I gape at her, my cheeks heating under her watchful stare as the guy observes us. Clearing my throat, I look down at my lap. “I’ve never been to a party before,” I admit, and her eyes widen, her jaw falling slack as she nods.

“We should go,” she says, returning her attention to the guy. “I’ll be there.We’llbe there,” she insists, not waiting for my answer. But the guy seems happy with that, and he's gone in the next moment.

Nerves claw at me, threatening to manifest themselves in the form of a panic attack as I shake my head. “I don't think it's a good idea for me to go. I don't need to draw any more attention to myself,” I insist, and she scoffs, waving a hand at me dismissively.

“You won't draw any attention. It's perfect.”

I give her a skeptical look this time, pointing at my hair. “Have you seen the color of this? I stick out like a sore thumb. Blaze said it himself, and as much as some Alpha pack or whoever they are might have said something, I can’t imagine a world in which that man gives a shit about what someone else has to say,” I admit, hating the color of my hair now more than ever. All it seems to do is encourage painting a target on my head. For what? I don’t think I’ll ever know, but I don’t want to make things worse.

“Girl, just say the word, and we can dye it,” she offers, and my eyebrows furrow.

“Dye it?”

“Yeah. What color do you want?”

I gulp, staring at her with wide eyes as I struggle to comprehend what she's offering. I really need to catch myself up to speed with this place, figure out the finer details on how it works because all I seem to be doing is drowning in every damn word that comes out of anybody's mouth.

“I don't know,” I finally admit with a sheepish shrug. “I never thought it was a possibility.”

She tucks a loose tendril that’s fallen free from her braid behind her ear as she beams at me. “I love dyeing my hair,” she states, and I shake my head in disbelief.

“You're not naturally blonde?” I ask, and she scoffs again.

“Heck, no. So what do you say? Want to try?”

I sink my teeth into my bottom lip, at a complete loss of what to do. When it’s clear she won’t stop staring at me expectantly, I finally scramble for an answer. “Can I say yes to the hair without committing to the party?”

“You can try,” she retorts with a smirk, and I know I'm not going to be able to talk my way out of it, but the idea of changing this beacon on my head is too alluring for me not to give it a chance.

Despite the barrage of emotions in my gut, I nod.

“Lead the way.”

The girl staring backat me in the mirror is someone I have never seen before. The blue of my eyes somehow stands out more prominently now with a darker color framing my face, and I'm torn.

I feel a little excited, more than I care to admit, but I don't feel like my old self at all.

Along with my black hair that falls in loose waves around my face, I've learned everything I think there is to know about Bryony as she sprinkles me with her expertise.

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