Chapter 7: The Market

The Sunday market filled the mill yard every week, and every week I bought Pearl's bread there.

I almost skipped it.

Then I thought about Mirabel's smile in the pack hall, and I put on my good boots.

The yard smelled of cider and fresh loaves.

Stalls ran down both sides, and neighbours stopped talking when I walked past.

Some of them looked ashamed.

Some looked at my mouth, because the whole pack knew by now that something had happened in the Alpha's study.

I kept my chin up and bought two loaves from the baker.

"I'm sorry, honey," she said quietly, pressing a third loaf into my hands. "On the house."

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet," she muttered. "Look behind you."

I turned around.

Mirabel stood in the middle of the yard with three women at her back.

Two of them I had known since school.

One of them had shared my desk at the mill for four years.

"There she is," Mirabel said, bright and loud. "The pack's newest charity case."

A few heads turned.

"I'm just buying bread," I said.

"Is that what you were doing in the Alpha's study at midnight?" She smiled. "Buying bread?"

Her friends giggled.

My face went hot.

"The whole ridge saw you go up there," Mirabel said.

"His ring is barely off your finger, and you're already crawling into his uncle's lap."

She smiled. "That's pathetic, even for you."

"Mirabel," I said, "walk away."

"Or what?"

She stepped closer and lowered her voice, but not far enough.

"You're a defective little wolf who can't even shift. Everyone knows. You can't hurt anyone."

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