I Was Never Their First Choice novel · Chapter 6 of 24

Chapter 6: Winter Muster

The whole Hold turned out for the muster, and so did I.

Bram had offered to keep me inside.

I told him I had spent nineteen years hiding in other people's rooms.

Two rows of Academy cadets in grey jackets lined up on one side of the yard, and the Hold's wolves stood on the other.

Kjell waited on the steps with his arms at his sides.

He saw me come out and did not look away, and something inside my ribs held steady.

"Cadets of Silverbrook, step forward," the Academy master called.

Five of them did.

Perrin walked first, with his chin up.

The twins came next, blinking at the snow.

Elias walked behind them with his eyes on the ground.

My sister came last.

She had grown thinner in two weeks, and the blue cloak hung off her shoulders.

She found me across the yard and stopped walking.

"Solveig," she said, very low.

Perrin heard her.

He turned, took in the grey cloak, the braid, the Hold's brooch on my collar, and began to smile.

"Look at that. The pack's workhorse, in a uniform."

"Perrin," Elias said.

"What? She wanted the glory. We gave her the glory." He lifted his voice for the yard. "Solveig carried every one of us through school, and now she gets to carry water for the North. I call that fair."

A few of the Academy cadets laughed.

← Chapter 5 · All chapters · Chapter 7 →

Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend