Chapter 17: Any Reason Why Not

Jessa's POV

Lorna's dressing room at the Blackwater hall had one window, and she stood at it in her white dress with her shoes in her hand.

"Over three hundred," she said, looking down.

"That's more than ours."

"My father invited the whole valley to a wedding and told them to dress nicely."

She turned from the glass.

"If I live through today, I'm opening a bakery."

"A bakery."

"In Missoula. With a window, and a bell on the door, and no one who has ever heard of the Border Treaty."

"What would you bake?"

"Bread. Cheese bread. I would put cheese in everything, Jessa, and I'd never once leave it out in the sun."

I laughed so hard I had to hold the dresser.

She grinned, and her chin shook.

"I'm terrified," she said.

"So am I."

"Good. Then we're doing it right."

The green silk was cold against my back, and the zipper went all the way up on the first try.

I had no chain on my neck.

I had thought I would feel naked without it.

Instead I could feel my wolf pacing steadily under my ribs, awake and watchful, with her ears forward.

Lorna held out her little finger.

I hooked mine through it.

Then we went down the long hall together, past the trophies and the black timber, into the great room.

Hiram had cleared the floor and filled it.

On the left stood Blackwater, three hundred of them in their good clothes, quiet and a little afraid.

On the right stood my pack, my neighbors and my coworkers, and every face turned to find me as I came in.

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