Chapter 4: Moth Writes Back

I read his letter standing at the letterboxes, with Gerda's back to me on purpose.

I read it again at the sink in my room.

It was the first time a man had told me he'd slept with me, and that he didn't love me, in four lines.

I laughed until I had to sit on the bed.

Then I rolled a sheet into Gerda's typewriter and let the low "e" bounce across the page.

Dear L,

Thank you for telling me. I'm not hurt.

I'm curious. Tell me one thing about her that isn't her body.

Moth

I put it in the box at half past seven, on my way to the pack hall.

The elders had called a dinner for the Stonewater Alpha and his daughter.

Gerda had baked sixty pies, and I carried them in crates through the kitchen door.

The pass-through to the dining room was open.

I stacked pies and watched through the window.

Runa Aas sat at the Alpha's right hand.

She was tall and sleek, with honey-brown hair in a low knot, red lipstick and a white coat she hadn't taken off.

She laid two fingers on Lennart's sleeve and left them there.

He didn't move his arm, and he didn't look at her hand.

"Larch Hollow's north timber lease is up in the spring," her father said.

His voice carried.

"Stonewater is happy to renew it for family."

One of the elders cleared her throat.

"We would all prefer to hear the Alpha's answer by the Gathering."

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