Chapter 8: The Toast

At the Hollow Moon dinner, after the Alphas have eaten, any guest may stand and offer a glass to the room.

Gianna stood before the plates were cleared.

She wore a green dress and a stack of thin gold bracelets.

She held her glass at shoulder height with a warm smile for everyone.

"A toast," she said. "To women who know their worth."

A few people lifted their glasses politely.

"And to the ones who learn it the hard way," she added, and looked straight at me.

The hall went still.

Nightfall's table was by the east door, where I had put it.

Luca sat there with his hands flat on the cloth and did not look up.

I was at the head table beside Cade, with a glass of water in front of me.

I had expected something like this. I had not expected to be calm.

I stood up.

"May I answer that?" I asked. "It's a good toast."

"Of course," Gianna said sweetly.

I turned to the room.

"Sixty-one of you have been here two days."

"You've eaten at tables I set and slept in rooms I prepared. I'd like to thank everyone who made that work."

A few chairs scraped. The Ashfork Alpha lifted her glass first.

"And I'd like to thank Gianna Mancini," I said. "She gave me the best directions of my life."

Gianna's smile held.

"The night I left Nightfall, she texted me. 'Walk straight in, don't knock, he wants to see your face.'"

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