Chapter 20: The Eve Right

At dusk on Midwinter eve, the whole pack stood in the snow along the logging road, and Lorna stood on the other side of the gate.

She had a small brown suitcase at her feet.

She wore a plain grey coat, no lantern, her hair loose, and she looked so thin and so sad I felt the crowd soften around me.

I had been waiting for that.

Emmett stood at my side in his cloak, holding Tobin's hand.

Neither boy had asked to hold the other's.

They'd just done it when we got out of the truck.

The white-braided elder stood at the gate post with the other two.

"The Eve Right is claimed," she said. "One call.

"The child answers for himself. No wolf speaks for him, not the Alpha, not the Luna that was."

"I know," Lorna said. "I only want one minute."

Her eyes went over the crowd and found Conall.

He stood three feet from me, with his hands in his pockets and his chin down.

He did not look at her.

I could feel how much that was costing him.

"Emmett," Lorna said.

Her voice was a lullaby.

"Emmett, baby. It's Mama."

He didn't move.

"I'm going to my sister's in Oregon.

"There's a room with a yellow quilt and a window on the orchard.

"I made it up for you myself."

A murmur went around the snow.

"No more tea," she said. "Mama's learned.

"Mama made a terrible mistake because she was scared and so lonely.

"Come home, baby. I'm not going to hurt you."

She said it so gently.

I saw a woman near me wipe her eyes.

Lorna held out one hand across the gate line.

"And they won't keep you," she said, softer.

"Aunt Catriona has her own boy. The Alpha has a pack to run.

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