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“You talk a little fast,” I said with a cautious smile, “but I’m not overwhelmed.”
“Yeah, I get that a lot. But I’m glad I’m not bombarding you.” She gave me a perfect, wide smile. “Actually, I was worried when I came over that you were still going to be asleep, but it’s good to see you’re an early riser like the rest of us.”
“Oh, well, I actually grew up in a wolf pack, so I have a pretty similar sleep schedule.”
“No way!” Octavia’s eyes widened. “I’ve never heard of a human living so closely with us! I’m dying to know everything about you.”
I took a step back, uncomfortable. I didn’t know Octavia, yet the girl was asking to know all of my personal business? “There’s not much to know, really.”
Octavia paused, and then her smile turned into a thoughtful frown. “I think I’m getting ahead of myself. I’ll give you some more info about myself.” She touched her chest. “I’m Tavi, as you know, and I’m twenty years old. The big, stupid brute who brought you here is like a brother to me, but we’re not related by blood. How’s that for a start?”
“That’s not bad.” I smiled, tickled by how casually Octavia insulted Night. “I’m also twenty years old, but I don’t have any blood relatives. My mom adopted me.”
“That wasn’t so hard, was it?”
And though I still hesitated with most of the other Wargs, I started to relax around Octavia. This new person was someone I thought I might enjoy getting to know.
Two more days had passed since I moved in with Violet, but I hardly noticed the passage of time. Tavi (Octavia insisted I call her by her nickname) had come over every day, and we had spent countless hours together. Most of the time, I spent gardening or doing chores while Tavi supplied me with endless amounts of stories and gossip.
We grew closer as the days went by, and I realized with growing warmth that Tavi was my first real friend. Never had I felt I could spend so much time with another person who wasn’t my mom, but Tavi was such an easygoing and open person that I couldn’t help but grow to care for her.
And I was finding that I really enjoyed Violet’s company as well. Violet always made sure to let me know that she appreciated having me around to help around the house or in the garden. She also enjoyed making very tasty, very spicy foods with the ingredients she had, and I enjoyed the way the dishes put such sizzling comfort on my tongue. Violet also showed great reverence for the land and the soil, just like Mom always did, and that helped me feel more comfortable around her.
Though I had stopped crying myself to sleep every night, dreading what the next day would bring, I was still unable to leave Violet’s home. The wolves in the forest had their eyes on me all the time, and I could never fully relax.
On the sixth day after I moved in with Violet, Tavi burst into the cabin, announcing herself at the top of her lungs. I very nearly dropped the cup I was washing, covered in suds, but fortunately, I got hold of it before disaster could strike.
“Octavia,” Violet called, “what did I tell you about knocking, honey?”
“I’m sorry, Violet,” Tavi spun into the kitchen, her hair lifting around her shoulders as she did. “I’m in a tremendous mood.” She wore a pair of black jeans that were ripped at the knees and a short-sleeve red shirt that tied in a knot at her waist. She looked great.
“What’s the occasion?” I asked, quickly finishing with the cup so I could set it down. Now that the dishes were done, Violet went upstairs to let Tavi and I talk.
“My birthday!” Tavi took my hand and spun me around the table. “I’m officially twenty-one!”
I hadn’t expected that Tavi would be one year older than me—the girl had just as much energy as the pups back home. “Happy birthday, Tavi. I’m sorry I don’t have anything to give you.”
“Silly,” Tavi poked my nose. “Your company is all I want from you, sweet Bryn. In fact, I’d like to invite you to have lunch with me in the mess hall.”
“Oh…Tavi, I’m sorry, but I’m not allowed to leave the house.”
“No, no. I got special permission because it’s my birthday.”
I blinked. “Really?”
“Yeah! We just have to be escorted by Dom, but that’s okay, right?”
“Oh…” I wasn’t sure what to say. The idea of stepping off Violet’s property was so tempting, especially when I’d have Tavi by my side, but it was also terrifying. For one, I had no idea how the Wargs would feel about me. Dom, Violet, and Tavi had been nice, but what if the rest of the Wargs displayed more of the savagery that I’d grown up hearing? Not to mention that disobeying Night might lead to him getting pissed off enough that he decided to throw me in a dungeon somewhere.
Then again, it had been six days since I saw him last. The closest I’d been to him was last night, when I’d heard his deep voice in Violet’s kitchen. I was surprised to find that I missed him so much I was willing to get on the floor and press my ear to the floorboards just to be that much closer to him. But he had kidnapped me, hadn’t he? Yet he was avoiding me for reasons I didn’t understand. Against my better judgment, I wanted to see him.
“Come onnn,” Tavi begged, her voice bringing me back into the present. “They’re serving meatloaf in the mess hall today. It’s so good.”
It was true. Violet usually brought food from the mess hall, and the meatloaf with mashed potatoes was my favorite because of how creamy the cooks made the potatoes, but could I really do this?
“Don’t worry, Bryn. You’re good to go,” Violet’s voice came from the staircase. She walked down the steps with a few pieces of clothing folded across her arms. “I thought it might be good to get you some cute clothes.”
My jaw dropped. “But you already let me have the ones in the dressers. You didn’t have to—”
