LISA
Early morning is a bitch.
I've never really been lazy, exactly. Having to wake up early isn't sothing that usually ruins my day. But there's a huge difference between waking up in your apartnt and driving to work or school, and waking up in the middle of your strange werewolf compound, dressing yourself in a thousand layers to keep warm, and leaving before the sun even rises—to spend hours trudging through snow.
Living out here gives a hell of a lot more respect for those social dia hostead influencers I've watched. It used to be vague fun to watch them make bread from scratch and gather their own milk while eating sothing I picked up from a drive-thru on the way ho.
Living this life is…
Well.
It's definitely a different experience.
And I don't hate it. Most days.
But this morning, I'm seriously regretting begging Kellan to bring along
Snow crunches under my boots with each labored step. My thighs burn, but I keep pushing forward, following the path Kellan's long legs have carved through the deep drifts. The sled he's dragging behind him mocks , bouncing along behind him like it's nothing.
No way am I sitting in that thing.
My breath cos out in harsh puffs of white vapor. The cold air stings my lungs, but I maintain my steady pace. Sure, I complain about the ungodly hour and arctic temperatures, but that doesn't an I'm going to wimp out.
It was my idea to co here. I need to prove I can handle it.
A flash of movent catches my eye as one of the refugee she-wolves pulls up beside . She matches my plodding pace with effortless grace, barely breaking a sweat despite the freezing temperature.
"You're doing amazing," she says, her voice warm and encouraging. "Most humans wouldn't even attempt this."
"Thanks." I recognize her heart-shaped face and copper-colored curls from the newcors who arrived last week. "Mira, right?"
"That's ." Her smile brightens her whole face. "I have to say, I'm impressed. You're keeping a solid pace."
My legs feel like they're made of lead, but her words give a boost of energy. "Trying to prove humans aren't completely useless out here."
Her genuine laugh makes smile.
"No one's useless. Humans are just different. You guys deal more with technology. I locked myself out of my smartphone once. See? Different." Mira gives an exaggerated shrug.
"Which pack are you originally from?" I ask between breaths, genuinely curious about her background. Most refugees don't volunteer information about their past unless asked directly. I guess Kellan and them know where they're from, but they don't tell , anyway.
I have no idea how to differentiate between the packs. Maybe Ava knows how. I should ask.
"Silvermoon. I was a Westwood wolf before, though."
My foot catches in the snow, and I pitch forward with a yelp. Strong hands catch before my face ets the ground, and it takes a second to get my legs properly settled.
All these thick layers make it impossible to move sotis. Like a gazelle in four casts.
"You okay?" Mira steadies , her grip firm but gentle.
"What do you an, you were a Westwood wolf before?"
"My mate was from Silvermoon." A soft smile plays on her lips. "I moved there after we t. I was actually on my way to visit my parents in Westwood when everything happened."
"Oh." I brush snow off my pants, relief flooding through . For a second, I thought she was so sort of defect and I was making friends with soone who might have a questionable past. "At least you get to spend ti with your family now."
The mont the words leave my mouth, her smile vanishes. My stomach drops as I realize what I've done.
"Oh God, I'm so sorry. I didn't an—"
"It's fine." Mira waves off my apology, but her eyes have lost their sparkle. "I was one of the lucky ones. I wasn't anywhere near the cities when the attacks happened. My mate bond disappeared, and I found out what happened when I ran into a group of runaways heading north."
I nod, trying to look understanding while my brain scrambles to make sense of the travel. "Wait, you were traveling between… what, Idaho? And North Dakota?"
"Yeah." Her smile returns, though smaller this ti. "You can always fly or drive to visit family, but so of us like to shift and run the whole way on our own four feet."
"You what?" I stop dead in my tracks, mouth hanging open. "You ran? As in, actually ran? The whole way?"
Her laugh rings out across the snow. "It sounds crazy, right? But everyone does it at least once. There's nothing like being with your wolf, feeling that freedom. Just you and the wilderness, running wherever your paws take you. Eat what you hunt. Sleep when you want. It's great."
"So you just... ran across multiple states?" I shake my head in disbelief. "What about food? Water? Did you sleep in the woods?"
"Wolves are natural hunters." Mira's eyes sparkle with amusent at my endless questions. "And yes, I slept in the woods. Though sotis I'd stop at safe houses along the way."
"Safe houses?"
"Places where shifters can rest, get supplies. Most packs maintain them for traveling wolves."
My mind reels at this whole hidden network. "That's incredible. Like a supernatural underground railroad."
"Sothing like that." She adjusts her scarf against the wind. "Though nowadays, most wolves prefer cars or planes."
A thought strikes . "If you're from Silvermoon, why aren't you heading there now? Shouldn't you be with your pack? Or—dammit, that doesn't sound right." I sound like a buffoon. A an-spirited one. I don't want her to think she isn't welco here. Not that I have much to do with it, but—well. "I an, are you going to stay here now? How does it work?"
Her smile dims. "I will have to return, yes. My mate's family has certain... rights. They will want any grandchildren to be raised in Silvermoon territory."
"But your mate..." I trail off, not wanting to cause more pain.
"Passed away, yes." She pats her flat stomach. "But he left with a gift. I'm five months along."
I stop dead in my tracks, nearly face-planting in the snow again. "You're what?"
Her laughter echoes across the pristine white landscape. "Pregnant. Five months."
"But you're..." I gesture at her trim figure, bundled in winter gear but clearly not showing any signs of pregnancy.
"Wolf pregnancies can be different." She grins, clearly enjoying my shock. "Don't worry, I'll get bigger in ti."
"That's..." I search for words. "That's actually amazing. And terrifying. How do you even know you're pregnant if you don't show?" Wait. That's a stupid question. I'm sure they pee on sticks, like we do.
"Oh, we know." Her eyes soften. "The connection with the pup starts early. Plus, there are other signs. Enhanced senses, stronger protective instincts. Your mate can usually sll it before you even know."
I absorb this information, fascinated by yet another aspect of wolf culture I never knew existed. "And your mate's family wants you to return to Silvermoon?"
"Most likely, they will. It's their right to request it. The pup will be part of their bloodline." She shrugs, but I catch a hint of sadness in her eyes. "Once things settle down, I'll head back."
"What if they're…" I stop the words before they continue. No need to sound that crass.
"Dead? Then it is up to the alphas to choose."
Huh.
As we walk, another thought occurs to . "What if a human gets pregnant?"
It's Mira's turn to stumble. "Are you?"
"What? No. Of course not."
"Oh. Well, usually the pack does their best to bring the pup back. Wolves raised in a human environnt don't always turn out for the best. They need their packs. But it doesn't always work out."
Glancing at Kellan's back, I resolve silently to make sure we use condoms if we ever get around to—well, you know. There's no birth control in this strange, apocalyptic world of ours. Or at least not enough of it.
Definitely wouldn't want kids to muddle what's already strange and weird between us.
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