Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 87193 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87193 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Nadia glanced at her laptop. “I know.”
Margaret’s rings flashed in the dim light. “I do wonder if the trials have always been this devastating. Solomon hasn’t said anything like that.”
Nadia shook her head. “Only the laws are in the grimoire, not the pack history.” She paused. “Where are the pack histories?”
“Oh, probably in the library,” Margaret said.
“We have a library?” Nadia asked.
Margaret paused. “Well, kind of. It’s at the high school.”
Truth be told, Nadia had never even wondered about a library. “We should have one. Like a real one. Don’t you think?”
“Sure,” Bussy said. “Plus, I’d assume you can do anything you want once you become the Alpha female. Honestly, you could probably do it now. You’re the closest thing we have.”
“What about Taryn?” Nadia muttered.
Margaret glanced aside. “Yeah. She’s been meeting a lot of people. She’s kind of nice.”
Dread swirled in Nadia’s stomach. “I’m glad she’s nice.”
“She’s also a decent fighter,” Margaret said, smoothing her velour pants. “She offered to give self-defense classes to some of the younger wolves at the high school.”
Nadia’s shoulders dropped. She needed to take self-defense classes, not to teach them. “Maybe Taryn really would be better for the pack.”
“But you’re a Nightsom,” Bussy burst out.
“Am I?” Nadia asked quietly. “My last name’s actually Hodge. I didn’t even know Philip until a couple of months ago.” She looked down at her hands. “I really do want to do what’s best for the pack, even if that isn’t me.”
The idea of Caidrik mating anybody else, especially the statuesque Taryn, made Nadia want to throw up all over the pretty lace eyelet bedspread. She pressed her lips together and shook her head, focusing on breathing instead of the sudden churn in her stomach.
“Tradition matters,” Margaret said. “And you’ve been here a couple of months. You’ve been kind to everybody. You organized the heck out of Mrs. Miller’s shop.”
“I like to organize,” Nadia said lamely, glancing toward the doorway and then back at them, the room feeling suddenly too small.
“And the lodge,” Margaret added loyally. “You’ve got that thing in shipshape condition. We like you, and it’s not just because of your bloodline. You belong here.”
Warmth spread through Nadia’s chest, unexpected and uncomfortable at the same time. They were sweet. Earnest. She believed they meant it. Still, doubt lingered, heavy and persistent. She blinked. “Hey, who’s on chastity patrol for Taryn?”
“Gertie McFall and Lillian Jones,” Bussy said. “Don’t worry. They’re making sure she doesn’t sleep with anybody outside of the challenges or trials either.”
Nadia scrubbed at her face and rubbed her eye, suddenly bone tired. She’d broken several of the laws last night—several times.
“You should know,” Bussy said, looking down at her thick boots as if the answer might be there, “Taryn has requested to go on another challenge with Caidrik.”
Nadia blinked. “She has?”
“Yes,” Margaret said, her jaw firming.
Just fantastic. Nadia sighed. “I didn’t even know we could do that.”
“She asked Solomon,” Bussy said. “He read it in the laws. I guess he was surprised anybody would want to go on another trial after everything that’s happened to you. But that’s the only time contenders can get intimate, so…”
“Oh,” Nadia muttered. That explained more than she liked. “Then I’ll request another trial with Caidrik.”
“You haven’t gone on yours yet, dear,” Margaret said gently. “You have a trial with Luca tomorrow and then Caidrik the day after. After that, you can request another one. And you should.”
“You really, really should,” Bussy added, nodding.
Nadia ground her palm into her eye. A headache was building, sharp and inevitable. She could already feel it pressing in. “So you don’t have any idea what Caidrik’s doing tonight?”
“No,” Margaret said, chewing on her lip. “I hope it’s not too dangerous, but Solomon let it slip that each challenge gets more dangerous than the one before. And Caidrik’s only on number five.”
Bussy nodded. “He’s gone through most of them easily.”
“And he still had time to rescue you,” Margaret said, trying to sound encouraging. “That has to mean something, right?”
“It does to me,” Nadia said. “When exactly is Taryn going to go on another trial with Caidrik?” The words tasted bitter the moment they left her mouth. She hated the idea with more heat than she would have thought possible. She’d slept with him the night before. That had to mean something, right?
Margaret looked away, this time tipping her chin toward the ceiling.
“Margaret?” Nadia said slowly.
Margaret exhaled. “She’s on a trial with him right now.” She glanced toward the darkened window, the night pressing close beyond the glass.
Insecurity snapped sharp and sudden through Nadia. “Well,” she said, forcing it out. “Okay.”
Bussy shifted. “Nadia.” Her tone softened.
Nadia wrapped her arms around her knees, pulling them to her chest. The fabric of her clothes creased under her grip. “I know. It’s an Alpha move, really.”
“Well, yeah,” Bussy said. “I mean, if that’s what she wants, you’ve got to admire her for fighting for it.”