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"I don’t want to go to London, and I don’t want to be alpha," interjected Julie, "Can I skip the evaluations?" Bless her

"It’s their prerogative to test every pack ine they’re curious as to e’ve sustained so few serious injuries over the years"

Betsy looked at "

I pulled back the duvet and swung o down at the first punch this etting dressed, I headed down to the hall The evaluation schedule was stuck on the noticeboard, next to an old ragged poster advertising the spring social I checked for ht Theresa, a weresquirrel, at 1030aainst Anton fifteen ainst that canny bastard The intervieere scheduled for the afternoon No problem At all Honest

I headed for the canteen and took my place in the short queue for breakfast Johannes, who had coo when his alpha had dropped dead of an early heart attack, had clearly been at work I dolloped burnt bacon, scrahtly charred toast on my plate Solanced sideways and realised it was one of the Brethren I tried not to hold my breath

"Mm in Johannes’ defense when I realised that she was being genuine Odd – even those who nors hard to handle

She piled several pieces on her plate and se "I’m Lucy" And then added, just in case I wasn’t sure, "I’m with the Brethren"

"Mack Cornwall pack"

"Woman of few poetic words there, Mack We don’t bite, you know" She laughed suddenly, "Well, not this early in the e my true nature "I’ain "Relax We’re just curious about you We visit the countryside packs whenever they need help with a particularly vicious otherworlder or arbitration with an in-pack dispute We’ve never had to come here before and you’ve never needed us It’s…unusual"

She was trying to be friendly, not combative I took a deep breath and tried to match her relaxed attitude "Not uess"

"Yeah, beating up va the Ministry of Mages is a whole lot of fun" She added so to her plate whilst I winced in anticipation of her ruined tastebuds "I’uy"

‘He was," I replied, sing down the unexpected lump in uts out"

Lucy looked at , "So what are you?"

I knehat she o down that road unless I really needed to The ways of actual werehaht out Deliberately ry," and turned to sit down at a nearby table Now I’ve covered a few niceties you can go away, I willed silently, looking down at e

Unfortunately Lucy wasn’t going to give up that easily She sat down oppositefood into herupa few bites myself

"You knohat I mean," she said insistently between mouthfuls "What’s your shift?"