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So Jack was an incomer: so what? She looked up the antonylish teacher, that antonye words So she checked out related words, and some of those were fine and soner Those words s they couldn’t help Things that made her want to help the rim Pioneer Those words hbor Lara had grown up less than thirty-three es, wanted better lives for their farims braved hardship that would kill those who had stayed behind Pioneer wasn’t just a good word, a pioneer was brave and sought new territory so they and their cubs could have better lives; pioneers were to be respected and revered

Exile Illegal Alien Those were scary Those made Jack sound like he wasn’t just different, but that he could do things to them Pol Pot and Idi Amin were exiles (Cubs learned early what hu to their own packs If she hadn’t seen the footage, she would never have believed they were capable of such utter insanity)

IllegalPack laws and other ones, too And alienthatand could do things no one else could

Like his mother

The sorceress

The Pack was afraid of her, too, but that was a whole other thing, and it had nothing to do hy the Gardner litter had to , even when she found out bad or scary things, she felt better for knowing After looking up incomer, she felt worse

"This is gonna sound weird given that if you fall out the right door in this place you’re actually in the ocean," her brother announced, slouching down the stairs, "but what smells like dead fish?"

Firmly back in the present (for the h to al an active verb He was so laid back he alht," she replied, "it sounds weird Is this the part where I pretend you’re not down here to check onme, by the way I knohy Dad didn’t"

"Yeah, he’s weird like that, ith loving you and not wanting you to worry on your first day and hoping it was some dumb coincidence He mentioned his suicide theory, and I have to say, I was skeptical I’m pretty sure that bat was murdered"

"Makes two of us" She stared into her cocoa "I guess whoever it is left it on the kitchen stoop because there are a zillion scents around here at any time, especially the kitchen area, and it’s the busiest part of the house It’s risky because so bat bits on the front stoop, but if no one does see you, it’s not likely to be discovered right that second so you’ll have time toI don’t know Get away? Get back to work? Is it supposed to scare me? I’m more annoyed than afraid I told Kara I’d take care of the fish but she said not to worry about it And I’m really not"

"That’s the spirit And to answer your question, no, this is the part where I pretend you’re not drinking the last of the cocoa, you heartless bitch What?" he yelped, scanning the sideboard "You scarfed all the juice, too? Green tea? That’s what’s left? Why don’t I just drink a nice cup of dirt? Huh? Is that what you want, Lara? For me to drink a cup of dirt? Will that make you happy?"

"Nice try, but I’m not distracted Not much" She sucked down ods"

"Don’t blao"

"--who turn into wolves once a e dump are not known for our subtlety"

"That’s true" Lara smiled at him over her cup of delicious, delicious hot chocolate "We’re not"

"So who’s doing it? And why?"

"Extrapolate, Holmes"

"No more word-of-the-day toilet paper for you Listen, if sos, they can just roll on up and Challenge you Now is the best ti your way around, but you’re the boss now If someone wants your throat, Dad can’t stop it In fact, if someone wants your throat, and tears it out, Dad not only can’t stop it, he’s gotta pay fealty to the new Pack leader Instead of leaving grotesque hope-you-fuck-up-the-new-job-bitch! gifts on the back steps, they should be kicking the door down and wanting to hed

"Watch an old ht; you know a Challenge works way better than a gut-laden welco little kid even though you’re an annoying adult So what’s with the dead pets? It’s so dumb"

"Not pets A bat and a fish"

"No, Lara A pet fish and a pet bat"

Shit "I didn’t think of it like that"

"That’s okay" He yawned, grabbing a double handful of bacon from the sideboard The breakfast room was splashed with so much sunshine Sean’s eyes were allasses every day for a h and banned the brain"

"So" She pushed her ulped the last three scalding mouthfuls "Do I call Dad first, or theuessed He’d tease, they’d banter, he’dbreath or lack of boyfriends, but for a real question? He kneas her call Literally her call

She opened her mouth to make it, but cut herself off

He’s here!