Chapter17

Winter Solstice Brinley The days ticked by slowly. After my unexpectedly intimate meeting with Cole and his Wolf in the forest a month and a half ago, he had stayed away. His Wolf, however, was another matter. I frequently felt the animal’s eyes on me, his body hidden in the forest, and more food continued to appear magically. I tried to stay awake so that I could catch him, but he always evaded me. Between the food my Wolf caught, the meals Coal’s Wolf provided, and my weekly trips for ‘cleaning’ at Darcie’s home, I was faring much better than anticipated. Lena interrupted my train of thought. “Before you go into town today, stop by the packhouse. Cook has a list of items you need to pick up for the Winter Solstice Celebration this evening.” The packhouse? My stomach trembled. I prayed I wouldn’t run into Coal, but I was never much of a lucky person. I made my way quickly to my destination. Just as I snatched the list from Cook, and had my escape in sight, I rounded the corner a