79

79
ELLA
I wasn’t expecting to meet him at home, given that I was used to him being out late. Seeing him as the first person at the door stirred a mix of emotions.
I was scared the conversation might veer off into unwanted territory, and I would’ve felt much more comfortable if I’d met Eve instead.
But then again, we can’t always get what we want, and this was a far cry from what I would’ve preferred.
“Yeah, we finished our activities for the day earlier than usual, and I thought it would be nice to come spend the rest of the day with you,” he answered and took the items I was clutching. “But May said you had gone for a walk. This seems more like grocery shopping.”
I shrugged and glanced around the house. It was unusually quiet, but I decided to focus on our conversation as we walked toward the kitchen. “Yeah, I needed a walk to clear my head. And I didn’t shop. I didn’t have to. The traders were so nice and welcoming. They gave me all of this. I was torn between rejecting their offer—which would’ve seemed impolite—and offering to pay for it, which might have still come off as discourteous, but at least they’d have gotten value for their goods.”
“Well, that’s what happens when you’re new in La Derte. It’s a good thing you didn’t pay or reject it—you would’ve hurt their feelings. This is their way of welcoming you to the town. And the walk? Did it help clear your head?”
He set the items on the kitchen table and turned to meet my gaze.
“Yeah, a little bit. I still haven’t come to a definitive stance because I need a second opinion…” I trailed off, trying to decide if this was the best time to bring up the subject.
“A second opinion? Tell me what’s on your mind. I’d be happy to help. Is it—”
“Um, I appreciate that, but I want the opinion of a seer,” I interrupted, and he arched an eyebrow.
“A seer, huh? That’s new,” he remarked, and a thin smile crossed my face.
“Well, the last time I went to see one back home, it didn’t go as expected and I couldn’t go back because—”
“We had to go on this trip,” he completed.
“Exactly. Does your pack have a seer?” I inquired, genuinely curious. The entire time I’d been here, no one had mentioned anything about one. Neither May nor Eve had pointed anyone out from those who had visited the house.
“All packs have at least one, Ella, but we don’t go to her often. We like to make decisions independent of any outside factors. But if you think you need to, I can take you to her.”
“That’d be great, thank you. Where is everyone?” I asked, the silence in the house starting to unsettle me.
I was used to the sound of chatter and people moving around. When I’d left for my walk, the house had been lively. Returning to such eerie quiet was disconcerting. He pointed toward the back door and pouted.
“In the backyard?” I asked, wondering how the garden could possibly fit everyone—and silently hoping no one would step on the pretty flowers and plants I’d seen when Eve gave me the tour. He shook his head, then reached for my hand and pulled me toward the back door.
“I wanted us to go out for a bit because, knowing you, you’d head straight up to your room and probably wouldn’t come back down till tomorrow. If you do that, you’ll miss everything.”
“Miss what exactly? And you haven’t answered my question either,” I said, trying to mask the anxiety his touch stirred in me.
“The bonfire. That’s what everyone’s working on. They’re out there helping prepare for it,” he answered, holding the door open for me. I glanced at his face and forced a smile as his eyes twinkled with excitement.
“The bonfire? What’s that?” I asked, glad he’d let go of my hand so I could think clearly.
“Um, a huge fire that everyone sits around and—” he began, but I interrupted.
“No, Quincy. I know what a bonfire is. My question is, why is it special enough to require so much preparation that everyone is in on it? Or better yet, why is it happening now?”
“It’s a family tradition. Once in a while, we gather around the fire in the woods and spend some time together as a family.”
“You’re always together in the house. What difference does a bonfire make?” I blurted out before I could stop myself, immediately realizing how dismissive I sounded. “I’m sorry,” I added quickly, and he chuckled.
“Nothing to apologize for. You’re right—we spend a lot of time together in the house. But we also recognize that a lot can be overlooked in the process. If we assumed we were a close-knit family just because we sleep under the same roof, a lot of people would feel left out. The bonfire is our way of letting everyone express things they haven’t been able to while being lost in the crowd or overwhelmed by everything happening at once.”
“So… family therapy?” I joked, and he laughed.
“Exactly. Only we’re both the patients and the therapists. You’ll like it,” he said as we sat on the back porch, and I nodded slowly.
I didn’t think I would. I could see how it helped them bond as a family and envied that they had a support system. But that wasn’t something I wanted to be part of. I wasn’t used to sharing my problems with anyone—much less a crowd of people who already knew each other. I was the odd one out.
“Does everyone have to say something?” I asked after a pause.
It had gotten darker than when I’d first arrived, and I resisted the urge to escape to my bedroom. May had said she’d see me during dinner, which could only mean she was expecting me.
I couldn’t skip tonight. And with Quincy home early, there was no way out of it. I groaned internally and reminded myself it was a small price to pay for food and shelter.
“No. If you don’t have something to say, you just listen, offer advice, or help settle disputes if you feel up to it. Then we have dinner together, play games, and enjoy whatever the night brings before heading to bed. Sometimes we stay up till sunrise. Other times, we hunt or go back inside at midnight. But whatever happens, we make sure to have a good time and show the younger wolves that we’ll always have their backs—as a pack.”
“That’s really cool,” I said, and he nodded.