The pack meeting was called at dusk, and the hall was full to the doors.
Evander stood at the front beside his father. I stood at the back with my tools still on my belt.
Evander: Nova. Come up here. Stand where everyone can see you.
My boots sounded loud on the boards the whole way up.
The bond pulled at my chest like a rope tied to his ribs. It did not care that he had not looked at me once.
Adelie stood at his right side with her hair pinned and the silver Luna pin already on her shoulder.
Evander: I'm naming my Luna tonight. It's Adelie Orr.
The hall broke into claps and cheers.
People stamped their boots on the floor and whistled for her.
I clapped once, so nobody could say I hadn't. My hands felt numb.
Evander: And now the other thing. Nova Orr is unfit for this pack.
The clapping died. Every face in that hall turned to me.
Evander: A wolf-less bitch with a dead radio and no wolf to show at the moon.
Evander: Can't shift. Can't fight. Can't give this pack a strong heir.
A man in the front row laughed and did not try to hide it.
The whispers came from every side, soft and ugly.
A voice near the back said something about wolf-less cunts, and the laugh that followed was worse than the words.
I looked for Piet. He was staring at his boots.
Nova: I keep every radio on this ridge working. That's worth something.
My voice came out steadier than my legs felt.
Evander crossed the floor and took my wrist in front of all of them.
His grip ground the small bones together, and I felt the skin pull under his thumb.
Evander: Look at her. This is what a wolf-less nothing looks like.
He pulled me into the light where every face could see mine go hot.
Evander: Say one word about what happened at that tower, and no pack will let you near a radio again.
Evander: Your brother pays for it too. Do you hear me?
I heard him. I believed him.
Adelie: She should be thanking him for letting her stay here at all.
More laughter. My wrist was already turning red where his fingers had been.
When I turned to go, a man from the front row shoved me into the door post.
My mouth hit the wood, and blood came warm on my tongue.
I stood there with my own blood in my mouth and did not put a hand to my face.
They wanted to see me break. I gave them nothing to watch.
They could give her the Luna seat. They could call me unfit in front of everyone I had ever known.
But I knew what I was worth, and it was not his word that made it.
Piet finally looked up. His mouth moved like he wanted to say something.
Then he looked back down at his boots, and the pack closed around him.
Let them think I was nothing. Nothing could still be proven wrong.