a
polished marble floors. He stopped before a set of imposing double doors made
door open and gestured
udy, and it smelled of old leather, cedar polish, and suf
hair, was the matriarch of the Crescent Moon Pack, Elder Wilson
offee, her perfectly manicured fingers wrapped around the handle. Her eyes, col
ta I vaguely recognized, stood by the win
d bowed my head slightly, the custom
d her coffee cup down on the saucer, the
voice was laced with disdain. "You look like a
oft, my eyes fixed on the floor.
ge her more. It was like she had s
esture that silenced Bettie instantly.
gaze to me, and her severe features softened into a mask of grandmotherly
my head bow lower, playing the part of the grateful, overwhelmed
, her voice dripping with false sincerity. "This is
w it. I knew, with chilling certainty, that whatever they had planned for me was a trap. Eleanor, by the w
g more businesslike. "The main house is quite full at the moment
empty," Bettie chimed in, her voice bright and eage
ge of the territory, a place used to punish servants who had
"Elder, that cabin has a leaky roof. It is not f
t could curdle milk. "It i
tween the two women for a moment be
e. Twice. The sound was a final judgment. "The
of meek acceptance. I didn't argue. I didn't protest. I
ettie," I whispered, my voice thick wi
nce was exactly what she wanted. "You m
in a posture of defeat. But the moment my back was to them, the mask fell away. My face
d I had to find the key before they d
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