Chapter 8 - An ally?

— Dog food? How would I imagine? You don't even have a dog!

Lucine tried to explain herself, visibly confused.

— You arrived here yesterday, how can you tell if I have a dog or not?

— Where is this dog then, and why wasn't it written on the package that was dog food?

Aram dried his mouth with a dishcloth that was on the stove. Despite everything, the stew had not tasted so bad, only the texture was strange. When Yasmina died, he couldn’t keep their dog, Eros. Szafir then took the animal to his home, so that the dog would be taken care of decently. The rare times he went shopping, he bought food for the animal and delivered it to his friend. With the latest events, he had forgotten to deliver the dog food to Szafir. 

— The dog doesn't live here anymore, but I still bring food from time to time. Well, but it doesn't matter, there's no way to eat that, I'm going to make some sandwiches.

She started emptying the dishes back into the pan.

— I'm sorry Alpha, it was the only thing that was in the fridge to prepare. I thought it was a package of preserved meat.

— That’s all right, I really have to shop, tomorrow after the meeting I'm going to the market.

— Is there going to be a meeting tomorrow?

— Yes, decisions about winter need to be made. It is mandatory to have the presence of all the adult members of the pack, so you will need to go.

She was unsure of the news.

— Are you sure the others won't care about my presence?

— They can not complain, due to marriage you are a member of the clan now, with all the rights and duties that this implies.

— Okay. — She replied.

The meeting was scheduled for the morning of the next day. Lucine accompanied Aram, always walking two steps behind him down the street, to the place they called the house of the elders. She wore the same set of black sweatshirt that looked ridiculously giant on her.

When they arrived, he directed her to sit in the front row while he took his place on the small improvised stage. Soon the place was full and people took great care to leave the two chairs next to her empty, as if she had some contagious disease. The only friendly look she received was from the man who had brought her to the village.

The Alpha caught everyone's attention and started the meeting.

— We are here today for the fair division of supplies that are stocked. As you may already know, the harvest was not the best, so it will be necessary to ration. We don't have the meat in large quantities and the herds are not like the other years.

He spoke and there was a silence in the room, people were visibly dissatisfied. Until an old man took courage and made the comment that was on everyone’s mind.

— And to what do we owe this situation? In addition to abandoning your responsibilities, you have brought this wolf among us. It will bring bad omen.

Aram cast a fierce gaze at the man but kept himself under control in his response.

— I know I've failed my responsibilities lately, but any male here has the right to challenge me for leadership if he's not happy. I'm trying to make sure we have as little damage as possible and that the winter goes smoothly. Now, about my Luna, I don't think that's anybody's business. If the wedding was held it is because it was allowed, and perhaps the only way to curb the war during the winter. Don’t forget that she was delivered to us by the clan that causes us the most problems. I accepted this burden so that your families could sleep peacefully at night. The situation is already consolidated, so I will not accept offenses directed at me or her.

Lucine, who was head down, looked up at the Alpha. At the same time that he had defended her, he had offended her in a very direct way, making it clear to everyone that she was a weight, a burden, as himself had said. He had referred to her as "my Luna", which was quite painful. In her teenage dreams, she imagined herself as someone's Luna, but never someone as cold and cruel as that Lycan. After the last few months this wish had been buried. The good thing between the two of them is that they were equally destroyed. None of them would ask for anything the other couldn't give.

There was another silence in the great hall and he closed the matter, starting another.

— There is enough food to survive the winter, but it will have to be rationed. So I have a proposition to make. The men who are interested are invited to work in the logging company. We can do a rotation, where each one works three times a week, so there will be jobs for everyone.

At that moment, there were some murmurs of dissatisfaction and Aram kept talking.

— The work is not mandatory and the earnings will be individual. Anyone who wants to work, I believe that the payment will be enough to compensate for the rationing of food.

— And the Alpha intends to join us in the logging company?

Someone asked from the back of the hall, in a provocative tone.

Aram was losing the rest of the patience he still maintained, but made an effort because he recognized that he was at fault with the clan.

— My name is already first on the list, after all, I have a house and a female to keep. Anyone who's interested, leave your name on the list so we can set up the shifts. After the meeting ends, you can go to the warehouse to pick up your respective supplies.

He finished the meeting and went to talk to some people who called him. Lucine kept her head down, trying to pretend she was invisible, when she realized that someone had occupied the chair next to her. Two bags were placed next to her, which made her look up and see that this guy, Szafir, was sitting in the chair. He addressed her with a low tone.

— I must apologize for the improvised clothes, but I didn’t have much time. Here are some things from the list that was given to me, I promise to get the rest soon.

She stared at him, surprised at the approach.

— I must thank you, I suppose it’s your clothes, for the size. That was nice of you.

He gave her a half smile.

— I’m cool sometimes, I mean, when I’m not dragging girls through the woods and handing them over to a fate more cruel than death.

He said, sounding exaggerated on purpose, it was his intention to make a joke.

She can’t help but give him back a slight smile.

— Well, maybe this "fate more cruel than death" is having days of ordeal. After all, no one is free of the wife to confuse dog food with meat for stew.

Szafir had difficulty controlling the laughter, which caught the attention of some people who were around, who saw the Pack’s Luna and the guard’s first man, smiling together from some joke. That detail also did not go unnoticed in the eyes of the Alpha.