The Twelfth Moon || ✔️

39. Rolling Tongues

Jerr had tried consoling me three evenings ago, but I left soon after his invasion was done, since I preferred to be alone in my room. Thankfully, Jerr had respected that, but we hadn't had any decent conversation ever since that evening, either.

I thanked our Moons for Lotta. She provided me with the necessary distraction and comfort, even if she didn't know I needed it. Just seeing her pop in whatever place I'd bump into her, always brightened my day.

The feeling seemed to be mutual, as I always caught her smiling whenever we met. I'd eaten my lunches and dinners with her when I wasn't working, and our chats served as proof of our growing friendship.

This evening was no different, and I was again seated with Lotta and a few of her other friends, who took the effort to acknowledge me, but not really anything more.

Lotta always tried her best to keep me involved in their conversation, and the more she subtly urged her friends to stop viewing me as an intruder, the more they began to open up to me.

Rahas was slowly beginning to feel like a new home, a place where I could finally feel safe.

That feeling was interrupted every now and again, when I felt hateful glares from the other wolves. Some of them still came from Aven, but they were fewer than before. I'd even caught Mallee, the previous Beta, squinting her eyes in disgust a few times.

I'd been keeping my coin from the bar in my room, sparing as much of it as I could to be able to get my own place. The sooner I'd be able to leave the Manor, the better. I felt like an intruder here, since its owner clearly didn't welcome me.

Aven never demanded I move, though. I was still a member of his pack after all, it was his duty to care for my well-being. Even if he only did it in the minimal way that was necessary to appease our Moons. But I knew he wouldn't mind at all if I decided to leave.

I'd see him laugh during dinner time, whenever Feytan or Jerr said something entertaining. The joyous look on his face was a nice refreshment from his usual cold and stoic expression, but I couldn't help but notice how his laughter always felt empty. Not as genuine as mine, or Lotta's. Or even Jerr's sunburned grin.

His laughter subtly echoed through the room now as well, accompanied by the warm sound of Jerr's enjoyment.

But it was the laughter that came from next to me that made me smile as well. "You should have seen his face when I told him I'd rather shag a bald, old man before I'd ever share my sheets with him," one of Lotta's friends laughed.

"Those sunburned Death Moon males," another added. "Always so full of themselves."

The same could be said of Wise Moon, I silently said to myself. Even if I knew Jerr and Lotta would laugh about my comment if they heard it, I still didn't feel comfortable enough around the other people in this room to publicly mock their Beta.

"You could always just try out the ladies, instead of complaining so much," Lotta said with a wink.

The friend who'd rejected the man this story was about, playfully rolled her eyes. "Ah, Lotta. Not every part of the man is that useless, no need to throw the whole thing away."

I couldn't help but clear my throat to suppress a chuckle at that comment. Should the same be said about females, I was sure the reactions to the comment would be less affirmative. But then again, the males probably had similar conversations about females behind our backs as well.

"Hey, I haven't thrown men to the side. I can enjoy them both, is all I'm saying," Lotta said, her hands going up in playful self defense.

"What about you?" One of Lotta's friends, Chiya, asked. It took me a few moments before I realized she had asked me.