VEUX

Forty Five

March 23

Saoirse's toes warmed as she burned them against the hardwood floors, walking up and down the hallway outside of the meeting room. She pulled at her hair occasionally, the silence consuming her from the sound proofed doors of the office. Supposedly there was a meeting between the higher ranking wolves, which she was supposed to attend. However, her bravery was waning thin after Emaline's insights.

"Sister wolf," Osric had climbed up the stairs to the second floor of the lodge, footsteps unnoticed by Saoirse's burning brain. "What are you waiting for?"

In his hands he carried an insulated mug, the rising steam smelling strongly of coffee. Stunned, Saoirse only halted her pacing to stare at him the middle of the long hallway; quiet as a mouse.

As he approached her non threateningly in the long hallway, Osric offered her the warm mug. "Odeya made sure I wouldn't forget about your coffee."

Saoirse took it, with nothing else to do, and welcomed the first few burning sips into her throat as a painful pleasure. "Is she in there?"

Osric nodded, glancing to the silent doors of the meeting room. "Odeya, my brothers, the Gamma and Beta."

So everyone who didn't like her, aside from Odeya. Saoirse nodded with understanding, more so as a soothing technique to herself. Her fingers warmed around the mug, clutching tightly as if it would bring her peace.

"Are you waiting for something?" Osric asked her with genuine concern.

Although the meeting could not start without her, she petrified herself with thoughts of what the meeting could be about. Well, a thousand different things it could be about.

With doe-eyes, Saoirse looked into the towering height of the Alpha's sibling. "What do they want with me?"

His soft smile faltered, lips thinning as he grew serious. "There's no need to be afraid, sister wolf. This meeting isn't to punish you."

Her heart dropped, if it could. A sinking feeling captivated her chest, as she had truly wished this meeting was for her banishment.

At her silence, Osric spoke again. "What are you afraid of, in there?"

Saoirse drank more of her coffee after a pause. Maybe the caffeine would give her the strength to face the wolves.

"Afraid," Saoirse repeated. Was she afraid? Did she have the right to be scared of them, after murdering one of them? "Afraid, not so much." She said. "More so tired. This will surely end in yelling, start in yelling ..."

"Afraid of conflict," He reasoned for her. "There is no need for that, Luna. My brother is not that chaotic of a man."

Saoirse couldn't not send him a glance at the mention of her title. "How can you be certain? Do you know what this meeting is about?"

Osric shook his head. "Only that it is about you. Obsidian has kept this quite tight lipped."

Then it would surely be a ruckus. Instinctually, Saoirse grumbled to herself, covering the sound with the mug pressed to her lips. Dark hallways suited her mood, shadows cast from windows as a windy sky covered them.

The office doors slowly cracked open, their weight rolling gently as Odeya poked her head through. Already, Saoirse could hear the chatter within.

"There you are!" She smiled so joyfully that it lured Saoirse towards her. "Come along, we've been waiting for you."

The doors were pulled shut behind them by Osric, Odeya gently guiding Saoirse to a chair beside hers. A long table was centred in the room, accompanied by several office chairs and a rug to warm her bare feet once more.