Ashina stood outside the pack dining hall and seriously considered faking a sudden illness.
Through the doors, she could hear the rumble of hundreds of voices, the clatter of dishes, the occasional burst of laughter. Friday night pack dinner mandatory for high-ranking members, which apparently included unwilling Lunas.
"You've got this." Zara appeared at her elbow, resplendent in a deep green dress that made her auburn hair look like flame. "It's just dinner. You eat, you smile politely, you survive."
"There are hundreds of wolves in there."
"Three hundred and twenty-seven, to be exact." Zara looped her arm through Ashina's. "Which means three hundred and twenty-seven chances to make allies. Or at least to not make enemies."
"What if they hate me?"
"Then they're idiots." Zara squeezed her arm. "But they won't. Most of them are just curious. They've been waiting five years for Kendrick to find his mate. You're like a celebrity."
"A captive celebrity."
