Chapter 70 - 70: In Between

Lucky's breath hitched as a cold, liquid rush cascaded down her legs, pooling at her feet on the worn wooden stairs. The late afternoon sun streamed through the arched windows of the packhouse, casting elongated shadows that stretched like skeletal fingers across the floor. Her trembling hands clutched the banister, knuckles blanching as the reality of the moment crashed over her—sharp and unyielding as the winter winds that howled beyond the walls. Had anyone noticed? Her pulse thundered in her ears, drowning out the distant chatter of pack members in the hall below. The tang of iron and salt hung heavy in the air, mingling with the scent of pine sap from the freshly cleaned floors.