Reclaiming Pack

[Thalia]

It wasn’t her name, but it was enough of an anchor to her when that it hooked her out of the depths. The maudlin edge of her mood remained, though, and a kin to the wolves did nothing to erase its weight in her chest, even one who inquired over her wellbeing. Everyone leaves, she almost said. But it was the inevitable fate of a fixed point in a world always turning, and it wasn’t in her nature to complain. Alone was not new. She ran her hands over her face and swallowed. Red blooms dropped from her curls as her fingers raked: crumbling poppy petals. The memories drifted on calmer tides. She ran her finger over the script inside her arm. Nimeda. My name is Nimeda.

“Am I not supposed to be here?” she asked. “I will leave if the wolves want me to.”