The wood burner filled the entire room with warmth and a pleasant smell. It crackled and creaked but did little to lift the heavy silence that settled over the living room of the pack house. Most of them were getting ready for bed while I sat by window, watching the dim and grey clouds with a hot mug of tea.

Wrapping my arms tighter around my upper body, my fingertips dug into the ribs. A sigh escaped my lips as I thought about the uneventful day and general unease that made my body ...