Alpha of Smoke

abe

ere. Ma gave me two dimes to buy them licorice, but they're so worked up about what we're missing at the meeting, it takes the scent of sweets wafting from

h, but they make it through without causing a disaster. Shaking my head, I follow them to the front counter where M

ear his voice across the store and step around the lard display to see him s

hose men I s

ning my siblings and quietly slipping out the door to stand on the sidewalk.

eye. I quickly look away but think I hear him chuckle under his breath. He's so far away, it could've been some

ams is asking, and I can tell by the point

ered. All four of them look alike, like maybe they're brothers or cousins or something, but he is by far the most handsome, and he speaks wi

s says. "We got new people comin' in here a

he one these men are from, do have a claim. Settlers moving in and saying it

ugh," the handsome man says, his t

ow, let me get those knives for you. I like these s

bottom lip and try to look away, but his dark eyes won't let me. My brother and sister are still giving

e lard display. It don't smell the best, but he does. The scent of freedom wafts o

f a few strands of my long white-blonde hai

It's strange to just touch a person's hair. I've heard of people

ls me. "Maybe you are mo

I'd thought. His strong nose is perfectly symmetrical, his cheekbones so high they frame his dar

ons. "Well, around here, people c

but your peopl

ink. Akecheta. I like that. It's str

n't

him, managing to jut my chin up,

m Shaconage

crammed into a tight space here, compared to what he's u

s to look at him, smirking, but when he answers with words I don't yet know, they stop laughing.

's Arthur Mackenzie. You probably ain't never hear

have to wonder what he's thinkin'. He ain't gonna tell me, t

chin like I mean it, and he cracks a smile. "It's just... we're hea

tle girl like me can talk so big. Which is kind of what I was goin' for, but with the rest of my sentence, it fades.

he gives me a new name. "Well, we're goin' whether I like it or you like it or anyone likes it or not. You know what it's like out there. Besides the obvious–d

it as he takes a step closer to me. The scent of his breath reminds me of a cool mountain spring as it caresses my ch

go on foot

there are human tribes out there alongside our packs.

One of 'em killed my cousin las

r young." His eyes flicker to my brother and sister befor

to know much since he

n. "Your family may be

So you're sayin' we should do wha

e the humans, yo

but I realize h

igure out how to

ons into their pockets. I don't see any guns, but I've heard there are wolf packs th

Your chances of making it are not good, Unega. Where

omi

nd he nods. "Take items to trade. Don't take heavy furniture. Only necessi

up that is headed toward the door, I find myself leaning toward him.

teps outside onto the dusty walkway echo

' I can at lea

was I