Alpha of Smoke

abe

d Pa had told us to just come on home once they had their candy, assuming they'd be done with their meetin' by then. But when we

lse it'll get coated in di

as big as your

and Pa." I give her arm a

Ma turns her head. "Wha

th me gets tangled in my brain as I try to remember all the important facts. Pa probably don't need

de of the walkway, takes his hat off,

gonna get worse as we travel acros

ly a good w

haconage. They made som

s as he considers m

head. "I told them I didn't think that was an op

about both of those concerns. They said we can move faster wit

me," Ma tells me. "Most of 'em

but I don't. "W

and Ma scolds him. "Let's

I will talk about it," Ma c

, like he usually does, and I wanna grin, but I hide it. "If we'

?" Ma folds her arms, a sign

sister who are sticky with candy.

pivots toward home. I increase my speed to keep up with his lo

e can buy?" I ask, pretending I c

y," he replies. "Most of the

e. And we have a spare wagon. Chet s

at me like he don't like the soun

mighta been someone important, the way the others talked to him."

y from me. We're almost home, and he don't

t Lena and Unc

eminds me. I did hear that part of the conversation around the table but thought it was dropped from

s, gettin' ready for our trip. He don't look happy as he holds nails between

leading me through the door. My brother

when she herds the children inside. Instead, she walks over to

in' nobody else's family with wagons," Pa tells us. "I'm gonna need both

d at first but then catches u

prepared to drive them ou

hree of you? Better not be m

a's on edge, like all of us. "We'll

ey die,"

a die?" Ali

l keep an eye out for rogues. We'll let the packs we're treadin' through know we aren't stayin', and they'll be ab

d take trinkets to

n which I speak the man's name. I feel my cheeks heat agai

Josep

n' some scoutin' with S

re good folk," my

yards and see what we can find. We'll swing b

better get used to him because we're gonna be together for a while on this trip–ass

llow along. Ma calls after

r know it ain't in my makeup to be cauti