Chapter 26: A lesson learned

NYX'S POV..

As Elaine and I continue to pick out the weeds in the garden, I can feel the warmth of the sun on my back and the dirt beneath my nails. It's hard work, and we've been at it for what feels like hours, but I don't mind. It's nice to have something to do, to keep my mind occupied and off of everything else.

Suddenly, Elaine jumps up, a look of panic on her face. "I forgot to do the damn dishes!" she exclaims, before rushing back into the house.

I watch her go with fond amusement, a small smile playing on my lips. Elaine is always forgetting something, but she's good-natured and hardworking, and I like spending time with her. It's a nice change of pace from the constant danger and tension of pack life.

But even as I continue to pick out the weeds, I can feel the nagging worry at the back of my mind. The thought of leaving the pack, of escaping this life of constant danger and violence, had been pushed to the back of my mind in the peaceful moments like these. But it's always