My basket filled, I approached the butcher's stand, the raw smell of meant and smoke awaiting me before I got there. Thin shreds of beef, lamb, and rabbit hung on wooden tables and hooks, all cuts equal and identical.
The butcher, a big brute with his rough face and thick shoulders, honed his blade at ease in the stillness. Not a word, just looking at me for a moment, the tip of his razor smile lasting long enough to remind me what I was to this pack.
I collected coins to buy three trims, one big trim of beef, lamb bits and lots of rabbit. I kept my head down, counting slowly so as not to make mistakes.
He worked carefully, cutting and measuring every piece before bringing it to me, putting them out on paper and folding it up before bringing it to me. I set the meat in my lined basket. He worked at a quick but definitely mechanical rate. He wasn't friendly past the transaction process.
A bitter gust of early morning air rushed about me, with the pungent bite of smoke and meat. I held the basket close to my arm. The guards continued in silence along beside the fountain, boots clattering on cobblestones.
I dipped my head and made my way toward the back gate of the market, aware that a few of the pack members would surely sprint to Clara the moment they were out of my line of sight. The weight of the thought rested heavy within my chest, but I tried to brush it away from my thoughts.
So caught up in my own daydream, I hardly noticed the oncoming figure until it was too late. My foot had caught on something a stray rock, a fallen branch, or maybe some trash someone had discarded. The earth gave way beneath me, and before I could recover, I was falling forward, eyes shut as I braced for impact.
I came to, my eyes searing from shock of the fall, and sat on my knees. My hands were sore, and if I glanced at them, I could see tiny cuts that previously didn't exist, thin red lines against my skin.
I blinked and looked around for my basket and stopped when I saw it beside a pair of bright shiny boots and the hem of a light pink skirt.
My stomach dropped.
I slowly looked up and found Emma standing over me, her lips curled into a smirk. With her, some of her friends lurked about like specters, their smirks fighting to remain behind their polite masks.
Emma was blond-haired the length of and brown round eyes, the kind that looked sweet until you knew they could shred more than claws. She was tiny, willowy curves, though her real power rested with her family they wielded power in the High Council. Her grandfather's great-uncle presided on it, which was likely why she was appointed as the girlfriend of the Alpha's son.
It wasn't because of her temperament, that was certain.
Emma wasn't as authentic as the stuffed cotton with which they used to fill their corsets and, in the position of her bodice today, that had not changed much.
"Look who we have here," Emma said, addressing her group of friends, already grinning at me.
They were known as the herd in town an apt moniker because they trailed behind Emma. Whatever she wore, the next day they would do the same, but in different colors. If she instantly rejected something that they previously adored, they would hate it as well.
One of them, Becca, even wouldn't talk to her best friend, a boy, simply because Emma had instructed her to. They were all copies of her. And the best part is that when Emma wasn't present, they were terrific people to be around.
"What are you doing outside whore" she growled at me. "She probably doing the same thing her mother did" A girl in the group sneered, they started laughing.
I tuned her out, as I always did, and tried to reach for my basket so I could get on with my day. But Emma stood in front of me and between me and it.
"Great" I told myself.
"You scuffed my boots" She pushed back her boot from under her skirt to reveal a tiny scuff. "Clean it" She pushed her boot against my knee.
"Seriously, that was not me," I explained incredulously.
"Oh, Yes it was" Lizzie a redhead with curly hair and green eyes stated from the side of Emma. "Yeah, How else would you have fallen?" she continued.
Emma elbowed her "Shut up" she glared at Lizzie. Emma brought her gaze back to mine and shoved her boot deeper into my knee. "What are you waiting for whore" she ordered.
I gazed at her then her boot and spat on it and shined it clean. As a shriek tore from Emma's throat. I stood up from the floor and grabbed my basket ready to leave but before I could one of the guards grabbed my arm.
"Lady Emma, are you alright?" the shorter one looked around with fear etched in his eyes.
"No, I was trying to help this poor girl. I saw she fell," She looked both guards dead in the eyes. "And she spat on my boot" She continued while all of her group nodded their heads in assent at the story.
"Is that so, Miss?" The guards look at me. I said nothing. I needn't defend myself. I guess they let out I wouldn't answer them as they turned back to Emma.
She hastily, took the guard's hand gently and with a fake smile " Don't punish her." She blinked twice. "She was brought up right"
The guard let out a sigh. "Alright I will let you go with warning this time" He said never once looking away from Emma. While the other one was under guard by her herd.
Poor guy, with that I started walking towards education street where I always like to walk it was like a second home whenever I used to go.