SLOANE
Every sound in the room felt sharp.
Paper sliding.
Chairs shifting.
Someone coughing.
My hearing picked up everything.
One of the many annoying gifts that came with being half wolf.
Too human to belong fully to the pack.
Too wolf to ever feel normal in human spaces.
I sat behind Helena with Lisa on my right, legal pad on my lap, pen already moving.
Not because I needed notes.
Because if my hands weren’t busy, they’d shake.
The courtroom smelled like old wood, coffee, and nerves.
The defense table was crowded. Three men in gray suits whispering like they were planning a robbery instead of a legal argument.
Helena stood in front of us, spine straight, chin lifted.
Perfect posture.
Perfect hair.
Perfect confidence.
Anyone watching would think she was the best lawyer
