As we headed back toward the house, I lifted my head and scented the air, smelling people and food. Stella had gone ahead, leaving me to walk with Kaden, though his company was silent. I didn’t mind, since I had a lot to process. The high of the hunt had worn off finally, and I'd never imagined the thrill that would have come with being part of it. I doubted I could sleep tonight, for entirely different reasons than usual. When we got to the house, I froze. Kaden’s normally empty backyard was alight with string lights and full of people talking in groups, with the smaller children and teenagers running around. They must have set this up while we were on the hunt. A grill was set up to one side, and the crowd cheered as Kaden walked over to it and waved.
I paused at the edge of the forest
