Marie stood and transformed in a swirl of fur and skin.
The other wolves followed suit, and as soon as Victoria was on two feet and dressed, she handed Aura to Beatrice and came flying across the circle. She grabbed Claire and hugged her, squeezing until Claire's ribs ached with it.
"I'm so glad. Your mother is a good Alpha, Claire, and you are . . . you are wonderful. I'm so happy you're here."
"Me too," Claire whispered.
Victoria practically skipped over to Beatrice, and the two of them headed for home with Aura cuddled in the crook of Beatrice's arm.
Marie walked with Katherine to the edge of the forest while Judith sat staring into the dying fire. Claire crept closer to her, until Judith was forced to look up. Though her body was rigid, her eyes were liquid.
"I—I'm sorry," Claire said quietly.
"Why?" Judith shrugged. "Because you escaped a fate that I didn't?"
Claire bit her lip. That was exactly what she was feeling sorry about. It seemed, somehow, that by not killing Amy she'd wounded Judith. "I know how you must feel—"
"No, you don't!" Judith snapped.
Claire froze, startled and hurt.
"I'm sorry," Judith said. "I—" She looked up at Claire and inhaled deeply. "It's a very lonely thing. I wouldn't wish this on anyone, but I'm strong enough to admit that I didn't hate the idea of not being the only one who'd been through it."
"You're right. I don't know how it feels." Claire wrapped her arms around her middle, wishing there were something better she could say.
Judith tilted her head to one side. "No, but you've come closer than anyone else. And that's something. You must be angry that I challenged your mother," she said, studying Claire's face.
"Not really," Claire said quietly. "My mother loves the laws, but that's not all there is. If I thought that way, I would have killed Amy."
Judith smiled with such brilliance that Claire was surprised. She wasn't sure that she'd ever seen Judith smile before. Not like that, at least.
"Well. I'm glad there aren't any hard feelings. Now, go home and suffer your punishment like a good little wolf. When your night as a seule is over, we'll still be out here, waiting."
Claire nodded. She turned to go, aware of her mother's eyes on her back. She felt the forest close around her as she left the clearing, cutting her off from the pack. It ached, but in a not-totally-unpleasant way. Like a well-earned bruise. Sore but not permanent.
She went home quickly and quietly, bracing herself to face the human consequences of her actions.
Marie caught up to her just before Claire made it to the wall that marked the boundary between the woods and their lawn.
"Claire. Wait."
Claire turned.
Marie pushed back a stray strand of hair that had escaped her bun, then licked her lips. "I wanted to say that I'm sorry—I wish I hadn't had to punish you."
Claire shrugged. "I don't mind. I mean, I'm not excited about it, but at least I'm still part of the pack."
"You—you're not angry?" Marie's lips parted in surprise.
"I get why you had to do it." Claire reached out and grabbed a whip-thin branch hanging from a nearby tree. "I know I'm not the only one you have to look out for."
The look that passed across her mother's face was fierce and gentle in the same instant. "That's true," she whispered. "But you're the one I'm proudest of."
Marie reached out and gathered Claire into her arms. Stunned, Claire returned the hug, her face pressed against her mother's shoulder.
"It took great courage to do what you did—with Amy and in facing the pack. I want you to know that I don't take that lightly. I'm lucky to be your mother."
"Thanks," Claire whispered, tightening her arms around her mother's back.
Marie squeezed her briefly and then stepped away. The briskness Claire was accustomed to seeing returned to the set of her shoulders.
"Well. No use dwelling on it, I think. Let's go home and see what Lisbeth has left for us in the refrigerator."
Marie strode toward the brick wall and home. Claire followed, not even bothering to hide the smile that spread across her face.
Chapter Twenty-Three
THE NEXT MORNING, Claire dressed carefully, putting on her best, most normal human mask. She had two choices, and today she was going to have to pick one.
She could either become like Marie—like Judith—and cut herself off from the human world, or she could struggle to keep one foot in each life. She knew that in many ways, her mother's choice was simpler. There wasn't so much hiding. So much lying. But it was also an empty and lonely sort of existence.
Still, trying to have both things—a life in the pack and a normal human life—would mean stretching beyond the limits of being careful. It meant taking a risk, and after what had almost happened to Amy, Claire knew exactly what that risk entailed.
But her gut was telling her that it was worth it, that she wouldn't be happy any other way.
Matthew picked her up, eyeing her outfit appreciatively. "You ready for this?" he asked.