It was quiet on the way back to the village. The wolves stayed in the city as per the tradition, and I sulked in the corner of the front carriage.

My body was deliciously sore, aching in the best places, and I had marks everywhere but I didn’t care. The other girls did, giving me a wide berth, even in the carriage.

We had been split evenly this time, and nobody had said a word. We had been given dresses from the alphas as a “thank you for your offering,” and they were beautiful.

All of us looked way too rich for the village. Usually we wore our hair in...