Abby


    “| think | just spent my life savings.”


    Elsie giggles as she holds up her most recent purchase: a new pair of earrings for her mother. They''re beautiful, made of


    translucent crystals that catch the light of the setting sun.


    We just spent the entire afternoon in town, and | didn’t realize until now just how much | needed this. Back when Karl and | lived


    together and | had more free time on my hands, Elsie and | would go out to town almost once a week.


    But that was before everything happened. | didn’t have a job then, or really anything to do with my spare time other than ‘Luna’


    things; cutting ribbons at shop openings, volunteering, promotional stuff.


    Honestly, | hated it. Looking back, I’m d that | left that life behind.


    And | hope | never need to fall back into that lifestyle again.


    The sun hangs low in the sky as Elsie and | begin making our way back to the mansion, our shopping bags filled with various


    items. | picked out a few new outfits, something to cheer myself up.


    Despite the initial unease | felt about running into familiar faces, the afternoon has been enjoyable. Elsie’s presence has brought


    a sense of normalcy back to my visit, and | find myself smiling as we chat about thetest gossip in town.


    “| don’t know if you remember Veronica Newman,” Elsie says, referring to a woman that used to be married to the local post


    office owner, “but she and John got divorced.”


    My eyes widen. “Really? Veronica and John got divorced? But they seemed so in love,” | say.


    Elsie shrugs. “Trust me, | know. But she was cheating on him the whole time from what | hear. As soon as the divorce was


    finalized, she ran away with a guy from another pack.”


    As we walk along the quiet streets, the distant sound ofughter and conversation reaches our ears. | nce ahead and notice a


    couple of people approaching us.


    I stop in my tracks. “Is that...” | murmur, leaning forward.


    My heart skips a beat when | recognize them. It’s two women from the pack, people who | used to know from volunteering.


    “Oh, shit,” Elsie mutters. “God... It''s Karen and Susan.”


    Karen and Susan... They’re some of the biggest gossips in town. They’re nice enough, but it’s always been clear that they have


    nothing better to do than spread rumors ever since their kids grew up and left for college.


    They slow down as they approach, their curious eyes narrowing as they take in my presence. It’s clear that they recognize me


    despite the mask. One of the women, Karen, a tall and elegantdy with a piercing gaze, steps forward.


    “Abby? Is that you?” she asks, her tone a mix of surprise and suspicion.


    | give a small nod, trying to keep myposure. “Yes, it’s me. How are you?”


    The two women exchange nces, and then the other woman, Susan, a friendly and talkativedy, chimes in, her voice tinged


    with skepticism. “What are you doing back in town again? We heard about the Alpha party. It was a disaster, wasn’t it?”


    “l, um...” | swallow, not sure how to respond. | don’t want to say anything that | shouldn''t, seeing as how it''ll just get spread like


    wildfire.


    Suddenly, Elsie steps in,ing to my defense. “Abby is visiting me,” she says with a warm smile.


    Karen raises an eyebrow, crossing her arms. “Oh?” she asks. “That''s interesting. | would have thought you were visiting Karl.”


    “What makes you think that?” | ask, trying to keep my tone neutral.


    Karen shrugs. “Well, the news is that you and Karl were together at the Alpha party,” she says. “Everyone thought you had made


    amends.”


    “We''re on good terms,” | say vaguely.


    “Speaking of the Alpha party,” Susan chimes in, “I heard it was a disaster. So many Alphas got food poisoning, correct?”


    | take a deep breath, trying to maintain myposure. “The incident is under investigation,” | reply carefully. “There may be


    more to it than meets the eye.”


    The two women give me a strange look. Karen takes a step forward, clearly intrigued.


    “It''s under investigation?” she asks. “Is Alpha Karl aware?”


    At her words, | can feel myself nching a bit. “Uh, yes, he is,” | say, gripping my bags just a little tighter.


    “So is he supportive of you?” Karen presses. “That could be a concern, you know. | would hate it if our Alpha was getting himself


    involved in anything suspicious.”


    There’s that word: suspicious. Something about it makes my blood run cold, and suddenly, it feels as though all of my worst fears


    areing true. | don’t want my involvement in this whole debacle to harm Karl''s approval ratings, especially not when he’s


    been working so hard to improve them.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    “Trust me, he’s not involved,” | say tly. “Don’t worry. Alpha Karl has nothing to do with any of this, and | n on keeping it that


    way.”


    Susan and Karen stare at me for a moment, saying nothing. Finally, they nod almost in unison.


    “Well, it''s nice seeing you,” Susan says with a smile. “Enjoy your stay, Abby.”


    As they walk away, | can''t help but feel a bit shaken by the encounter. Elsie turns to me with a sympathetic expression. “You


    okay?” she whispers.


    | let out a sigh and adjust my mask on my face as we continue walking. “Yeah, I’m fine,” | reply. “It’s just... | was really hoping not


    to run into people who recognized me. It’splicated, Elsie. | don''t want to cause any trouble for Karl.”


    Elsie gives me a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “Don’t worry too much. People like to talk, but you can’t control their opinions.


    Just focus on enjoying your time here.”


    | nod, grateful for Elsie’s support. “You''re right. Let’s head back to the mansion. Maybe | should just stay inside for the rest of my


    visit.”


    Elsie links her arm with mine as we resume our walk. “That sounds like a good idea. We can watch a movie or something. You


    deserve some rxation.”


    As we make our way back to the mansion, | can''t help but feel a bit selfish for venturing out in the first ce.


    The incident at the Alpha party has cast a shadow over my return, and | don’t want to jeopardize Karl''s reputation any further.


    Maybe staying inside andying low is the best course of action for now.


    The mansion finallyes into view just as the sun finishes setting, and | feel a bit relieved when | see its warm glow.


    Karl is still nowhere to be found as Elsie and | step inside. We make our way to my bedroom to make ourselvesfortable and


    put a movie on the TV, and spend the next hour trying on our new clothes andughing at the romanticedy. It feels just like


    old times, and | think | needed this.


    But all the while, | can’t stop thinking about my encounter with the gossips in town. Maybe | shouldn’t have gone out. Maybe |


    was too confident in the fact that | was no longer in the city.


    But | can’t take it back. All | can do now is hope that the disaster that has taken over my life won’t take over Karl’s, too.