As I prepared to leave the room, Elaine was still spiraling into her endless, fawning chatter."Elder Yoris, please," my mother pleaded, her voice thin and desperate. "If your schedule allows, could you visit me again soon? I find our talks so... enlightening."Jane looked at Elaine, her eyes tracking the older woman’s hunger for approval. I could see the gears turning in Jane's head—wondering if my mother and I had conspired to trap her here in this smelling ward just to irritate her. But she was a politician of the pack; she kept her snarl hidden behind a practiced, porcelain smile."Of course, Elaine. I’ll make time.""Wonderful. Truly, thank you, Jane."My mother beamed like a pup receiving a scrap of prime kill. She didn't notice the way Jane’s heels clicked sharply against the linoleum as she fled the room without a backward glance."Mom, Jane Yoris isn't the saint you’ve built her up to be," I said the moment the door hissed shut. "You don't need to grovel. If you’re lonely, I’
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