Chapter 111 – Orphan Gang

Ella

“Cora tell me what happened.” I demand, crossing my skinny arms over my chest. I’m eight years old, glaring down at my surrogate sister with a stern expression. It’s always been this way between us. She’s a year older, but I’ve always had the dominant personality.

“It was nothing.” She insists, averting her gaze from my own.

“You’re lying.” I counter stubbornly. “I can always tell, you know.”

“No, you think you always know.” Cora answers sullenly, though we both know I’m right. I can read my sister like a book.

“Would you just tell me?” I press, sighing with exasperation.

“Fine, it’s not even a big deal, it was just some of the big kids being jerks.” She explains gravely.

“Which ones?” I respond immediately. “Point them out.” It could be anyone, considering the fact that even children our own age tend to be bigger than us. It seems like the orphanage physician labels us undersized and undernourished every year, though nothing ever changes.

Reluctantly, Cora points toward a familiar gang of kids, ranging from age eleven to fourteen. The ringleader is a beefy thirteen year old who always wears a cruel leer, as if he’s ever on the lookout for someone to bully to tears – just for the fun of it. “You see, there’s nothing we can do about it – they run this place.”

“I beg to differ.” I answer, tilting my chin up defiantly. “We don’t have to be bigger than them – just smarter. Now tell me what they said to you?”

slumped in defeat. “They called me a worthless gutter rat and said no one would ever adopt me cuz I’m

thing that keeps us going is the hope that we might get parents one day. As far as I’m concerned, targeting my sister’s biggest sensitivity deserves a serious punishment. “I’ll kill them.” I seethe, my tiny hands

how it is. Parents only ever want the babies. I mean

I want parents just as badly as you do, but I’m not gonna leave you for anything.” I vow. I’d like to see any grown up try to take me away from the orphanage

that.” Cora offers me a hesitant smile.“You adopt all the outcasts.” This isn’t the first time she’s said this to me. I do have a way of taking the most skittish and rejected of our peers under

do you think the big kids are so mean. They’re mad that no one ever picked them and they take it out on us cuz

you’re going to let them off the hook?” She asks,

in this together.” I answer reasonably, trying to calm my own

pearly grin.

question. Cora trails along behind me, whispering anxiously about what a bad idea this

you to pick on someone your own size?” I call while we’re still

turn around, then laugh when they see I’m the one who spoke. The ringleader rises to his feet, then

if you account for brains.” I bite back. “You shouldn’t be mean to Cora just cuz you’re unhappy. That isn’t

yeah, and what are you gonna do about it, brat?” He stalks forward, looming over my small body with malicious intent. “A scrawny little thing like you? You’re even more useless than she is.” He reaches out and shoves me, both of his

scrabbling up the older boy’s body and attacking him tooth and nail. He screams and

realize how strange my behavior had been that day. Normal human girls don’t act like

that?” Sinclair asks, the

de facto leader of the orphanage, just by being scrappy enough to take on the big kids. When it was over I tended his wounds, and from then on they were all loyal to me. My

into my mind slowly, but I gradually recognize the truth in them – not only the wolfish group I formed, but the fact I was able to wrangle the

I mean I’m sure I wouldn’t have been any match for a pup that wasn’t dormant, but the human kids still weren’t as strong. I

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