Warnings issued from both sides. At least that’s how Jesse read that encounter—and Joe hadn’t disagreed with her assessment even if he wouldn’t confirm there was something besides Wolves and Wyatt Beargard watching the land between Bennett and Prairie Gold.

So, no merchandise available from the nearest town. Everything they needed had to come by train or truck now. Trouble was, they were buying far more than the town residents or businesses could afford, and they wouldn’t have been buying much of anything if Tolya, as spokesman for his kin, wasn’t loaning them the money.

No one had a feeling about borrowing money from the Sanguinati, but no one felt easy about it either. Still, it was either that or ignore the warnings that they needed to tuck in supplies.

Diapers and baby powder. Blankets and bed linens. Towels. Toothbrushes and toothpaste. Toilet paper. Gods! How was a shopkeeper supposed to make an estimate about something like that?

And where was she supposed to put all these supplies?

The bell on the door jingled. Jesse turned away from the shelves, glad to be distracted by a customer.

The girl looked to be about sixteen or seventeen. A stranger wearing one of the dresses Jesse knew had been in the window of the used-clothing store just last week. Sandals on her feet. Her hair was a light ash color and hung halfway down her back. Her eyes were amber, and the ears that suddenly poked out from beneath the hair were furry and not human-shaped.

A Wolf, Jesse thought, smiling as she moved slowly toward the girl. “Hello. I’m Jesse, the owner of this store. Can I help you find something?” She spotted Joe Wolfgard and a stranger—another Wolf?—standing outside talking to Tobias.

Chaperoned independence.

“What’s your name?” Jesse asked.

“Rachel. I’d like a book?”

A statement phrased as a question. The girl wasn’t really sure she was allowed to ask for such a thing.

“The books are over here.” Jesse led Rachel to the shelves. “These two shelves are new books. New books usually cost more. These two shelves have used books.” Jesse chose a paperback at random and handed it to Rachel.

Rachel studied the cover. Then she sniffed the book, made a face, and handed it back.

Interesting. She wanted to ask what the girl smelled on the book, but that would have to wait for the next visit.

“You can also borrow books from the library.”

“Borrow means we can’t keep it?”

“That’s right. You read it and give it back to the library.”

“We want a book to keep.”

Jesse nodded. “A book for you?”

Rachel hesitated. “A book of stories for puppies? To read to the puppies? I can read pretty well.”

This girl threw out lures to snag the curious.