lla

, proprietary grip on my elbow. He deposited me in a shadowed

s a handsome man, charismatic and powerful, his voice booming with warmth as he welcomed his

tion of a second, they met mine. There

rough the darkness, illuminating Yara and Spencer in th

ox, revealing a diamond ring so large it was almost vulg

tion. "You are the light of my life. You

t was supposed to be shock. Tears, perfectly timed, welled

ut a collective,

oice trembling with manufact

ring onto her finger. They stood and embraced, a

detachment. It was like watching a play, a well

clan materialized at my sid

g congratulations, but her eyes found mine acros

hand for silence. The cha

emn gravity. "On this joyous occasion, there is one

rned, searching for the

nfortunate mistakes three years ago. Mistakes that caused the Sterling family a great

thrown me to

heir stares-a mixture of pity, contempt, and morbid curiosit

tep was deliberate. I kept my back straight, my head held high. The ill-fitti

er's hand. The metal was cold agai

cern. Spencer's conflicted expression. My mother,

y landed on Sp

rophone to my lips. My voice, clear and

My name is Es

small, but significant rebellion

ng-of-age ceremony, an unpleasant incident occu

weight of my directnes

tation that this incident caused both the Blackw

ng for the consequences, the scandal. Not the ac

rrowed. He knew

is, under Pack Law, a matter that should be brought before the pack enforcers for a for

gasp went thr

uestioned the very foundation of their

ked faces in the crowd that i