ORE

old room, the sounds of the chaos on the s

r dresses, expensive shoes, and handbags-all gifts from

ed none

lf, I pulled down a worn canvas backpack. It

iggy bank filled with cash I'd saved from odd jobs years ago. My hand paused on the textbook, the worn cover a bitte

rmth of home-Lucian and Celine Morin. A tall, serious-looking boy stood beside them, his eyes strikingly sharp, his arm pr

and slung the backpack over my shoulder.

the gilded cage

taken Kallie to a guest room. I was grateful. I

and walked down the long, winding driveway without a

as the gleaming, impersonal skyscraper that served

Luna walk in alone at this hour, looking dish

rk Sullivan," I s

s even more surprised. He ushered me into his

es. I took a folded document from m

iate the Rejection Ritual," I stated

f it were a venomous snake. "

room for argument. "According to pack law, he has forty-eig

oed directly in my mind. It wa

You would

. I kept my eye

le, glassy look of someone receiving a mind-link that wasn't mine to hear. His j

ounts. Every card, every asset tied to the pack." He said it like the words lef

cleared his throat, look

a trust fund established by and tied to the Morin family. Keifer

d that signified my status as Luna, and placed it gently

yone had, that I was completely dependent on K

ed and walked out of the office,

er an address I hadn't spoken aloud in six years

ocked Keifer's number. I blocked my parents. I blocked Kallie

fore I married Keifer, the Morin family had taken me in and adopted me. I had lived with them for four wonderful years, and those years under their

ng estate. It wasn't a cold mansion like my parents' home. This was a real ho

y shoulder. I stood before the gate, a sudden wave of apprehension wa

n before I could s

e path, their faces etched with a mixtu

fierce, warm hug. "Oh, my child," she whi

six years-came pouring out. I buried my face in her shoulder and sobbed, clinging to h

voice was a low, comforting rumble. "You're home

e light, and for the first time in a very lon

om, filled with books and comfortable

as