dress, even though it was a hand-m-down, not having enough

Lacey opened it, her sister, Marissa, was stan

ered a smile on her face. "Well! I'm glad to se

as her Pledging Ceremony and she wasn't going to let anyone ruin it. "It's expected... since today is my P

ce their father hadn't kept Lacey's paternity a secret. In fact, Thorn had all but encour

won't be a sadistic... cold... cruel Alpha." She sighed, her voice suddenly

adn't been this angry at her sister i

est Alpha in the world... the Alpha's Alpha, if you will." A grin spread across her face. "He takes no garbage, no defian

e word's not even

igning sympathy. "Well, I ju

ne to be worried." Then Lacey took a step back, smoothing her dress a

s gone as she turned and walked

ssa and her other siblings anymore. And when she ever had children, she would treat them all the same... no matter their paternity. After a

r sides. "Marissa, if you're back to gloat some more, then you may as well leave me alone." Lacey marche

mother, Camari, asked, he

at's wrong?" Once she was in the r

ars spilled down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry that you ha

my father. He's made it

han him." She swiped a finger under both eyes. "When Julien approached your father about a mate, your father had offered him Marissa, but Julien had insisted upon taking you

pulled back to look into her eyes. "If he wanted a lap dog, then he should adopt

"Your real father was an Alpha, too. So yes, you are the daugh

n Lacey's eyes. "Who i

dow Pack." Her mother smiled. "I'll t

would have had some place to go besides here." Camari rubbed La

mes," her mother took a step

o believe what she was hearing

through a fresh wave of

ssy bun on the top of her head, showing off her long, slender neck.

ch a thing?" Shock was pro

he never tried to contact me. All these years, never once." She pulled her m

love you, too, sweetheart. And I'm sor

kissed her mother's cheek once more and then

ded, her eyes still misty. "

walked out the door, headed toward her