J

ot fit the criteria at all, but I keep my mouth shut. Even when he just motions me to

mmers in Kansas has always drained me, and usually, coming back home would perk me right up. But not this

push it open when suddenly, the room across mine

ross the floor like some kind of b

talk with Fa

you just call him Dad? I call him that, a

but instead I just smile and reply, "Maybe that's be

might be the favorite of pretty much everyone, but he never really made me feel out of place. He never made me

e look on your face that it wasn't a very good talk with Dad, and I can help. He

m can fit two of mine easily, but I try not to be jealous, even as I catch a glimp

pening a can of beer from his m

ven the parts that I didn't and would never tell Father. The girl in the party, how she escaped in a

t when I look at the worried expression on

ame is Maxine Kane, and I did actually handle her case until yesterday when Dad took ov

need to figure out a way to fix it somehow. To maybe shake her of

think she told anyone about a Werewolf party yet, and all you have to do is make sure she keeps quiet about that. Make sure she doesn't accuse

was an uninvited guest to my party, then the only person I have to please is Father.

eed to do i

XI

on't move. I'm not sure I'm even breathing properly. All I can feel is this sinking dread that gets bigger

he corner. It's daylight, and the summer sun is beaming through the windows, painting the white wall

. Because as soon as I enter, I notice the per

l, my st

d the Ambassador appears from somewhere behin

sador Finnegan holds out her hand for it. She peruses it

aham?" she asks. "In her ca

erjects, facing me. "I c

, but he just takes me by the

and as soon as he pulls out of the driveway, I notice the discreet sedan following us. I know that those are

ied my mom, he never attempted to adopt me. Our relationship has always been strained, even when Mom was

aves, heading straight to the living room and cracking open a fresh bottle of whiskey. He pours himse

room and call Livia, but

ys, shaking his head with a dry smile on his lips. "I have to

eel it in. I know how much he enjoys getting

Ambassador gave me? It's a waiver. I can actually petition for you to skip that camp and just le

ds onto me just fine. Disbelief is pulsing through my veins. The possibilities of

good. Everything wo

won't give m

only thing I

"Because you don't deserve anything remotely good h

o hard that my nails are now biting int

sten. He just

the same fate as you. Or worse, she could have died. You bring bad luck everywhere with you. You screwed the only people who

ngs, with every single bit of loathing a

n something st

ling to the burning sensation of the bite. I step back, and my footstep sounds heavier than usual. In fact,

s when I see fur sprouting out of my s

ing into