My Family Kept Crying Wolf

On the eve of the full moon ritual, my younger sister, Sierra, called me. She was sobbing so hard she could barely breathe. "Selena! Mom was badly injured by a silver weapon. The healer says she has at most two hours left–" I dropped the pack's winter supply contract, which I was about to finalize, and took a shortcut through the dangerous Black Woods alone. But when I finally arrived home, frantic with worry, I found my entire family gathered around a bonfire in the garden. They were roasting meat and laughing together. Sierra, who had nearly cried herself breathless over the phone, was laughing the loudest. "Fifty-six minutes! I win! The moonstone is mine!" Mom lovingly fastened the moonstone necklace around Sierra's neck. Her face was full of affection. "You little troublemaker. You win every single bet." Dad waved at me with a grin. "Come eat! The meat's about to burn. Honestly, you're always taking pranks too seriously. We scare you a little, and you fall for it every time. Sierra won another bet." I froze before instinctively turning to look at my future mate. He was holding a piece of roasted beef close to Sierra's mouth. When he noticed me looking, he shrugged helplessly. "Don't look at me. If I'd given you a heads-up, it would've ruined the fun. "Sierra has always been frail. This is one of her few hobbies. As her future brother-in-law, of course I have to play along." The garden was filled with laughter and cheerful chatter. Everyone looked perfectly happy. Suddenly, I felt exhausted. In the past, I might have demanded an explanation, but now, I didn't want to say a word. Two years ago, they'd lied and told me Dad had been attacked by a pack of rogues. I abandoned a contract I'd spent two years pursuing. Last year, they tricked me into believing my grandfather had fallen off a cliff. I missed my chance to be promoted to merchant team leader. Every single prank involved gambling with my life. I retrieved my phone and found the offer email I'd rejected three times before. [Would you be willing to join Thorn Pack for a ten-year merchant team placement partnership?] This time, I accepted the offer.