Chapter 2

The banquet I had waited three years for ended in less than an hour.

Back in my room, I pulled out my phone and opened the invitation from the Darkmoon Empire that had been sitting in my inbox for three years.

Not long after my birth parents found me, the Darkmoon Empire learned that I bore an exceptionally rare truth spell.

They invited me to the capital to become the Saintess.

I turned them down.

They never pressured me. They told me the position would remain mine for as long as I wanted it.

At the time, the title meant less to me than the chance to know what it felt like to belong to a real family of my own.

Now I knew.

I opened the reply box and typed four words.

“I accept your invitation.”

A minute later, a message came back.

[We’re delighted that you’ve accepted. We’ll send someone to the Moonshadow Pack to escort you tomorrow.]

I stared at the screen for a full minute before locking my phone and pulling out my suitcase.

There wasn’t much to pack.

Three years ago, I followed my parents home to the Moonshadow Pack with nothing but a single suitcase.

Three years later, everything that was truly mine still couldn’t fill one suitcase.

I had just finished packing when my mother called from downstairs.

“Vivian, come down here.”

When I entered the living room, Bella was curled up on the sofa with a glass of water.

My mother sat beside her while Adrian and Derek stood guard on either side.

Anyone walking in would have thought she had just escaped death.

My mother’s expression cooled the moment she saw me.

“Vivian, come apologize to Bella.”

I walked over.

“For what?”

Derek let out a cold laugh.

“You seriously have to ask? You humiliated her in front of everyone at the banquet and pushed her until she broke down.”

“What did I push her to do?”

“Vivian!”

His voice rose sharply.

I met his glare without flinching.

“Did I make her sit in my seat? Did I make her call herself adopted? Did I make her bring up being an Omega?”

Derek clenched his jaw.

“You knew she was sensitive, and you still kept picking apart every word she said.”

“Does being sensitive make it okay to lie?”

“And pointing out that lie somehow makes me difficult?”

I watched him for a few seconds.

“Don’t you think you’re holding Bella and me to very different standards?”

Derek had no answer, so I kept going.

“I’ve been back for three years. Bella has had three birthdays, and none of you missed a single one.”

“What about mine?”

The room went quiet.

Derek’s face reddened. “We had things going on.”

I counted them off on my fingers.

“The first time, you went to watch a meteor shower with her.”

“The second, she had a fight with a friend and you rushed over to comfort her.”

“The third time, her cat stopped eating.”

I looked at him.

“Which one of those was your emergency?”

Derek said nothing.

Bella tightened her grip around her glass.

“You remember everything so clearly, Vivian.”

“Of course I do. My birthday only comes once a year.”

A flicker of discomfort crossed my mother’s face.

“We neglected you before, and I admit that. But you can’t keep bringing up every old grievance and keeping score forever.”

“It isn’t old.” I looked at her. “My last birthday was two months ago.”

Adrian finally stepped in. He pushed a black velvet box across the table toward me.

“Today’s banquet didn’t go the way it should have. Consider this compensation.”

I opened the box. Inside was a crystal necklace.

I had seen it before.

On Bella.

My mother carefully lifted the necklace from the box and held it out to me.

“This is a family heirloom, passed down to the daughter of our house. When you disappeared, I kept it safe for you all these years.”

She was lying.

I glanced at Bella. Sure enough, an identical necklace hung around her neck.

“Well then, my dear mother,” I said, “would you mind explaining what she’s wearing?”

Bella’s hand flew to her throat as if she had only just realized the necklace was there. Her eyes darted toward my mother for help.

My mother froze for a split second.

“Bella’s…Bella’s is a replica.”

She was lying.

I looked down at the necklace in the box, then back at the one around Bella’s neck.

“Is that so?”

My mother nodded stiffly.

“Of course. The real family heirloom has always been kept for you.”

Another lie.

I let out a quiet laugh.

“I see.”

My gaze dropped to the necklace in the box.

“Well, I suppose I should thank you. At least you cared enough to make the fake convincing before you lied to my face.”

My father walked in just then. He took one look at the strange silence in the room and frowned.

“What happened now?”

Derek immediately turned to him.

“Mom already explained that Bella’s necklace is a replica, but Vivian keeps accusing her of lying.”

His anger only grew as he spoke.

“She’s standing here insulting Mom to her face.”

My father was quiet for a moment. Clearly, he had no interest in continuing the argument.

With an impatient look, he pulled out a notice from the Pack Registry.

“We’ll deal with the necklace later.”

“Vivian, your registration appointment is tomorrow. We’ll have you formally registered as a member of the Moonshadow Pack.”