Chapter 3

My father tossed the registration notice onto the table in front of me.

“Haven’t you been asking to officially join the Moonshadow Pack? We’ll take you to the Registry at nine tomorrow morning. That should make you happy.”

His condescending tone made it sound as though granting me a place in my own family’s pack was an act of extraordinary generosity.

I stared at the notice, overwhelmed by emotions I couldn’t name.

A werewolf had to be entered into a pack’s official registry before they were entitled to its protection or allowed to use its healing facilities.

For the past three years, I had lived on Moonshadow territory without ever becoming an official member. As far as the pack was concerned, I might as well not exist.

If I was injured, the healers could turn me away. If someone attacked me, Moonshadow had no obligation to seek justice on my behalf.

Even under my biological parents’ roof, I was still an outsider their pack refused to claim.

My mother took my hand.

“Once the paperwork is finished tomorrow, you’ll truly belong to Moonshadow.”

After a moment, I asked, “Who’s coming with me?”

“All of us, obviously.” My father frowned. “Why would you even need to ask?”

Adrian promised he would bring every required document. Derek assured me the process would only take a few hours and that no one would leave halfway through.

I had already decided to go, but for one brief moment, I still hoped they would keep this final promise.

The next morning, the entire family accompanied me to the Pack Registry.

The clerk finished checking our documents, then looked up.

“Where is the original bloodline verification certificate?”

Adrian opened the folder and searched through it twice. The tension in his face grew with every page.

“It should be in there.”

“This is only a copy. We can’t complete the registration without the original bearing the High Witch’s seal.”

I stared at the photocopy and wondered how I could have been foolish enough to believe them again.

“So you didn’t check the documents at all, did you?”

Adrian looked away, unable to meet my eyes.

Bella’s eyes immediately reddened.

“This is all my fault. My wolf was restless last night, and Adrian stayed with me until late. He must have been exhausted.”

My mother rushed to reassure her. “How could this possibly be your fault?”

The last trace of warmth in my chest slowly faded.

“You weren’t responsible for the documents, and you weren’t the one who brought the wrong certificate. But you still had to explain, just to make sure I knew that my registration was ruined because he was taking care of you.”

Bella shook her head through her tears.

“That’s not what I meant, Vivian. I just feel terrible.”

“Am I supposed to comfort you now?” I asked, my voice edged with mockery.

Adrian snapped the folder shut.

“Enough. I brought the wrong document. Stop taking your anger out on Bella.”

Strangely, everything inside me went still.

I hadn’t raised my voice once.

But in this family, the moment Bella cried, I became the one at fault.

My father ordered the butler to send someone with the original certificate.

Less than twenty minutes later, Bella’s phone rang.

The screen showed security footage of several servants carrying things out of her bedroom.

It had once been my childhood room. My mother had promised to give it back, but because Bella refused to move, I had spent the past three years in a guest room.

Now my mother rounded on my father, glaring at him like a she-wolf protecting her pup.

“Who told them they could touch Bella’s room?”

My father hesitated.

“I told the butler last night to prepare Vivian’s old room for her.”

Bella bit her lip as tears spilled down her cheeks.

“It’s fine. The room was Vivian’s to begin with. If they throw my things away, then they throw them away.”

My mother immediately panicked.

“Who said anyone was throwing your things away? No one is going to—”

Before she could finish, Bella began trembling violently.

“My wolf is terrified... I can’t control her much longer.”

Derek caught her at once, and my mother hurriedly wrapped Bella in her arms.

My father and Adrian both rose to their feet.

“Stop the move. We’re going home right now.”

I stepped into their path.

“Are you sure you want to leave?”