Chapter 1

After I replied to the email, I opened my bedroom door and walked out.

At the dining table, my parents, Richard and Laura Hope, and my brother, Benjamin Hope, were helping my sister, Miranda Hope, compare her college offers.

"Miranda, you're amazing. That's what superior Beta blood looks like. You're so smart, and look at how many colleges admitted you. Which one do you want?" Benjamin gave her a thumbs-up, his voice full of pride.

"Oliver told me to pick a school near the North Lake Pack. He works nearby, so he can take better care of me. I'm going to do what he says."

Miranda leaned shyly into Mom's arms.

Then she seemed to remember something and pouted.

"It's just too bad. I can't believe Blackwood University, the most prestigious school in the Blackwood Pack, turned me down."

Mom checked the distance, then stroked Miranda's hair.

"There's nothing to regret. It's more than 600 miles from home. That's far too far. I couldn't bear to let my little princess go that far."

The university that had turned Miranda down was the one I'd just accepted.

I pulled out a chair and sat down.

Mom's smile froze for a split second before she recovered.

But I could smell the disgust coming off her.

"Daphne, your admissions decisions are in too, aren't they?"

Dad brought over a bowl of rinsed blueberries and cut me off before I could answer. "Only bottom-tier schools would take you anyway. If you ask me, you'd be better off not going at all."

Mom took the bowl and, with practiced ease, picked out the biggest, brightest blueberries and put them in front of Miranda.

Only then did she push the rest toward me.

"Daphne, don't listen to your dad's nonsense. For a slow Omega like you, even getting into the lowest-ranked university is a blessing from the Moon Goddess. We won't look down on you."

I put a blueberry in my mouth.

It tasted sour and bitter, just like I felt.

Since I'd started applying to colleges, no one in my family had asked to see my GPA or transcript.

They had no idea I'd earned an A+ in every class.

As soon as I saw my grades, I tried to share the news with them over the mind-link.

That was when I found out they'd blocked me from the mind-link long ago.

I swallowed the sour blueberry and didn't say anything. I just nodded.

Dad read a message on his phone, smiled, and clapped his hands.

"The pack heard you two are applying to college, so they're giving our family a bonus. Come on! I'm taking you shopping."

Miranda jumped up in delight.

I froze, unsure whether "you two" actually included me.

Dad noticed me looking at him.

"Daphne, go change. You're coming too."

My wolf leaped for joy.

Ever since my Beta sister, Miranda, was born, Dad had flat-out refused to let me go anywhere with them.

He said everyone else in the family was a noble Beta.

I was the odd one out.

If they took me with them, the others in the pack would laugh at them.

But this time, he'd actually said yes.

I ran straight back to my room to change, afraid he'd take it back any second.

In my closet, all my clothes had been washed so many times they were faded and stretched out of shape.

The only decent thing I owned was a dress Miranda had tossed to me because she thought it was ugly.

After I changed, I pulled a lipstick sample Miranda didn't want from the drawer.

I was just about to put a little on.

Then I realized I couldn't smell any of them anymore.

I didn't even bother with the lipstick. I rushed straight out.

The four people who'd been sitting at the dining table were gone.

Even the car parked out front was gone.

I panicked and pulled out my phone to call them.

That was when I saw Miranda's post.

[The whole family's off to shop for my college send-off gift!]

In the photo, Dad was driving, Miranda was in the passenger seat, and Mom and my brother sat in the back, gazing at her fondly.

The whole family she was talking about didn't include me.

I pulled up Mom's number and called her.

The phone rang for a long time before she finally picked up.

I was about to speak when I heard Mom's voice.

"Oh, Daphne. We forgot to tell you.

"You were in your room so long we thought you didn't want to come, so we just left."

I glanced at the time. I'd only been in there changing for five minutes.

Once, on the first day of school, Miranda was running late because she was still in her room choosing an outfit and doing her makeup.

No one complained.

They told her to take her time and waited patiently for three hours.

Mom went on,

"Besides, there's not enough room in the car. If you came along, there wouldn't be space for the things Miranda buys."

I remembered that the car seated five, and the trunk had plenty of room.

But there still wasn't a place for me.

I tried to quiet the wolf sobbing inside me.

"Mom, what am I supposed to eat, then? I'm hungry..."

"There's still that loaf of bread from last month in the freezer, isn't there? You're a werewolf. How can you be this dumb? Do you really need me to tell you that?" she cut me off impatiently, her voice full of disgust.

"Mom, I want one of those fresh-baked butter rolls," Miranda whined sweetly over the line.

"Hungry, sweetheart? I'll get you one," Mom answered fondly, nothing like the way she'd just spoken to me.

I wanted to say something else, but then I heard a beep. She'd already hung up.