Chapter 4

The party was the following evening.

My parents took my scholarship money and booked the most luxurious hotel in the city.

A long banner hung across the entrance.

"Congratulations to Susanna Linden on her admission to the Werewolf Noble Academy."

But my name was nowhere on it.

My mother said, "Everyone knows you earned the highest score in the pack this year. What if we put your name on the banner and you steal Susanna's moment?"

Guests filed in one after another.

My parents worked the room, proud of themselves.

"Your Susanna has really done you proud. Unlike my child, who couldn't even make the preparatory program."

"Oh, we can't take any credit. She earned it all herself."

"Theo deserves most of the credit for tutoring her. Without him, she wouldn't even have made the preparatory program."

Relatives and family friends stood around Susanna and would not stop praising her.

Once the party was underway, my parents escorted Susanna to the podium and asked her to say a few words.

Wearing the dress Theo had bought her and the new bracelet, she picked up the microphone.

"Thank you to my parents for raising me, and to the school for teaching me.

"Most of all, thank you to Theo. Without him, I would never have gotten into the Werewolf Noble Academy." As she spoke, she came down from the podium, took his hand, and sat beside him.

Applause filled the room, and voices with it.

"What a gorgeous couple. They're perfect together."

Some of the closer relatives were murmuring.

"What about the older daughter? I heard she came first. Why is the younger one the center of this?"

"Shh, don't speculate. Look how lively the younger one is. Maybe she's the one that boy likes."

"Maybe they're trying to set the younger one up with Theo."

They chuckled under their breath.

I sat in a corner of the hall drinking tea and did nothing else.

The party went on. My father wheeled in a four-tier cake.

With Susanna's hand in his, Theo cut the largest piece from the top tier.

They walked over to me, drawing every guest's attention.

Then Theo held the plate right in front of my face.

"Clara, I know you've been in a bad mood these past few days," he said, looking down his nose at me.

"Susanna insisted that the first piece go to you. She doesn't want you upset either."

I looked at the slice loaded with frosting. Susanna watched me with wide, pitiful eyes, as though she would burst into tears if I refused.

I did not take the plate.

"I don't like frosting. It's too sweet."

His face darkened.

"Why can't you be reasonable? Everyone is watching. Are you really going to embarrass Susanna like this?"

Susanna's eyes reddened as she reached to push the cake closer.

She moved too quickly, seemed to trip, and sent the cake crashing into me.

She slowly straightened and stared at the cake smeared across me.

"I'm sorry, Clara. I didn't mean to."

"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" I demanded, struggling to contain my anger.

Theo put her behind him at once.

"She didn't mean it. Why are you yelling at her? Just wash the dress when you get home."

My parents hurried over.

"What are you doing? On a day this important, do you have to cause a scene in front of everyone?"

"Enough. Just wash it when you get home. This isn't Susanna's fault." My father's stern tone allowed no argument.

I looked down at the red cream spread across my white dress.

I had bought it new for the party.

All of it suddenly seemed pointless.

I ignored them, picked up my things, and walked out.