Chapter 3

At seven o'clock sharp, the welcome banquet began.

It wasn't just our own pack. Wolves from the neighboring pack had been invited too.

Everyone knew the Alpha had found the daughter he had lost eighteen years ago.

They also knew Ivy had gone to the Sharing Hall and given some of her feelings to her sister to make it up to her.

One guest held a glass of champagne and asked Victor quietly:

"Giving away feelings like that. It won't leave any lasting problems, will it?"

Victor waved it off. "Young people love to make anything new sound scary."

"The Empath just lends a feeling out. It grows back. It's not like they're cutting her heart out."

"And whatever Ivy shared, I'm sure it was nothing that mattered."

Ethan jumped in.

"She used to hold a grudge over everything."

"If the cook saved her one less piece of roast after training, she'd still be complaining about it a year later."

"Let her give some of that away? Honestly, she'll be easier to live with."

Laughter broke out around them.

Selena laughed along.

"She's just sensitive, that girl."

"Once she's home and sees we never meant to abandon her, she'll be hugging me and crying like when she was little."

Someone said, a little envious:

"You really do care about her."

"Even without the blood tie, you raised her for eighteen years."

Selena's face changed.

"Who said she's not our blood?"

The guest froze.

Only then did Selena realize the truth about the test still hadn't been made public.

She quickly corrected herself.

"I mean, after eighteen years, she's no different from our own daughter."

Victor shot her a frown.

"We'll tell everyone once Ivy gets here."

"So she doesn't find out early and think she's won."

At seven thirty, I still hadn't shown up.

The driver called.

"Mr. Victor, I've been waiting outside the Sharing Hall for forty minutes. Still no sign of Miss Ivy."

"Did you call her?"

"Yes, sir. No answer."

Victor's face darkened.

"Keep waiting."

"If she won't get in the car, tell her this family's door won't stay open forever."

After that call ended, Arthur dialed my number too.

The first time, no answer.

The second time, still nothing.

He held on to his patience and sent me a voice message.

"Ivy. Enough already."

"We're willing to take you back. There's no need to push everyone until we run out of patience."

"There are a lot of family elders here tonight waiting for you. Every minute you're late is another minute this family looks like a joke."

Still no answer.

Arthur's face went completely cold.

"She's doing this on purpose."

Ella asked carefully:

"Maybe she doesn't like the dress?"

"Should I give her mine?"

"It's not about the dress."

Arthur gave a cold laugh.

"She wants us to crack first."

"Every time we used to fight, she'd turn off her phone and wait for me to come find her."

Selena checked the time, and she started to get angry too.

"The test is over. What more does she want?"

"She did what we asked. We never said she couldn't come home."

"Does she want every single one of us to line up and apologize to her?"

Ethan swirled his glass.

"Mom, relax."

"Just leave her alone."

"She never could stand being ignored. Once she figures out nobody's chasing after her, she'll come back on her own."

At eight o'clock sharp, the Elder took the stage.

Ella was formally introduced to the pack and the guests.

As the applause rose, Selena found herself looking toward the ballroom doors.

The doorway was empty.

The family's welcome crest that I was supposed to present with my own hands had to be carried up to the stage by someone else.

The Elder leaned over and asked quietly:

"Should we keep Miss Ivy's apology in the program?"

Victor's face was dark.

"Push it back."

"The minute she gets here, put her on stage."

Half an hour later, the driver called again.

"Mr. Victor, the Hall says Miss Ivy's sessions are all finished. She left through the other side of the building."

Victor slammed his glass down on the table.

"She left?"

"She knows there's a banquet tonight, and she just walked off?"

Arthur snatched the phone.

"Where did she go?"

"The Hall won't say, sir. They say a client's whereabouts are private."

Arthur hung up.

"I'm going to find her."

Ella grabbed his arm.

"Arthur, the banquet's not over yet."

Ethan's voice was cold.

"Nobody's going anywhere."

"Can't you see? She wants us to cave first."

"Whoever goes after her tonight loses."

Selena didn't say anything.

She opened her WhatsApp chat with me and typed: Mom knows you've been hurt.

She hesitated a few seconds. Then she deleted it, one letter at a time.

Give Ivy an inch, and she'd take a mile.

Going soft now would undo the whole test.

Just then, the assistant hurried over.

"Mr. Victor, someone from the Sharing Hall just contacted the hotel."

"They say there are records that have to be handed to a member of the family in person."

Victor asked, impatient:

"When will they get here?"

The assistant glanced toward the doors.

"They're already on the way."