Chapter 3

I arrived twenty minutes early. The registrar checked my documents and confirmed everything was ready. All we needed was the Alpha to lead the oath.

I finally put my backup copies away.

My mother straightened my collar. My father spoke to the elders at the front while my brothers stood by the first row. Beside Mom, Chloe raised her phone. “I'll get it on video.”

“Thanks.”

Five minutes before we were due to start, her phone buzzed. She stared at it, then grabbed my mother's hand. “Why are they taking my things out?”

The house manager had sent a photo. Boxes stood neatly inside the adjoining suite, and workers were replacing the curtains in Chloe's old room.

My father glanced at the screen. “We discussed this last night. Nora gets the sunny bedroom. You're moving into the bigger suite. You agreed.”

“I thought they'd wait until I got back.” Her fingers tightened. “They can't just go through my things.”

Adrian enlarged the photo. “Nothing's been thrown away. Look, it's all packed.”

She wouldn't look. She kept saying she wanted to go home.

My mother reached for her bag. “I'll come with you. Nobody's throwing you out.”

I checked the clock above the platform. “Ask the staff to stop. They can wait until we get back.”

My mother made the call. I heard her tell the manager to leave the boxes alone.

Lucas helped Chloe sit and checked her breathing.

“Could you take her into the side room?” I asked him. “If she needs to go home, the driver can take you both.”

Adrian picked up his coat.

“I need to see what the manager's done.”

“Mom just told him to stop.”

He kept his coat on. Cole was already heading for the door.

“I'll get the car.”

“We have a driver.”

“I'm faster.”

I turned to my mother. “You promised you'd stay until I finished.”

“Look at her, Nora. Please don't make me choose.”

“Lucas will be with her. She won't be alone.”

My mother pulled Chloe against her. “I'll make it up to you later, sweetheart.”

My father asked the elders to take a break, then came over.

“Let's do this on the weekend. Today isn't going to work.”

“The oath takes ten minutes. Lucas can look after Chloe while we finish.”

He glanced toward the door. “Your sister needs her family.”

I stood with the oath in my hands. The workers had stopped. Chloe had her healer and a car to take her home. My father was still putting on his coat.

I folded the page and put it in my bag.

He reached for my shoulder. I stepped back, and he let his hand fall.

“We'll arrange another date.”

He followed the others out. Before the door closed, I heard my mother telling the driver to turn up the heat so Chloe wouldn't get cold.

The registrar approached with the membership book. “Should I reserve another date?”

I looked at my application. “If I haven't taken the oath, can I cancel it myself?”

“Yes. You haven't formed a pack bond, so there's no release procedure to go through.”

She handed me a tablet. I selected Cancel Application, and she checked my name twice before submitting it.

[Your membership application has been canceled.]

I didn't send my family a screenshot or call them back. I opened Maeve's email and deleted the apology sitting in my drafts.

[If the position is still available, I'd like to accept. How soon can I start?]

Her answer came almost immediately.

[Whenever you're ready. Read the attachment before you commit. This assignment is five years.]

I sat in the front row and opened the contract.