Todos os capítulos de A Family of Four, No Place for Me: Capítulo 1 - Capítulo 9

Orientation kept me busy all through my first week.Picking up my academy pin, activating my dorm access, checking on my scholarship application at the registrar's office.I did all of it alone.Just as I had for 18 years. Eating alone, studying alone, choosing a school alone.Back before the pack's coming-of-age trial, my mother had made Leanna three different balanced meals a day.I asked why she hadn't made any for me.She looked taken aback for a second."You've always been independent, Aurora... I thought you didn't like having everything planned for you."I can make those meals for you too, if you'd like."And she did.Better than Leanna's, even.What stayed with me was the relief on her face.She probably thought the problem was solved.But the problem was never the meals.The problem was that if I didn't bring something up, they didn't think of me.If I didn't say it hurt, they assumed nothing hurt.If I didn't hold out my hand, they assumed I didn't need anything.It was alway

On the last day of finals, my mother called out of nowhere."Aurora, what day are you coming home?""I'm not."Two seconds of silence."You didn't come back for Founding Day either. Now you're skipping the Winter Rite too?""I'm at a critical stage with a formula I'm developing. My advisor wants me to stay and run some experiments."There was no formula.And Nathan hadn't asked me to stay.My mother sounded a little disappointed. "But I haven't seen you in so long, and the Winter Rite is the most important day of the year for the pack."Could you talk to your advisor about it?""This formula is important. It directly affects my grade.""All right, then."My mother sighed. "I'll say a blessing for you at home."I didn't answer.Even if I had gone home, they would have looked right through me.Next to Leanna, I'd never even catch their eye.After finals, most of the campus emptied out.Mia went home too, and the room was mine alone.But I liked the quiet.No comparisons. No being overloo

When Susanna told me my photo had been selected, Mia and I were celebrating passing the healer certification exam.We were the only two students in our first-year class who had passed.Mia threw her arms around me and jumped up and down."Aurora, you're amazing!""We're both amazing."The photo had been shortlisted for a regional photography award in the South.During the break, I'd been exploring the South when I found myself on an old street.I came across a little werewolf girl standing in a corner.She stood where light met shadow, watching longingly as her parents and older sister played together.In the light, a happy family of three.In the shadows, one girl all alone.One step forward and she would have been in the light.But she stayed where she was, twisting her fingers nervously.I saw myself in her.So I pressed the shutter button before I could stop myself.After I got the girl's permission, I submitted that photo to the competition.Susanna looked at my photo and patted m

After that, my days at school filled up with work again.Now that we were certified healers, Mia and I could intern at clinics designated by the academy.We were assigned to the Blackrock Pack's healing clinic.A couple rushed in one afternoon, carrying a screaming little girl."Please, someone help my daughter! There was a fire at our house! She's burned!"We gathered around her. She had only a palm-sized burn on her lower leg. Nothing serious.As we applied medicine and bandaged the burn, the girl's mother sighed with relief. "Thank the Moon Goddess. It's only a small burn."And where has Ella run off to? Is this how she looks after her sister? I'll deal with her when we get home."The little girl started crying harder."Mommy! Ella! Ella's still in the house! She pushed me out!"I didn't notice how her parents reacted. All I knew was that my head was ringing.I grabbed a blanket off one of the beds and was out the door before my mind caught up.I ran up the street. The fire wasn't f