Chapter 7: Count It

They were standing in the middle of the quad, five of them, in the clothes they had worn to the banquet.

Mom's hair had come loose from its pins.

Dad's face was the color of brick.

Poppy was holding Jared's arm, with her eyes red and her best sweet smile in place.

Jasper stood slightly behind them, hesitant and awkward.

Two hundred cadets had made a wide circle around them and were watching without pretending otherwise.

"Nessa!" Mom cried. "Oh, thank the Goddess!"

She came toward me with her arms out.

I did not move, and she stopped short.

"You scared us half to death," Mom said. "Do you know what it did to your father, you not showing up? The whole pack asked where you were."

"I was grounded," I said. "You told me to stay in my room."

"Don't be smart," Dad snapped. "Get your bag. You're coming home."

"No."

The quad went quiet.

Dad took one step forward, and his eyes flashed gold.

"Nessa Carrow," he said, and his voice dropped into the deep, flat tone he used on wolves who broke pack law. "To me. Now."

It was an Alpha's command, and I had obeyed it every day of my life.

It slid off me.

I felt it touch my skin and go nowhere.

Dad's eyes widened.

He tried again, louder. "Nessa! I said to me!"

I looked at him.

"I'm not in your pack anymore, Dad," I said. "I'm a cadet of the Royal Academy."

"Nobody gave you permission to leave!" Jared barked. "You think you can run off to a school for White Wolves? They'll toss you out in a week."

"Maybe," I said. "Before they do, I want my money."

Poppy gave a small, pained sigh.

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