Scarlett sighs on the other end of the line. “Just trying out something new. Mom’s been an insufferable bitch since you left. I guess now that she’s not so focused on you and she’s already more or less given up on Jade, she’s chosen to make me her special project. Joy.”
My heart goes out to her. Truly. I wish I could save her from that fate. I’d have stayed longer if Mom wasn’t so quick to give me the boot. Then I remember. “But aren’t you at prep school?”
Scar groans. “Yes, and lucky me, Mom makes sure to visit every weekend to make sure I don’t follow in my sister’s footsteps.”
Oh my God. Poor Scarlett. She must hate me. Judging by the tone in her voice as she relates all this, she does.
“I’m sorry,” I murmur, squeezing the phone tight as I hold it up to my face. “I didn’t mean to make things so hard for you.”
“Violet,” my sister shouts into my ear, startling me so that I almost fumble the phone. “Are you serious right now?”
I stay quiet, not knowing what I can say beyond that I’m sorry, that I wish things could have been different for all of us.
She snorts and then lets out a slow breath. “None of this is your fault. So you got knocked up. So what? Nobody knew you’d get your heat that early. What were you supposed to do? Mom was a bitch long before that, and she’s going to keep on being a miserable hag right until that fateful day when she dies and frees the rest of us from the curse that is her presence in this family.”
I smile to myself as I picture my sister with her wavy auburn hair and cute-as-a-button nose saying such sinister things. She sure as hell hates our mother, but she doesn’t hate me. Not even a little. I could practically cry with relief. “Are you sure you’re okay?” I ask again.
“No,” she assures me, but her voice is soft and kind. “I’m not okay, but that’s okay, you know? All great artists are tortured. Today’s tears are tomorrow’s fortunes. But listen, I have to go.”
“Okay, bye,” I whisper.
“Bye, Vi. Love you.”
“I love you too. And, Scar?”
“Yeah?”
“Call me anytime. I mean it.”
Click.
I lie back on my bed, going over the phone call again and again in my head.
This isn’t about me.
I don’t want to hurt my alphas, but running away isn’t the answer. For all my mother’s faults, she was right about one thing. If I fuck this up, it will ruin all my sister’s prospects too. And disappearing into the wilds never to be seen again would definitely register as fucking things up.
So I can’t leave.
And I can’t keep lying.
That leaves me with one option and one option only.
I have to tell them the truth. God help me, I have to share my secret.
nine
VIOLET
Itoss and turn all night, plagued by doubt and insecurity. I’ve only been living with Pack Muldoon for a couple of weeks, but already I feel myself falling so hard for them. Do they feel the same about me? Or will it prove easy to let me go when they learn the truth?
Will sharing the truth create a scandal? Infuriate my mother while also damaging my sisters’ prospects?
I trust the guys, I do. But Archer hates being shown up, and Noah has that temper I’ve already seen start to peek through his otherwise calm demeanor. If he’s already starting to lose his cool around me, what would happen if Ireallypissed him off?
Unfortunately, I’m no closer to a solution by the time I’m jolted awake the next morning.
No, not morning.