C3 Smirk

I was deep in thought, wondering why Aunt Maya was

really here. But it became clear tonight.

I had eavesdropped on her and her dad.

"Gwen may not be a werewolf; the girl may be human, just like her mother.

"But I don't want to believe that."

"Artemis was a wolf, Dylan!" Aunt Maya cautioned her brother.

"She was not; I bit her." "She was never born a wolf."

"Gwen will be going to wolf camp; they'll train her." He said.

"I forbid such a thing for Gwen." Aunt Maya had said in her defense.

Wolf camp was torture; it was a place even Ava wouldn't wish for me.

Weak wolves were trained with the most cruel

methods possible.

I took a deep breath and flipped to the other side of the bed.

There was a ball tonight at the palace to celebrate the moon goddess.

a successful full moon transition festival.

There was a gentle knock on my door. "May I come in?"

"Come in." I said absent-minded.

Aunt Maya came in and shut the door gently behind her. She sat

by my bedside. She was all dressed up for the ball.

"The king sent a special invitation to your father and his household." Are you not

coming dearest?."

"I'm not coming, Aunt Maya."

"Your sister Ava is going to become a Luna, the head of her late mom's pack."

"She abandoned the family; she abandoned dad." "She's ashamed of being an omega like dad and I." I said.

"I know you don't.

like her, but the transition ball is fun."

"You should come watch; you've been turning down the king's invitation." "He invites the family, not just your father." "Spare your dad the trouble of making excuses for

you."

"I overheard you and your father."

I broke the ice. "He wants to take me to wolf camp." I sobbed.

She was silent, and we sat still for minutes.

"He won't take you anywhere, Gwen, not on my watch."

She reassured me.

I hugged her, and she hugged me as well.

"Get ready, Gwen; I'll see you at the ball." She said after she disengaged herself:

from my embrace.

"I'm not coming, aunt."

Well, we'll see about that." She smirked.