Chapter Two

I set the alarm earlier than normal. I wanted to rise with the sun and get ready for my new life. There were still a few days until I was legally an adult, but today would be my start. I was leaving, even if I got in trouble for it.

After a long, hot shower, I got dressed and went out of the kitchen to start the coffeepot. Even before my foster mom showed me to my bedroom, I was given the lowdown on how she liked her coffee made and that she expected it to be ready by the time she woke up. Fortunately, that was rarely early. And since I was leaving, the only reason to make it was to keep up the illusion that today was like any other.

I'd given my notice at the music store where I'd worked since moving in with Amy. She had all kinds of job applications on the bed when I arrived. She said she would pay for my necessities, but that was it. And the woman's idea of necessities was one or two pairs of jeans and only one pair of pajamas. The rest of my clothes were things I brought or bought myself. Her idea of hygiene essentials was a bar of plain soap and a toothbrush. I'd been in the system long enough to know what she should have been doing, but I was willing to buy my own shampoo and tampons in order to enjoy her lack of supervision. Not that I was a problem teen, but I hated being watched over constantly. No danger there with Amy.

She had done me some good in prepping myself for the real world. For taking care of myself and not relying on others. I did worry that she might get a younger kid and ignore them, so I planned to put in an anonymous report on her once I was safely out of the system for a while.

I threw some sausage patties into the cast-iron skillet and started breakfast, determined to kill Amy with kindness this last day.

"What are you cooking?" She stumbled into the kitchen while I plated up sausage, egg, and cheese sandwiches for two.

"Sandwiches." Less words were better with Amy, especially before her first cup of coffee.

"Good. I'm hungry."

She poured her coffee while I moved around her in this tiny kitchen. She did keep things tidy, but I suspected it was because of the pop-up visits from CPS and not because she was good like that. We ate in silence before she sat back, putting her empty cup on the table. "Today is the day?" No emotion in her tone. Nothing. A blank page of a person.

"Yes," I answered.

She nodded and looked around. She wouldn't miss me. Probably she would miss the checks she received to help take care of me, but those were easily replaced by another foster kid like me. They would replace me in the guest room. In her bank account. "Need anything before you go?"

I barely contained a laugh. "No. I have everything. Thank you."

I added the last two words because truly I was grateful for the home she'd given me. It was a roof over my head and better than a group home.

Group homes were riddled with social hierarchies. Fights. Violent breakouts. Bullying. Stealing.

I'd heard things happening in the night at those places that made me wish I had never been born.

"What time do we need to be at the office?" she asked. Her gaze darted to the fridge where the postcard was placed with a magnet, by me.

"Ten this morning."

"Mind cleaning this up while I get dressed?" Her tone surprised me. We took turns on the dishes, but never once had she asked if I minded. Maybe there were some scribblings on her after all.

"I don't mind."

She nodded and went back to her room. I heard the shower come on, and my nerves kicked up inside me. My thoughts whizzed between excitement and anxiety. I never dreamed of going to any school after high school, but especially not a school tailored to wolf shifters like me. How hard would it be to live on my own? Would I make friends? Would I find my mate?

My wolf howled inside me at the thought of finding my mate.

I had dated some, when the occasion arose, but the males were all human. I knew it was for fun only.

And the other big thing…I had not one but two sisters. They attended the Werewolf Academy.

Did they even know I was coming? Did they know I was alive and related to them? If so, why hadn't they contacted me by now?

Did they know my parents? Did we have one parent in common or more? Did they even know?

I did the dishes easily since there were only two of us. Instead of leaving them on the drainer, I dried and put them away. My bed was made. My room was cleaned out and as sparse and lifeless as the day I arrived.

Everything was in place.

Amy got me to the bus station a few minutes early. She didn't help me put my bags into the car or say one word on the way. I didn't expect her to, but I wanted her to.

Something to prove that there was a beating heart inside her somewhere.

"Bye," I said, unbuckling my seat belt. "Thank you for everything, Amy."

She turned and, maybe for the first time, looked me in the eyes. "You are a good kid. Good luck out there."

Better than nothing.

I boarded the bus, the envelope holding my future tucked in the outer pocket of my duffle bag. It was an improvement over the trash bag I'd used for most of my moves, even if I did buy it myself.

The Werewolf Academy and two sisters I've never met…here I come.