Chapter 1

Her alarm clock read 12:30 when she heard it.

Claire looked up from her homework, cocking her head slightly at a sound. There it was again. A creak of the front porch.

She hopped up, forgetting all about her homework and grabbing the bat by her bed. It was heavy in her hand. The weight of it relieved her slightly, making her more brave and ready to face whatever or whoever dared to try and mess with their family again.

She crept down the stairs, bat poised at the ready. Her mind whirled with the possibilities. Would they paintball their house again? Were they going to leave a decaying carcass at their doorstep? Did they have the gall to come in wolf form and try to attack?

Or worse—was it a rogue? Was Claire going to have to go through the Change in order to protect her foster brother and her foster family's home?

With her enhanced senses, Claire could hear footsteps on her porch. Two sets. She brought the bat further behind her head, her other arm slowly reaching to turn the knob.

The door swept open. Claire couldn't help but let out a soft shriek. Against all her training, she squeezed her eyes closed and swung.

The bat stopped abruptly, making contact. Claire opened her eyes, taking in the two forms standing in her doorway.

"Is this how you welcome us home, Clairebear?" a deep voice asked, laced with amusement.

As if a huge weight were taken from her, Claire dropped her shoulders with a relieved sigh. Her heart beat started to calm. "You scared me," she said weakly. "Next time you come home this late, you might want to give me a warning so I know it's you."

"Aww, but where's the fun in that, Clairebear?" Cole said as he dropped his hold on the bat and flicked on the nearest light.

Claire's adopted parents came into clearer view, their hospital scrubs a bit dirty from the trek home. Cole and Marie stood by their front door, staring at their daughter as if they'd never seen her before. Claire knew for a fact they've never seen her like this before. So stressed and at her wit's end.

Marie stepped closer to Claire, catching Claire's cheek in her palm. "Are you okay, honey? You were clutching that bat like you were ready to take out an army."

"I'm okay, Marie."

Cole peered at his daughter. "You sure, Clairebear? You're looking a bit paler than usual. I didn't think that was possible."

Claire snorted very unattractively. "Ha. You're so funny, Cole."

"You know, I've been home two minutes now and I've yet to get a hug from my favorite girl." His eyes squinted at the corners as he smiled down at Claire.

Claire immediately stepped forward into Cole's hug, allowing his warmth to flow into her. She wrapped her arms around his middle, holding onto him a bit tight. Cole fit her head under his chin as he hugged her. His natural scent soothed Claire's nerves.

He always reminded her of home.

After a bit, Claire reluctantly pulled back from the hug. "I'm sorry about this. I just—" Claire's voice cracked. She cleared her throat and tried again. "I just had to make sure they weren't going to try again."

Cole and Marie both knew she was referring to the incident.

Awhile back, her family was out for a walk through the forest like usual, only unlike usual, when they got back, they'd found their tiny home broken into. Everything was in shambles. Their cheap couches were ripped to shreds, windows shattered, bed sheets torn, plates broken, TVs and safes stolen, and even the mirrors cracked.

They were still paying for all the damages. In fact, Claire's last paycheck had gone towards a new microwave. Adam, the pack treasurer, said their check to cover the damage was still pending. And somehow, they were on their own to find the "culprits."

It had taken Claire three hours to get the spray painted words off the walls, none of them words she would ever dare to repeat.

She knew who it was responsible, though. And why they'd done it.

But Claire didn't have the guts to tell Cole and Marie that she was the reason it had happened in the first place. The guilt, though, was already starting to deteriorate her insides. And by Luna, she'd die trying to stop them if they ever attempted to attack her family like that again.

Marie's eyes became distant, no doubt remembering the horrendous state of her kitchen afterward. They still hadn't saved up enough money to buy a new kitchen table.

Cole smiled sadly at Claire. "Well, thank you for holding up the fort, Clairebear. You did a magnificent job."

Claire had seen that smile more times than she could count. These people were the closest she'd ever had to parents. They were everything she'd ever known. She could decipher every emotion, every thought from their facial expressions.

And Cole's sad smile always came out to play. He was more than likely upset that Claire had to question her and Charlie's safety. At the same time, he was proud of her for her quick actions and willingness to defend her family.

Claire sighed. "Not as well as I could have." She set down the bat so it leaned against the wall. "But before I get to the bad news, how was work?"

Marie threaded her hand through Cole's. "It was work. Not much happens when you're cleaning hospital patients."

Cole chuckled. "At least I didn't have to clean any catheters today."

Marie mock-glared at him. "Speak for yourself." She turned back to Claire. "It was work. Either way, we're still only pulling in the bare minimum."

Claire felt bad for Marie. She knew Marie wanted nothing more than to be a stay-at-home mom. She'd wanted it for as long as Claire could remember. Instead, she'd been forced to take any job she could in order to support their family. That job just happened to be part of the clean-up crew for the local hospital. Not the daytime clean-up crew either. The night time working-at-all-awful-hours-for-minimum-wage crew. Party of two.

The only good part of it was that she got to work with her husband.

Marie stared at Claire expectantly, waiting for her to share the bad news.

"Jackie quit today."

The room went dead silent, save for the crickets and rustling of branches from outside that she automatically picked up with her hearing.

Marie's blue eyes sparkled with frustration and Claire wanted nothing more than to be able to take the words back, if only to save her adoptive mother from the damage she knew Jackie's quitting would cause.

"I'm sorry." Claire could barely hear her own words. "I tried to stop her, except she was so dead-set on going. And I know this is bad, but I can ask my boss if I can start bringing Charlie in. Maybe I can just sit him in a booth or something and—"

"You shouldn't have to," Marie mumbled so softly, only someone with better hearing like Claire and Cole could pick it up.

Cole started rubbing gentle circles on his wife's back. "It's okay, darling, we'll figure this out. Let's just take everything slowly—"

"It's not fair!" Marie suddenly exploded, her eyes blazing with so many emotions. In an act of sudden rage, she slammed her fist into the wall next to her. A sharp crack sprouted from where she'd struck, creeping up the wall like ivy. "We shouldn't have to deal with this! We're part of a pack, dammit, and they treat us like garbage while they live like kings! I'm so sick of it!"

Cole started mumbling soothing words into his wife's ear, trying desperately to calm her down. He slowly led her from the room as his wife broke down.

He gave Claire an apologetic look as he passed, desperately asking her to understand. Claire nodded in comprehension.

She stared hard at the crack in the wall as Marie's sobs echoed down the hall.

Claire clenched her fists, wanting to make her own break in the wall. Why couldn't the pack see? Didn't they know how bad their situation was? Why wouldn't the pack do anything to help their situation? They always helped their own. Always. Most of the elders and adults weren't sickeningly sweet to them, but at least they were civil. Was there not enough civility there to make them help her family? What had her family done to make them hate them so much? Most packs treasured their Omegas.

Was it because of her? Was she such an outsider they decided to take it out on her family?

Claire glared at the crack. Was her family the break in her pack? Was the pack embarrassed by them?

With a hopeless sigh, she trudged out to the garage and got the plaster.

She didn't fall asleep until four in the morning.