POV: Xavier

I was watching from the shadows at the back of the grand hall when it happened. Thelma had been magnificent, standing there defying everyone with a courage I'd never seen from her before. Her rejection of Neon, her challenge to her adoptive father, it was everything I'd hoped she would do someday. But then I saw her stumble, saw the way her face went pale, and I knew something was terribly wrong. The poison. They'd done it again.

Without thinking, I pushed through the crowd of shocked pack members. People were too stunned by what had just happened to pay much attention to me at first. They were...