An original and empowering shapeshifter/werewolf mystery.
Lily's abusive life with her childhood pack is about to change forever when she's assigned to attend Rochester Academy; A boarding school rumored to be for unmated shifters.
What does this...
Lily's room for the day was nice, but not extravagant. Yet after the tiny room she'd been living in for the past 13 years, it felt magnificent. The ensuite bathroom was luxurious with marble accents, and the bathtub was big enough for at least three.
"Holy sh!t," she said, looking into the closet, which was bigger than the entirety of her old room plus the two bathrooms down the hall that were shared by 19 orphans. There was only one piece of clothing in there—a general beige uniform, likely to signify her new ranking.
...Her new ranking.
Lily wondered if she was like a pig before slaughter, being doted on and fed the good food. It seemed weird to her that she'd been moved to this room even though it was just for one night. She could have just stayed in her old space, and yet... don't look a gift horse in the mouth?
She was here now, and she was determined to make the most of it.
A bag was provided for her. It didn't take long to pack her items, which had been placed on an end table in the corner near the door.
It was only a handful of items: her journal, an odd collection of pens, her sleeping clothes, and a moonstone ring that had been left to her after her parents passed. There were several toys as well, including a rainbow slinky, a ball of playing putty, and a yoyo. They weren't things she generally played with, but they were good for trading among the younger kids.
At least, they would have been. She supposed that had changed now.
They didn't bring her other four work uniforms, all the same with matching pale yellow shirts and pants. The darker colors were reserved for higher-ranking positions. White wasn't used for clothing, at least she had never seen it. She guessed her uniforms were technically the property of the pack, but it made her feel weird. Violated, almost. Those were the only things she had worn for so long, and now everything seemed to be changing so fast.
Was she ready for this?
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Lily spent the day helping the other orphans with chores. Old habits die hard. They had made detailed plans for that evening in her temporary room. It was still hard to believe she would be leaving tomorrow, but it was all the more reason to enjoy tonight.
Even the chores seemed like something to be celebrated. Washing the dishes, a seemingly mundane task she had done thousands of times before, suddenly became precious—a novelty even. Her last time.
Strangely, Lily felt so much sadness when, for so long, she had despised the work and living situation. Maybe life was like that sometimes. Maybe it was a reminder that she wouldn't just be leaving behind the chores and the animosity from pack members, but also the other orphans—the family they had created despite the challenging situation, or maybe because of it.
Once the dishes were finished, she went to help with laundry. She tried not to dwell on her new situation. It all still felt so surreal. She felt comfortable in her chores, listening to the comfortable chatter of Avery and Marie, who were working on laundry that day. She thought about telling them about her situation but couldn't bring herself to do it. It seemed like this was a gift she could give herself—to get lost in her work and pretend for a moment that things hadn't really changed.
She'd invite them all to her room tonight. She'd tell them then.
It was jarring when she went for lunch because, after scanning her wristband, she wasn't admitted to the orphan's dining area. I guess I'm not an orphan anymore, she thought. She considered knocking but it didn't seem right. And what if they asked questions? She wasn't ready to tell them yet.
Lily thought about going to the pack dining hall instead but couldn't bring herself to do that. She wasn't ready for the change. She wasn't ready for the stares of the other pack members, let alone any of their potential animosity.
She went back to work instead, cleaning the counters of the kitchen and sneaking an orange and a handful of grapes. She managed to stop by the orphan notice board and took a sheet from her journal to write a note, telling them to come to her room tonight after dinner.
Lily wasn't sure what tomorrow held in store for her, but she took solace in knowing that tonight would be something special. A night to remember.
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