She waves her hand around. “To some they are.”
Perry steps out. I grab his hand and tug him close. He doesn’t know mother is keeping her talons tucked in.
She tips her head again. Her nose wrinkles. “Prey.”
Father stands and opens his arms. “Perhaps this is all a misunderstanding. Maybe Fate made a mistake.”
I laugh, but it’s brittle. “Fatesaid I was worthy of love when you kept it from me. My own parents. No. Hawk Ridge is dead to me.You’redead to me. If you try to take me from the life I’ve built, therewillbe consequences.”
Mother scoffs. “Like what?”
I take a few steps. “Do you really want to know?” My hawk practically takes over without fully shifting. My expression must change because my mother’s face morphs into fear. Father gasps and trips over himself to get away from me.
You’ll have to tell me what that was about, I tell my hawk when he sinks back into me.
Just a little Beta magic I’ve been hiding.
I chuckle to myself.Whatever works.“Do we have a problem?”
Mother glares at me. I’m sure she’d release her talons if there wasn’t such a big audience. “The laws require a blood sacrifice to sever your ties, and you know it.”
That’s what I’d forgotten. That’s how I’ll truly be free. They didn’t require the blood sacrifice when they kicked me out because they knew they still wanted to use me. “Then give me a knife.”
“Surely,” father starts. “We can work something out.” He looks to mother, and she shakes her head.
“He’s a Beta. Let him go,” she says.
“He’s our son.”
I step back. He’s trying to play games. He was the one that filled mother’s head with the idea of sending me away in the first place.
“I don’t trust you. You’re not going to play good cop, bad cop with me. Give me a knife.”
Buckle hands me a switchblade and I cock a brow.
He shrugs. “Never know when you might need a weapon.”
I turn on my heel and march out the side door and to the outdoor altar they always have set up. Dozens of blue stones decorate the wooden altar. It’s beautiful, really, with mirrors reflecting the sky, but I don’t dwell on it.
Generations of hawks all worship the sky.
Not a sky god, but the sky itself. Sky magic binds this family to Hawk Ridge. My parents could send me away, but keep me tied here because I never gave the magic a sacrifice. Our connection ends today.
My parents, mates, and the entire crowd follow me to the crystal bowl clear for sacrifices. I search my brain for long forgotten words. A lullaby telling me exactly how to free myself if I had only listened.
“Sky above, I love you so, but I need to go. I release my claim as heir and wish for skies so clear.” I slash the blade across my palm and let blood drip into the bowl, staining the crystalline clean water red. Pain radiates in my hand and I clutch it to my chest. “Satisfied?”
“We must wait for the response,” mother says.
“No. I’m done.” I wipe the blade on my shirt and hand it back to Buckle. “We’re leaving.”
“You’re waiting for the response, you little shit. You might still belong to us.” Father yanks me by the arm so hard pain vibrates up it. Buckle and Perry lunge toward me, but I shake my head.
I’d forgotten all about the wolf pack until they snarl close. Yes, let the wolves scare my parents.
I struggle in my father’s hold. He’s stronger than I remember. “Release me.”
“Who let the dogs in?” mother screeches. “Get them out of here.” Anya and her ravens close in.
