*Vanessa*

“Hey, Vanessa, over here!” Amara waves me over to the group of eating shifters and I freeze, my plate still in my hands.

The group is seated around a table and most of them aren’t really paying attention to her invitation. The few that do notice give me reassuring looks. I swallow hard, reminding myself about what Elder Luka said.

If I want to learn how to open myself up to others and really have a place here, then ...