The sun seemed too strong, or perhaps it was just the contrast with the days spent under hospital lights. When the car stopped in front of Luara's parents' house, she took a deep breath, adjusted her coat, and looked through the window. Half the pack was there, waiting. Smiles, flowers, murmurs—all the faces that had once judged her now looked at her with pity and curiosity.

She learned to use that.

She kept her gaze down, her expression calm, her smile just right—enough to ...