"I should have seen, but how could I have known?"

Madison's brain clicked, but all she could do was shake her head.

"You knew, didn't you?" he continued, looking back to his wife.

"You knew where she was all this time? And you let me think she was dead?!

My child?! My daughter?!"

"Holy fuck!" Billy said.

"No," Madison whimpered.

"No."

"You gave away our first born and lied to me? Part of me died that day!" he shouted, then looked back at Madison. Mr. Hannity was torn like no one Heda or most of them had ever seen.

"I... am not. . . your child," Madison whispered.

"How could I let a Mistake ruin our line?!" Meghan pleaded with her husband.

"Generations of shifters of the most perfect bloodlines --"

This time, Heda had to restrain her mother from starting a fight.

"Madison?!" Billy shouted as his friend passed out on the floor in the middle of pure chaos.

“Hey? You okay? I think she's waking up," came a warm, familiar voice. Madison had thought waking up after her last trip on experimental marijuana had been bad, but this . . . this was MUCH worse.

“What . . . I smoked again didn't I? Hangover?" But even as the jest came out, she knew it was not true.

"No babe,"Heda said, helping the girl into a sitting position.

"No, this is no hangover. How are you feeling?"

“Ever feel like your insides have been ripped out and used as a noose to strangle you with? Kinda like that. And my head hurts."

“We'll give you something for the headache," an unfamiliar voice said.

"I'm Doctor Callous, and feel free to make fun of my name. I just want to make sure you don't have a concussion. Are you dizzy?

Nauseous?" He continued to question her while her mind started replaying the events of that afternoon over and over."

“Heda, where's Billy? I . . . I should probably get to the station.

I'm probably late!" she said, trying to stand up.

“Billy is at the station. It's six in the evening, and your shift -—