"The Academy? Already?"
Victoria's voice trembled with disbelief, her brows furrowing as she stood frozen in place.
"We've been waiting for you," came Callum's cheerful voice, his face lit with excitement as he approached her. He held out a sleek, brand-new phone.
"If you had a phone, we could've called you rather than waiting around and hoping you'd return home soon," he added with a soft chuckle. "This way, we could've shared the good news sooner."
"You're admitted, sweetheart! I'm so proud of you," her stepmother exclaimed, stepping forward to pull Victoria into a tight embrace. The woman's floral perfume, always overly strong invaded Victoria's senses, making her eyes sting slightly, but she endured it in silence until the hug ended.
As she pulled away, her stepmother handed her a sealed envelope with the Elite Lycan Academy crest pressed into the wax.
"Go on, read it."
With hesitant fingers, Victoria opened the letter and scanned the elegant, looping script.
