Kellin's POV

"Ryane," I knock on my sister's door after she's showered and I let my mom force some food down my throat. "We need to talk."

"It's unlocked." She says as she pulls the door open. She is pulling a purple shirt on and rolls her eyes at me. "Thanks for the assist with Mom."

"Of course." I ruffle her hair that looks nothing like my own. My hair is dark brown, but we have the same exact eyes; piercing blue. "Now, tell me what you were actually up to and," I pause as I pull her much smaller backpack out of my own, "why your backpack was outside."

"Shut up," She hisses at me and slams her door shut. Our mom yells at her but we both ignore her. "I was at the diner."

"Still not sleeping?" I ask her with a frown.

"Could you if you were stuck here?" She yanks off her shirt and I turn around as she starts digging through a pile of clothes. "You're lucky because you get to run off to college. I have a whole year left."

"It's not like I get to be alone." I point out. "Adrian is coming with me and they're all going to be watching me. They're leaving you and mom alone. You're the lucky ones."

"Oh, poor guy," She pinches my face with her strong fingers. "You have to go to college with your best friend. And I like being watched. I was never bored in our real life."

I roll my eyes at her and I pry her fingers off me. "You know it's not that simple." And by the heavens, it isn't. I have only one month to prove myself. If I fail or don't stand up to the level that our people are expecting then I will be disowned or worse. Our father might be in prison but it hasn't stopped him from running the Beasts of Promise; it's just like they gave him an office. Our family has been running the cult or family business as we like to call it for generations. My dad is the current leader and we are bigger than ever before.

"I know," she nods her apology. "I know they're putting a lot on you. I just hate that I can't help you. We've always been together. I want to be with you."

"You're doing your part." I give her a hug. "We're all playing our part."

"Do you really have to go to school?" She pleads with me just like when I told her that I was leaving the first time before our dad got arrested and our lives were turned upside down.

"Yes." I wink at her. "But don't worry. I'll have fun for us both."

"Doubtful." She shoves me towards her bedroom door. "You're going to be miserable just like usual."

"Probably." I open the door and leave after a final hug to my mom.

I get in the car that I borrowed to visit undetected and drive away. It'll be the last time that I'll be able to visit for a while. The college is conveniently only about two hours from Daytonville, but it's not only the cops watching me that I have to worry about. My dad and his people don't take well to people who leave the fold, including his wife and daughter. Even if it was part of my dad's plan he won't admit it. They have been looking for them since they disappeared after he was sent to prison. I haven't told even my closest friend, Adrian, about where they are because he may be my friend but he is a soldier. He was alone until he was brought in by my dad himself and Adrian is far too loyal to lie to him. If Adrian were to tell him then my dad would know I failed at keeping his little secret. I just wish I knew why Daytonville was so important to him. But, with only myself to talk to I can't figure any of it out. We have our secrets, of course, but nothing extreme. It's hard to not have anyone that I can trust completely but it's the life I was raised into.

I had applied to this college across the country, thinking that I would have a chance to get away and be my true self but I had known better. It would never happen. My sister might be our father's perfect rose, but I'm the prince. I am meant to take over the family business and she is supposed to remain pure and perfect. I will end up with even more blood on my hands than I already have and she will be safe. If I fail we both die.

I pull off to the side of the road and park the car where it had been earlier. I wipe it down so there are no prints left and lock the car using my universal key. Then I run to the forest nearby where my car is parked on the other side. Adrian is standing on the phone with his hand searching through the bag in my front seat. His back is to me. I freeze and prepare my steps to sneak up on him. I wrap my arm around his throat and laugh when he tries to knock me loose.

"Adrian, is there a reason you're going through my things?" I ask him as I hold tighter. His shoulders go limp as he realizes that it's just me.

"I woke up and you were gone." He elbows me in the gut and I release him. "I was seeing if you left a note."

"I just went for a walk." I shrug and take his phone from him. Not surprisingly, I hear my father's voice. "Hey, Dad."

"Son." He sounds relieved but I know it's an act. He only cares about me as much as a wealthy man cares about his prized possession. I am important only as long as I am useful to him. I constantly worry about the day when he decides I'm no longer worthy of his time.

"I went for a walk. I'm fine." I tell him.

"You need to stay with Adrian. We haven't been able to get any others out there yet. I still don't understand why you need to go to college in the middle of nowhere. You had a full scholarship to an Ivy League school here." He goes back to the same argument we've been having since I told him I was going to a school over a day's drive away from home. Of course, it's all fake because he is the one who set it all up for me and forced me to go.

"Dad, you promised that you wouldn't send anyone. Also, the scholarships aren't real if you threaten them out of people." I shove Adrian out of my way as I dig through my bag, looking for the address to our apartment so I can put it in my phone which I left in my car.

"You asked and I said maybe." He is getting angry and I can't decide if it's just for show. Probably not. "I could send you back home right now. I don't even have to give you a month, son. Don't forget, your life is not your own."

"Sorry," I lie. "Thank you for giving me this opportunity. Next time I'll make sure Adrian knows where I am."

"There will be no next time." My father declares and hangs up.

"You're such a dick." I shove Adrian. "Why did you have to call him?"

"Me? Call him?" He looks hurt. "No way, this is on you. He called to see how the drive was going. I tried to cover for you but he wouldn't take it. I just told him that you were in the shower. You're the idiot who told him you went for a walk alone."

"Oh," I pat Adrian's back, my fingers touching his long hair that is normally in a bun. "Thank you. I know you gave up a lot to come with me."

"What are friends for?" He shrugs and takes the address from my hand. "Trust me, I may be loyal to your father but you are my family."

"I know."

"Now let's get on the road. We have places to be, girls to do, and fun to be had." He gets into his truck and waits for me to get in my SUV before he starts the engine. The last hour goes by quicker than expected. I pull off the freeway and see signs leading us to the school. I follow them until my GPS has me turn.