"Smile." The overly enthusiatic woman sounded behind the camera.

I smirked at best and she snapped the picture.

"Aren't you excited Gracie?" Mom asked, "You're officially a college girl."

I offered her a small smile. "It's kinda weird...like I should've been done or on my last year here already...I feel like I'm going to be the oldest student in class.

She shook her head, "Yes there will be younger students around you...but you'll also find many people your age as well as some even older, there's no limit for knowledge sweetie ."

I knew she was doing her best to try and assure me I had nothing to worry about.

"But more than all of that, don't focus on everyone else...focus on Grace and only Grace, and take pride in your small successes...like the fact that you are officially a college girl!"

I couldn't help but smile at her and her excitment now.

"Thanks Mom."

"Come on, lets go and grab a coffee in the quad." She sounded.

"I'm pretty sure no one calls it a quad anymore mom."

She gave me an appauled look "...you act like i'm so old." She said as she tired to hide her smile.

I shrugged nonchalantly and hid my own humor, "Well you do have a college girl." I sounded excitedly now.

She smiled but then tried to swat at my butt after insinuating that she's old. "All jokes aside...I am so proud of you Baby."

I hugged her, "I'm kinda proud of me too...now lets just see if I don't...-"

She pulled back ready to scold me if I cussed.

I smirked, "...let's see if I don't mess this up."

"I have every faith in you Gracie...and I won't say anything to your father or your sister, this is your victory to share."

"The victory will be if I actually finish and graduate...but I guess it really wouldn't hurt if I just went ahead and told them."

"Tonight over dinner?" She suggested.

I smirked once again, "Sure mom."

After that we went back to the pack house and I told my mom I'd see her later as I knew she had a meeting at work she needed to get to.

I got back to my apartment and found Gigi barely getting up and Kelly rummaging in my kitchen."Hey thanks for letting me crash." Gigi sounded.

I waved her words away to tell her it was no big deal.

"Kels...what are you doing in my kitchen?"

"Bobby drank all of my milk last time he came over and I haven't gone to the store." She said as she walked out eating a bowl of cereal.

I smiled but shook my head.

"Hey...Where'd you disappear to this morning?" Gigi asked as she put her hair up.

"I know, I was surprised you were up at the ass crack of dawn." Kelly put in.

I shook my head and put my prse down. "Had to meet up with my mom...uh, she took me to enroll over at the University."

"Shut the hell up." Kelly laughed, "The Wylde child is a Uni-chick."

"Freshman and proud," I said as I held out my new student ID, "I start Next week."

"That's great Gracie!" Gigi sounded before she hugged me.

"No...I know you...what are you trying to get from your parents?" Kelly asked suspiciously.

"Nothing." I said a little hurt, but I masked it. "Just bored really."

She shrugged and handed me back my ID, I carefully put it back into my wallet and then got up.

"Anyways..." Gigi said, as she gave Kelly a hard stare, "Doesn't matter why you're going, only thing that matters is that you're choosing to do this for yourself."

I smiled, "Yeah...it's not something I ever saw myself doing." I admitted honestly. "It's just...back then I was suppose to graduate high school and the sorta just become...-"

My friends knew I exactly what happened after my shift, they're the only ones outside of my family who know the real truth...and they're the only ones who know how much I hate talking about it.

"So what're you going for?" Kelly asked before she returned to her cereal.

"The basics." I answered.

"And then?" She pressed.

I shrugged, "I don't know...Do I need to know?"

"I mean...I didn't." She said. "What do you want to do for the rest of your life?"

I looked at her and Gigi, they were both awaiting my response. For once I spoke honestly, "Not be a disappointment."

They offered me sad sort of smiles and nodded, "I get it Grace...and I know this is a big step for you so I'm fucking proud of you chick...and I promise I'll always be there for you if you need anything." Kelly said as she walked over and kissed my hair like a mother would. "By the way I used the last of your milk."

I shook my head and laughed "Thanks."

"As will I." Gigi sounded. "So if you need a study buddy, or a general know it all I'm your go to gal."

"Oh My Goddess!" Kelly sounded suddenly.

"What?" Gigi asked.

"Dudes...we have to go out, celebrate."

I laughed a little, "And here I am trying to reform from my 'Wylde Child' ways."

Kelly rolled her eyes now, "You will ALWAYS be THE Wylde Child."

_____

"I'm so glad you're home tonight." Mom said as she passed a bowl of mashed potatoes to me.

I smiled and scooped some onto my plate before I handed the bowl off to my Dad.

"Your Mom's right, It's nice of you to join us for dinner Grace...feels like it's been too long."

I smiled and nodded, "I'm attempting to make small changes in my life...good things though...and you guys were highest on my list."

Dad only smiled and nodded.

But that was always Dad, the strong silent type...still love him though.

The food was all passed around and once we started eating Mom spoke again. "Hope put your phone down..."

I watched as my little sister rolled her eyes and begrudgingly put her phone down onto the table.

And mom only continued. "So how was everyone's day?"

"Productive." My Dad said smoothly, "Things with the pack are running smoothly...at the very least, we haven't spotted the rogues in any surrounding areas and things with work and pretty laid back at the moment."

My mom looked at me, I knew she wanted me to tell them but wouldn't rush me.

I took in a deeper breath to ready myself before my sister spoke.

"Joan invited me to her shift party...but if she thinks I'm going she's out of her mind...I still remember what she did to Niomi at the dance last month, I mean c'mon we all know Niomi and Keith are basically a couple." She said before continuing, "I mean she's an absoulte flake..and don't even get me started on on Keith...he's such a loser, and I've already told Niomi she's crazy if she take him back."

Dad sighed and shook his head. "Grace...how're things going with you?" He asked me now.

I looked at him and smiled. "Actually I enrolled into school today."

"That's great." He smiled.

"It's just the basics for now, then we'll see where I go from there."

"Hey...it's a step in the right direction Gracie."

I nodded, "Thanks Dad...I don't know where I'll go after this but I'm just trying to take another step in the right direction every day."

"That's all that we can ask of you." Mom put in and Dad nodded his agreement.

Once dinner was over my sister took off upstairs to get ready to go out with her friends.

"What the hell...I wasn't allowed to go out with my friends until I'd shifted." I pointed out.

Dad shook his head indicating he didn't want to talk about it and mom sighed, "Your sister is very headstrong."

"She's an entitled Brat is what she is...and last I checked you two were not only the parents but also the Alpha and Luna...I love you guys but maybe if you'd pulled in the reigns on me I wouldn't have been so out of control...no offense but you two made it pretty damn easy to walk all over you." I admitted.

I looked at both of them and neither of them said anything until my little sister came back down.

"I need $40." She said walking over to Dad.

He looked at mom and I and then back at Hope.

"No."

"No?" She asked. "Come on Dad, Niomi's waiting on me."

He got up now and walked over to mom and I, "Text her and tell her you aren't going...last I checked you didn't even ask your mom or I if you could go out...and as your sister pointed out she wasn't allowed to go out until after she shifted and she even asked until she moved out on her own."

'Dad threw us under the bus.'

Hope shot us a death glare.

"As of right this moment, your evenings are for Alpha training only...because if you do not take your training seriously, I will hand off the title and position to someone who will be an Alpha this pack deserves."

"Dad..." She whined.

He held up his hands, "I've said my peace, now text Niomi and then meet me in the office, you can help me go over the pack finances tonight since you seem to think money grows on trees."

I felt bad for her, but Dad was right, she really did need to take her position in this pack seriously, before we know it she'll shift next year and she'll be another step closer to becoming the Alpha of the pack one day.