Iris


    +20 Bonus


    The next morning, the testing center is even more crowded than I expected it to be 1 clutch Miles'' hand tightly as we navigate through the throng of people, all women, all waiting to see if they''re the missing heir.


    The line stretches out the door and around the block, but it moves quickly. Efficient attendants in whiteb coats usher people through the process, swabbing the insides of their cheeks and then sending them away.


    As we get in line, I nce around at the other women who havee. They''re all strikingly beautiful, with the unmistakable


    presence that werewolves naturally exude-tall, graceful, with perfect skin and glossy hair.


    Next to them, I feel distinctly ordinary in my jeans and simple blouse, my Flora disguise left at home today because I figured no


    one would recognize me anyway. I haven''t been recognized in public for a while.


    When we finally reach the front of the line, a perky attendant with a clipboard greets us.


    "Wee to the Willford Family Search Initiative," she chirps. "Are you here to be tested?"


    "Yes," I say, trying to ignore the curious nces from the women behind me. "Just me, not my son."


    "Perfect! I''ll just need you to fill out this form with your basic information." She hands me a clipboard. "Do you have any known werewolf lineage? We''re primarily looking for Alpha werewolf gics, of course."


    "No," I admit, taking the clipboard. "None that I know of. I''m human, as far as I''m aware."


    The attendant blinks, her smile faltering slightly. "Oh. Well, anyone is wee to test, of course! The donation to the orphanage


    is made regardless of eligibility."


    I nod, trying not to feel self-conscious as I fill out the form. Name, date of birth, contact information... There''s a space for "known genealogy" that I leave nk, and another for "reason for testing" where I simply write "orphan."


    From behind me, I hear


    hushed giggles. Turning slightly, I catch two gorgeous werewolf women whispering to each other.


    "A human?" one murmurs, not bothering to lower her voice. "What''s the point?"


    "The Willfords have been purebred Alphas for twelve generations," the other replies, shaking her head. "As it a human could possibly be rted."


    My cheeks burn, but I keep my expression neutral as I hand the form back to the attendant. She nces it over, then leads me to a


    small booth where another technician walts with a cheek swab.


    "This will just take a second," the technician says, "Onen wide."


    Iply, trying to ignore the continued stares and whispers from the waiting room. The swab scrapes the inside of my cheek for a moment before the technician ces it in a sealed tube with abel. They tell me I''ll hear back about the results within a week.


    #20 Bonus


    "Is it really worth running the test?" I hear someone mutter as we exit the booth. "What a waste of resources."


    Not wanting to expose Miles to any malice, I hurry toward the exit, keeping my head down. In my rush, I don''t notice the person


    gto


    standing in the doorway until we collide.


    "Oh! I''m so sorry-Alice?"


    Alice steadies herself, her surprise quickly morphing into delight. "Iris! What are you doing here?"


    "I could ask you the same thing," I say. "Are you getting tested too?"


    She nods, ncing around at the crowded room. "Yeah, I figured why not, right? I was adopted as a baby and never knew my birth parents." She shrugs with a smile. "The chances are astronomically small, of course, but the money goes to a good cause."


    "I didn''t know you were adopted," I say, shocked that this never came up in our conversations.


    "It''s not something I advertise," Alice admits. "My adoptive parents were wonderful, and I never felt the need to search for my birth family. But this whole Willford thing has me curious, you know?"


    "I get it," I say, nodding. "I''m in the same boat, sort of. I grew up in an orphanage, never knew my parents either."


    Alice''s eyes widen. "Really? Which orphanage?"


    "Ordan Central," I reply. "I was there from infancy until I aged out at eighteen."


    Alice goes very still, staring at me with wide eyes. "Ordan Central," she repeats slowly. "Wait, when were you there?"


    I tell her the years, and Alice''s mouth drops open. "That''s... that''s when I was there too. Before I was adopted. I left when I was