Page 215 of Inside the Sun

I spot it from afar; a beautiful estate with a long, white building in a traditional southern style, surrounded by the garden my dad takes care of.

Suddenly, my eyes are drawn to the silhouette of a bird circling high in the sky. I’m almost certain it’s a falcon, and my heart flutters in a strange way.

It feels like a good sign. Another big change is coming in my life?

We pull into my parents’ driveway. A storm of emotions hits me, stress tangled with excitement, shame mixed with longing.

By the front steps, I spot my brother Skye’s car with the trunk open, and Skye himself loading suitcases into it.

When we park, he stops and stares at us, clearly shocked. I can't blame him. We definitely look strange.

I glance at Summer and Ragnar.

"Okay… we’re here. I just know we’ll be safe in my parents’ house because I always felt safe here. It’s like an eye of the storm."

I don’t know why I say it. Maybe I just want to reassure Summer.

Over the past two hours, he’s improved slightly. Whatever drugs Anzo gave him seem to be fading a little, but he still hasn’t spoken a single word.

We stopped to grab water and some snacks, but he barely ate anything. Now he just sits there, wrapped in a blanket, completely still. I can feel the tension rolling off him in waves.

But we can’t stay in the car forever. As I get out, Skye throws, "What’s going on? Aren’t you supposed to be in college, Sun? It’s already September."

I ignore him, because suddenly, I see my parents coming out onto the steps, and right behind them, I spot the tall silhouette of Snow.

I freeze, taking it all in.

It’s such a strange, surreal feeling, coming back here after everything I’ve been through, as a very different person. And I already said goodbye to the idea of ever seeing them again. Yet… they’re here. Looking at me. It’s real. A rush of emotion swells in my chest.

Dad…

I rush toward him and wrap my arms around him. No hesitation anymore. This is the moment I’ve dreamed of. Embracing him while being… free. No more lies.

"Dad, I need your help," I whisper, looking into his eyes.

"What’s going on, honey? What happened?"

"I’ll explain everything. Let’s get inside. I need to talk to you face to face."

Only then do I turn around and introduce the others.

"This is Summer, and that’s Ragnar. If it’s not a problem, I’d like them to stay with us for a while…"

"Of course," Dad says quickly, gesturing widely. "But please, tell me—"

"In a moment. Let’s go inside. It’s quite a long story."

Just before we enter the house, I glance back to check on Summer. He follows us, but his steps are unsteady. He sways slightly on the stairs, and right then, Snow takes a step toward him like he’s ready to catch him.

But Summer quickly pulls away, his face flashing with panic.

He’s maybe 5'7", while Snow towers over him at 6'7". The size difference must be intimidating.

We all head into the house, and I lead the way, still holding my dad’s hand. My emotions are all over the place.

We walk into the living room, which opens into the kitchen. There, I spot Jordan, the older beta who always comes by for a few hours to help my dad with things around the house.

He stares at us, eyes wide, which makes sense. We look like a total mess. Dirty, beat-up, a crew of strays.

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