Filthy Rich Fae

As the protagonist of the novel, Cate is a round and dynamic character whose journey forces her to confront her own definitions of morality, family, and survival. She begins the story as a pragmatic and resilient emergency room nurse who is fiercely loyal to her foster brother, Channing. This devotion is the catalyst for the entire plot, compelling her to seek out the dangerous Lachlan Gage and make a desperate bargain for Channing’s life when she assumes that Channing owes the Gages a debt. She reports the shooting incident that results in Channing’s injury to the police, despite the hospital’s policy of covering up any violence related to the Gages. When her boss, Garcia, confronts her about this, she tells him: “You might be okay with having blood on your hands, but I am not going to let my brother get sucked into this” (13). This action establishes her strong moral convictions and protective nature. Cate’s willingness to sacrifice herself for her loved ones is a defining trait, illustrating the theme of Sacrifice as the Foundation of Chosen Kinship.

Cate’s character is shaped by her traumatic past in the foster care system, which has made her cynical and fiercely independent.