Chapter 33%
I felt the anger art to boil inside me. “You think it matters now? I’m not his, and I’m not your pack anymore.” I couldn’t stop the bitterness in my voice, a thoughti was over the pain but I guess not completely. “You don’t get to come to me, acting all sorry like you can fix anything. You all chose him. You chose my sister over me. Don’t pretend like any of this matters.”
“Even before all that….when we were still pups, no wolf treated me with care. It was Lilith!”
She stepped back, her expression softening “Lilith was a Liar right from a pup, everyone easily believed her
“But we didn’t know. We didn’t realize you’d leave like that… We never meant for any of it to hurt you. We are sorry. On behalf of the wolf pack you grew up in, we are sorry“!!
“Too late,” I spat. “It’s too late for apologies, too late for everything.
The wolf stayed quiet for a moment, watching me closely. “You’ve really changed, haven’t you?“!
“I grew thick skin even before I left. You all made me kept quiet. Everyone had say except me, the stray my father took pity on”
I took a deep breath, trying to calm the rage that was rising inside me. “So yes, I’m not the same pup who was part of your pack. I’m not the same wolf who thought she had no choice but to follow your rules, the rules that applied to only her”
Her eyes searched mine, a mixture of sadness and regret in them. “I see that now. I didn’t know how bad things were for you. We were all blind to it.”
“It was too late when we realized “X
“Well, you’re not blind anymore,” I said, keeping my voice calm “But it doesn’t matter. I’m done. And I’m not coming back. The Alpha and Luna wanted me out, so that Lilith could be the rightful heir So bye“?
She swallowed hard. 1 understand. But Damon… he’s still out there. He’s still waiting for you.
I clenched my jaw. “I don’t care. I’m not his anymore. And I’m not your pack’s. I’m not part of any of that.” I stepped back, turning to leave. “So don’t follow me. D
Don’t even think about it.
The wolf didn’t stop me. Instead, she stayed behind, watching me leave “I never meant for it to happen like this, Lyria. But if you! ever change your mind… Damon will still be waiting”
“We would still be waiting.” She begged:
I didn’t turn around, I didn’t need to. “Tell Damon and the pack that I am dead to them the moment i left the pack and they do not exist to me. I have erased my past and they were everything i erased. I called over my shoulder.
I walked to Rudina’s place, the thoughts of the wolf from my father’s pack was at the back of my mind, but I shoved them aside. It wasn’t worth thinking about. Not now Not again
When I reached Rudina’s den, she was sitting on the porch, sipping something warm. Her eyes lit up when she saw me. “Lyria!” She jumped up and waved me over. “Come sit with me. I’ve got a story to tell you“.
“Rudina?” I eyed her but she continued “You would love it
I sat down beside her, shaking my head. “Not today. I’ve got a story of my own.”
Rudina raised an eyebrow, clearly curious. “A story? I didn’t think I’d ever get you to talk.”
“How can I talk when you talk most of the time and only give me the go ahead to nod, then you continue again!
“I don’t know you wanted to be heard” She pouted !)
I leaned back, looking at the sky. “You’d be surprised
Rudina smiled softly. “Go on, then. Tell me your story.”
I took a deep breath, my mind going back to the days before Nok’s pack, before the freedom, before everything had changed. “When I was little… I was terrified. Terrified of being sent away again, like I had been so many times before. My parents, they never looked at me like they looked at Lilith.”
I paused, my voice thick with memories. “They favored her. She was always the one who got the praise, the attention. I was just. there.“%
Rudina’s face softened, her eyes full of concern. “That’s horrible, Lyria. No one should feel that way.”
I didn’t need her pity. “Every morning, I would wake up before the sun. Before everyone else. I’d clean the dens, the quarters, make sure everything was in order. While the other pups my age were still clinging to their beds, I was already up, already working. I had to. It was the only way to not get sent away again.” My hands in fist. 1 leamed how to take care of myself real quick. If I didn’t, they’d forget about me.”
Rudina looked at me with a sad smile. “That’s… awful. You were just a pup.”)
I shook my head. “Doesn’t matter. I never gave them a reason to care. Never earned a single word of praise. No matter how hard worked, how much I did, I was never good enough. Not for them.” I swallowed, trying to keep the bittemess out of my voice. “Not for my parents. Always in Lilith’s shadow.”
Rudina was invested in the story “Your parents were idiots. Lilith didn’t deserve that attention. She’s the one who caused all your problems, right?
I nodded slowly. “She made everything harder, Every time she got praised, I felt like I was choking. She made my life miserable. And my parents… they never saw it. They never cared. They always thought I was the problem,”
Rudina’s eyes filled with tears. “No stray should ever feel that way. No one should have to grow up like that.”
I shifted uncomfortably, not used to people caring so much. “It’s fine. It was just the way it was. I dealt with it.”
Pudina arahkar mu hand encarian it lightly won’t let wurdool with it pinne anymore I’m here Iuris And I’ll never lasta unir cida
