3. They don’t understand.

Ophelia pov

I’m still shaking with rage when Alister walks out of the living room, not caring enough to hear what our parents might have to say about his antics. 

My knees hurt from where Alister dropped me on the floor like I was nothing, the fabric of my dress is stretched out, my hair is a mess and I still feel the phantom sensation of those strangers watching me while Alister dragged me away like some misbehaving pup. 

“Tell him he can’t do this to me!” I scream again, breaking the silence that’s taken over the living room. 

Mom just stands there, her expression turning from worried to furious in seconds while dads stand behind her, arms crossed over their chests, both looking tired and disappointed at the same time. 

“Ophelia,” mom suddenly snaps, making my name sound like a curse, nothing of that soft, soothing tone left in her voice. “What the hell were you thinking?” 

I turn to face her, despite the fact that my legs feel weak and knees still burn. “I was just trying to have fun! One night! That’s all!” I snap back, but my voice is too loud so I know I sound far too defensive.

Dad Laz steps closer, his face turning bright red with anger. “In River Storm territory? Sneaking into some club Goddess knows how? And you do it after everything we’ve told you about staying safe right now?”

“I’m twenty years old!” I shout at him, stomping my foot against the marble floor in anger. “I’m not a baby! I should be allowed to go out with my best friend without Alister stalking me and dragging me home like a damn dog!”

“Watch your language, young lady,” mom snaps, her eyes flashing that weird color every time she gets mad. “And don’t raise your voice at us! You know how dangerous it is right now, your twenty-first birthday is coming up. The awakening ceremony-”

“I don’t care about the stupid ceremony!” I cut her off, my voice echoing in the room. Tears fill and burn my eyes, but I don’t let them fall. “I just wanted to dance, laugh and feel normal for once, Bree and I were having fun, but then Alister shows up and humiliates me in front of the entire club!”

Dad Luka rubs his face, looking and sounding like the only reasonable person in this room, keeping his tone light, without any accusation. “Alister said you were with the Graves twins.”

“I wasn’t with them! They cornered me when I went to find the bathroom!” I yell, balling my fists at my sides. “And instead of helping me like a normal brother, Alister grabbed me by the dress and dragged me all the way home! People were staring! I was kicking and screaming and he didn’t even care!”

Mom looks like she is about to explode. “You were in a situation with the Graves twins and your first thought is to complain about how Alister got you out of it?”

“He didn’t get me out of it, he made it worse!” I scream so loud my voice goes hoarse again. “He looked at me with so much disgust the whole time. You don’t understand, mom, my own brother barged in and glared at me like he hates me! Alister literally punched one of them and treated me like a puppy that ran away!”

Dad Laz sighs and takes a step closer, dropping his voice to a much calmer tone, “Ophelia, you can’t keep doing this. Sneaking out, putting yourself in danger, not thinking about consequences? You know better than anyone that the Graves family is not friendly. Those boys are cruel, their pack is worse than anything you can imagine and if they decide you are a target-”

“I know!” I snap, cutting off the lecture I know is to come. “I’ve heard it a thousand times, but I’m tired of being locked up in this house like I’m going to break. I want to have a life too!”

After a moment of tense silence, mom steps in front of me, gently places her hands on my shoulders and lowers her voice, which only makes her sound scarier than ever. “You, young lady, are grounded. From now on, the privilege of phone usage, going out and Bree visiting is off the table. You will stay in this house until we decide you have learned your lesson.”

My eyes widen at her words. “That’s not fair!” I snap, but all the anger is slowly seeping out of me, along with the tears that finally spill over. “Alister is the one who embarrassed me in front of everyone! He’s the one who should be in trouble!” I insist, albeit weakly. 

Dad Laz shakes his head and looks away, as if he’s incapable of meeting my gaze. “Alister was protecting you. Again.”

“Protecting me?” I repeat and let out a bitter laugh. “He hates me! You all saw how he looked at me when he dropped me on the floor like I was garbage. He said you two have to deal with the brat. That’s what he signed, right? I’m just a brat to him.”

Mom closes her eyes for a second and when she opens them, I can tell she is trying really hard not to yell. “Go to your room, Ophelia. We’ll talk more when you calm down.”

“I hate this family sometimes,” I mutter as I turn and stomp up the stairs.

Once I get to my bedroom, I slam the door so hard the walls shake. In anger, I grab the first thing in my reach, a perfume bottle, and throw it against the wall. Next comes a picture frame and I almost throw it too, but stop at the last second - it’s the photo of me as a newborn and my lost dad, I can’t destroy the only piece of him I have. 

Instead, I knock a stack of books off my desk, but the sound isn’t as satisfying as a glass shattering would be. “Stupid Alister,” I mutter. “Stupid, controlling, mute asshole.”

Before I can do any damage to my room at all, a knock on my balcony window startles me. “Opehlia? It’s me,” Bree’s voice comes from the balcony. 

I quickly wipe the tears off my face and rush to let her inside before my parents notice she’s here. Bree’s eyes widen when she sees the broken glass and books on the floor, “damn, you really lost it.” 

“He dragged me by my collar the whole way home, Bree. Like I was a bad dog, I was kicking and screaming and he didn’t care, just kept walking.” I hiss at her. 

Bree gives me a pitying look and sits on the edge of my bed. “I saw part of it. I was too scared to get close to Alister, he looked… terrifying.”

“He always looks at me like that,” I say, sitting next to her and pulling my knees up. “Like I disgust him and everything wrong in his life is my fault. He lost his voice because of me when we were kids, but I didn’t ask for that, I didn’t ask for any of this.”

Bree sighs and leans her head against my shoulder, “I know, Ophie, I know. But with your birthday coming up, your family is extra protective right now and I’m sure that won’t change until your ceremony.” 

“I just wanted one normal night,” I whisper and for once, don’t bother to hide how my voice cracks. “But now, I’m grounded and my entire family thinks I’m the problem. They just don’t want to understand…”