Done Living in Your Shadow

Adrian Carson's tone was as casual as if he were talking about the weather.

"So it's good enough for me, right?" I looked at him seriously.

Adrian froze, then smiled at me. It was that familiar, soothing smile. "Your skin isn't as fair as your sister's. You can't pull off something as ornate as moonstone. This leather bracelet suits you better. It's simple, understated, and easy to wear."

Of course. I'd never been able to measure up to my twin sister, Nora Rose, not even when it came to our wolves. Hers was stronger than mine.

Nora had always needed to be first in everything. From a young age, she'd shown a natural talent for healing and consistently ranked at the top of her healer training.

No matter how hard I worked, I could only ever stay somewhere in the middle.

At school, Nora was always the one getting praised. I was always Nora's "little sidekick."

My parents would often look at me and sigh. "You're twins. How are you so much worse than your sister?"

So naturally, Nora became the center of attention in our family. She got the biggest room, with the most moonlight. I could only live in the tiny room at the end of the hallway, the one without a window. Even my clothes were always whatever Nora had picked through and didn't want.

"Adrian, cancel the bonding ceremony in three days."

Adrian stared at me and smiled as though he were trying to coax a child. "Come on. If you don't like the bracelet, we'll get you something else. Why are you saying things like that?"

Nora set down the moonstone necklace in her hand and pushed the blue velvet box toward me. "If you like this set, you can have it. You're about to have your mate. Stop being so childish."

Adrian stopped her. "I picked this set specifically for you. Lily doesn't deserve jewelry like this."

So that was what their so-called choice had been all along. A disgusting performance.

I pushed the box back. "Adrian, I'm serious. I don't want it."

Then I turned and walked numbly into my little room at the end of the hallway.

It wasn't until I sat down on my bed that the tears finally slid down my cheeks.

I'd gotten used to it. All my life, I'd always been the backup choice. But the disappointment had still built up inside me, little by little, time after time, until this final one.

My fingers were clenched so tightly they'd gone white as I took out my phone.

I called my friend, Mia Grimes.

"Mia, are you still looking for an apothecary over there?"

Mia's surprised voice came through the phone. "But Lily, aren't you about to have your bonding ceremony with Adrian? Would the pack even let you leave?"

I looked out at the night sky and suddenly smiled. "There won't be one."

Mia couldn't believe it. "Have you really made up your mind? You love Adrian so much. You spent all this time trying to become a proper Luna for him..."

I couldn't deny it. I really had loved him once.

I'd loved him enough to lose myself. I'd loved him enough to work so hard at learning how to manage the pack and become a proper Luna, all so I could be worthy of him.

But with my weak wolf spirit, no matter how hard I tried, I could never outshine my brilliant sister. She would become the pack's healer, while I would always be the dark shadow behind her.

No matter how desperately I chased after them, I could never earn the attention of my parents or Adrian.

"Mia, I'm tired. I don't want to chase after them anymore."

"Okay." A sigh came from the other end of the phone. "Three days from now, in the evening. That's the earliest flight I can get."

I smiled. "Looks like the Moon Goddess has already chosen the perfect time for me."