Chapter 2

Seeing the relief on Father's face, I gave a self-deprecating smile and turned to go. I hadn't gone far when Father caught me again.

He grabbed me by the collar of my jacket and forced me to face him. "Are you done throwing your tantrum? Joanna needs this spot to prove her worth to the entire pack!

"But you're different. You have my blood running through your veins. You're my daughter. I'll support you for the rest of your life. You don't need to worry about your future. All you need is a strong mate from the pack."

I listened to him go on as if he were in the right, then forcefully pried his hand off my collar.

He was actually urging me to give up my chance to make something for myself and become someone else's shadow just to fulfill Joanna's dream.

I laughed out loud. All their love had belonged to me before Joanna showed up.

Back then, Father didn't trust the Omega in charge of the chores to look after me. Since I was still a pup, he took me everywhere with him.

No matter how late his patrols around the territory ran or when the full-moon hunts ended, he'd always come back to comfort me and tell me ancient legends about the Moon Goddess.

He'd personally escort me to the Werewolf Academy every single day and even make sure I had a seat right beside him during Elder Council meetings.

Everyone in the pack knew how protective he was of me.

But the man standing before me now, threatening me in his half-wolf form, could only talk about how hard Joanna's life had been as a rogue and tell me to give in to her.

"You want to give Joanna the best of everything. Sure, I can let her have it, or I can choose not to fight for it." I brushed his hand away and stepped backward. "But I don't owe her anything. Why should I just hand over the future I risked my life for as if it were some free gift?

"Let me leave. Don't waste the last bit of love between us."

I ignored his furious expression and turned to run toward the Elder Council before he could blow up.

I arrived to see Theo Moore, the elder on duty, dozing off under an oil lamp. He looked startled when I burst in.

I slapped the application down on the table. "Mr. Moore, I'd like to leave the pack. Please stamp my application."

Theo put on his reading glasses and examined the form. Then, he looked up at Father, who came rushing in behind me, panting. His hands shook.

"Are you sure you want to leave the pack?"

Father's face turned livid as he charged over to tear up the application. "Nina, don't you dare!"

I saw it coming and snatched the red seal beside Theo, slamming it onto the approval box. Just like that, my application was approved.

Father glared at the red stamp. "You've really gotten bold! You think this is enough to make me back down? Listen up. You're not leaving this territory, stamp or no stamp!"

No longer caring about keeping up appearances, he grabbed me by the scruff and dragged me home.

As soon as we arrived, Joanna came running out of the living room. She was still wearing the custom-made dress I'd never even gotten to try on.

When she saw the gash on Father's arm, she immediately covered her mouth as tears rolled down her face.

"Father, how did you get hurt? It's all my fault. I shouldn't have upset Nina. If she's angry, she can hit me or yell at me all she wants. But why did she have to hurt you?" She wept bitterly, looking as if she'd suffered some terrible injustice.

My eldest brother, Ian Moretti, rushed out of the house. His eyes turned red. "Nina, are you insane? How could you hurt your own father? You've crossed the line!"

I ignored his shouting and had just taken a step forward when Ian suddenly moved in front of me.

He spread his arms in a defensive stance, shielding the frail, helpless Joana completely behind him.

Although I'd long stopped expecting anything from him, seeing him look at me like I was a threat still hurt. My blood ran cold.

I walked past them and headed to the room I'd lived in for over a decade to pack my last few belongings.

From now on, we would go our separate ways.