I Was Never the Favorite

The day I filled out my application for the closed research program happened to be Christmas.

"This research is completely closed off and will last for ten years. You're departing in a week, so you should go say goodbye to your family," the Beta escort reminded me.

I went silent, bitterness welling up inside me. I could not help but wonder if I even still have a family.

I stood out in the snow for a long time before calling Zachary Russell, to ask if he could have one last meal with me. He was the Alpha of Silver Moon Pack and also my childhood sweetheart. Unfortunately, I waited for ages without receiving a single word from him.

I tried reaching him through the mind-link, only to remember that he had already rejected me. He never marked me.

At the moment I most anticipated being marked by him, Zachary just looked at me coldly and said, "Faye Newman, I never thought you were so vicious. A woman like you doesn't deserve to be my Luna."

He held Omega Nora Gates close, his heart and eyes full of her. Just glancing at me seemed to disgust him. I thought I wouldn't feel pain anymore, but every time I remembered Zachary's hateful look, it felt like knives twisting in my heart.

Instead, I forced down the heartache and mind-linked my Alpha eldest brother, Corey Newman, and my second brother, Wesley Newman. Zachary could abandon me, but Corey and Wesley were my blood brothers. Even if they hated and despised me, I was still their sister, and we should meet one last time.

With my voice catching, I begged humbly, "Corey, Wesley, can I see you one more time? It's Christmas today, so could you come home and have dinner with me? Oh, Corey, I prepared gifts for you both. And Wesley, you always said that Christmas was your favorite holiday when we were young. Corey, Wesley..."

Worried that they would refuse, I quickly added, "I even got something for Nora too..."

Nora was the Omega my brothers had brought home from the border.

Corey's voice finally came through. "You've got some nerve to call us. Nora's in the hospital with a fever after you pushed her into the outdoor pool in this freezing weather, and you're thinking about celebrating?"

Wesley jumped in too, questioning me, "Faye, are you really that heartless?"

I froze. The tears I had been holding back fell uncontrollably. I could not believe that Wesley was accusing me of being heartless.

My heart was already shattered, ripped apart by the people I loved most.

Nora had jumped in on her own, but no one believed me.

Still, knowing that this might be the last time I'd ever meet them, I swallowed my pride and begged shamelessly, "Corey, Wesley... even if you won't eat with me, at least let me drop off the gifts... It's for you two... and for Nora..."

I used to be the princess of the house, and my brothers loved me the most. Every Christmas, they prepared gifts and surprises for me. But ever since Nora arrived, I had never received gifts again.

The family's treasured princess had become Nora.

I hastily wiped away my tears and pleaded, "Please..."

Just when I thought my brothers would refuse, Corey finally said, "Nora says she wants to see the gift you got her. Just deliver it to the hospital."

Then, he immediately cut off the mind-link.