Chapter 1

As the night fell, I sat in front of the desk, watching the video Annie had posted on Facebook.

In the video, Mom and Dad each had a bouquet of flowers for her. William also placed around her neck a necklace adorned with a ruby freshly mined from the gemstone quarry.

Annie had an arm hooked around William, while the other was around our older brother, Jeff Denver. Mom and Dad stood to the side, watching as tears of joy streamed down their faces.

Their little family looked beyond happy in the video. Meanwhile, my heart ached, tears rolling down my cheeks involuntarily.

I, too, had wanted to be the one loved by my family, but I never was.

Jeff pushed open the door to my room and saw my journal lying open. "List of times you were overlooked? Final warning? The 99th time—abandoned during your mating ceremony?"

I shut the journal before he could take a closer look. I didn't want him prying into my secrets.

"Don't be childish, Georgia. It's only a mating ceremony. We'll just reschedule for later. You don't have to write that down," Jeff said.

Feeling aggrieved, I lowered my head and said nothing. I knew no one would care, no matter what I said.

This wasn't my first time being overlooked. It was the 99th time. Anyone would feel hurt being forgotten and overlooked by their family and loved ones 99 times.

Jeff said, "We can always reschedule the mating ceremony later, but Annie has been away from home for a year. She needs us to be at the airport to welcome her back.

"Alright, just put your temper away. I'll talk to William about rescheduling the ceremony. For now, head down to make some shrimp and cheese crepes. Annie said she's craving the ones you make."

In the past, I would've come up with a million reasons to refuse. But since I was planning to leave these people who didn't care about me, it didn't really matter if I did something for them one last time.

I got up, walked past him, and headed to the kitchen. I then opened the fridge and took out some cheese, shrimp, flour, and other ingredients.

As I turned, I sneezed out of nowhere. My arm started to itch and turn red.

When I looked up, I saw a vase of fresh lilies on the table. They were Annie's favorite flower, and also the very thing I was allergic to.

I scratched my arm and paid no mind to it as I went on making the crepes.

Jeff leaned against the bar table, his arms crossed, watching my every move. He was surprised to find that I was so quiet today.

In the past, whenever they asked me to do something for Annie, I'd protest loudly and refuse. But I was different today.

Raising his brows, Jeff warned, "You're not planning to put nuts in the crepes, aren't you? Annie is allergic to nuts. She could go into anaphylactic shock!"

I looked up, my eyes reddening.

My older brother couldn't remember that I was allergic to lilies, yet he could remember Annie was allergic to nuts. This sense of indifference and being overlooked tore open a wound in my heart once again.

"Why are you crying…" Jeff immediately panicked when he saw me tearing up. He stepped forward to wipe away my tears.

"Can you come over, Jeff?" However, Annie called for him from upstairs.

Jeff's expression softened a little as he was leaving. Perhaps it was out of guilt. "I've talked to William. We'll reschedule the mating ceremony for you as soon as possible."

I covered my nose, moved the lilies to the window, then washed away the redness and swelling on my arm. Before long, the tiny allergy bumps gradually faded.

"You can't go soft, Georgia," my wolf spoke up in my mind, indignant on my behalf.

I had always been overlooked in this house. Even my wolf couldn't stand it and wanted me to leave.

"I know. I'm not going soft." I knew what it meant. It didn't want me to forget the 99 times I've been overlooked before just because of Jeff's attempt to comfort me.

I looked over to the wedding dress tossed carelessly in the corner of the living room, covered in dirt and dust.

All the past instances of me being overlooked came flooding back into my mind.

"Ever since Annie came back, everyone has chosen her over you. So, it's time for us to make our choice, Georgia." My wolf was pacing in my head.

Hearing the joyful laughter of Annie and my family coming from upstairs, I quietly nodded. I decided that we would leave in three days.

My college mentor, Mr. Fowl, was a researcher in Arcetic biology.

As his top student, he had always wanted me to join him on his expeditions. But he also warned me. If I joined him, I wouldn't be able to return home for ten years.

My parents and fiance were all here. I couldn't possibly abandon them and leave. However, now I clearly realized that leaving was the best choice I could make.

…

I placed the freshly-made crepes on the dining table.

Across the living room, Dad was sitting on the couch. As one of the pack elders and head of the council, he was usually too busy to be around.

Yet here he was, smiling dotingly as he listened to Annie talk about her time abroad at the werewolf academy, about her hunting and shifting lessons.

Even though Annie's stories sounded quite dull, Dad remained listening attentively.

Beside her, Mom took her hand and said worriedly, "You've lost weight. Your studies must've taken a toll on you."

Meanwhile, Jeff held a plate of cut fruits as he sat beside her, occasionally feeding them to Annie.

It was a perfect scene of a happy family.

Meanwhile, I stood alone and cold in the dining area.

The short distance between the dining room and the living room seemed far to me. No one even noticed I had been standing there for over ten minutes.

"I'm sorry, Georgia. I shouldn't have picked today to come back. I ended up affecting your mating ceremony. Please don't be mad at me, okay?" Annie said pitifully upon noticing me. It was as if she was about to cry out of grievance.

Only then did my parents and Jeff finally glance in my direction.

The smile on Dad's face vanished instantly. "What are you doing just standing there? Are you trying to go on a silent protest?

"You're getting upset over something so trivial. You're the older sister, can't you be more mature? Annie only comes home once per year, and your mating ceremony could be held at any time."

Mom also cast me a begrudging look. "Come sit down and stop sulking already, Georgia. You knew that Annie was going to come home today, yet you chose to hold your mating ceremony on the same day. You're the one to blame for picking the wrong timing!"