The tension

Aria's POV

Dinner was heavier than it should have been.

Lupin sat at the table head and his mate (the mother of Selene) sat next to him.

He was even healthier than he had been a few days ago. Stronger. He was now his color, his shoulders were straight, his face was not so serious.

He still loved this woman!

It hurt more than I expected.

“This is beautiful, you kids have really outdone yourselves,” said the mother of Selene, looking at the dishes, and smiling at Selene. "You both did a great job."

Selene cheered up. "We tried to make it special."

"Not we, me!" Lyra, the younger sister of Selene hissed.

She remained very rigid in her chair, with her hands crossed, and her eyes on her plate, as though she could burn a hole in it. She hadn't touched her food.

"Lyra," Lupin said gently.

She lifted her head slowly. Her eyes didn't go to him.

They went straight to me.

“No, we did not make this food, I was the only one who did,” she thought coolly.

The air shifted instantly.

Selene frowned. "Lyra, stop."

"I mean, we decided to cook! You and I Selene, we were to cook to Mom. But someone! Chose to put herself in the limelight. Someone wanted to make it all about her!”

“I needed to go to the florist,” I said. “I desired that the flowers should be perfect.”

She laughed scornfully a little. "You always need something. Tell me! What can you do yourself! Always needing my sister or my family to do something for you! You snatch my happiness and force my sister to desert me! You always need help!”

“That is not fair,” Selene said. "I chose to help Aria. You weren't abandoned."

The lips of Lyra twisted up in a bitter and sharp gesture. "You chose her. Like you always do."

The room fell quiet.

I perceived the turning in of all the eyes, the weight of the moment falling upon me. Lupin cleared his throat.

"Lyra--"

“No, no,” she said , sitting back in her chair. “Do not Lyra me, I will say it again .”

She now pointed at me with a finger, and her voice was steady, but tremulous beneath. "You're an exchange student. That's all. You do not belong here, or to this pack! So go ahead to charm my mum with your ideal perfect fucking flowers! Because that’s all you can ever do!”

My fingers slowly curled up against my thigh.

“You can never be one of us, she continued. "No matter how hard you try. No matter how long you stay."

“Enough,” Elowen, the mother of Selene said. "That's not acceptable."

Lyra didn't even look at her.

“I hate you,”she said, and rose and her chair screeched on the floor, “because you have taken everything away out of me since you stepped in this house.”

“No, it is not so,” I tried to explain.

"You dated my brother! He preferred you to me, and had my sister, Her time. Her loyalty. You had stolen the love of my parents. You were given my room!

“Enough Lyra, that is enough,” said Lupin. "Sit down."

Turning about she stared at him with a bright tearful face. "You're defending her too? Of course you are."

“She belongs to this pack.” He told her. "She deserves respect."

“ no she does not belong , she is the one we picked up and pitied nothing else!” She corrected.

Selene's mother nodded. "Lyra, you're being cruel."

Lyra's lips trembled. "You're all choosing her. You always chose her! She broke her ankle, that is why you have missed my birthday party! I had spent my 18 th birthday alone since you all had to accompany her in the hospital!”

She removed her napkin and threw it on the table.

"I hate you Aria! I pray you never find peace."

The

“I will talk to her,” lupin said, making a move to stand up.

“No, no, no,” her mother said, and took his hand. "Let her cool down."

Lupin sighed and sunk into his chair. "I am sorry you heard that."

“It is all alright,” I said, but it was not.

Selene reached for my hand. "She doesn't mean it."

I shook my head but was no longer hungry.

"I... I am going to my room,” I said in a polite way. "Thank you for dinner."

No one stopped me.

The moment I got to the room, I was lying on the floor crying.

And just as I was about to move there was a knock at my door.

I wiped the tears off hastily.

Another knock.

Lupin had a low soft voice.

"Aria. We need to talk."

My heart dropped.

"No," I said immediately. "Please go away."

He didn't listen to me. "Just for a minute."

"I said no."

There was a pause. "Aria. Open the door, please."

I rose and opened the door enough but to have a look at him. "You shouldn't be here."

"I know," he said.

He stepped closer. "Aria--"

I raised my hand. "Don't."

His expression softened. “ I came to check whether you are okay.”

"I'm not," I said honestly. And that will not be solved by talking to you.

He took a deep breath , uncertainly examining my face as though there had been something he wanted to say and was afraid to say it.

“I was not going to hurt you,” he mumbled. “It was not the brightest step and we went wrong at every step. We made a mistake, I hope you can forgive me.”

"That makes it worse," I replied. It is worse that you refer to it as a mistake. Just leave."

He stepped back.

"Leave." I said curtly.