Chapter 2

My eyes stung.

Rubbing my eyes roughly, I turned to leave, but Simon stopped me at the door.

"Laila has to stay at the healing hut for treatment, and she won't be able to finish her Werewolf Academy thesis," he said. "Aren't you working on the Belladonna Cure thesis? It's exactly the same as Laila's. Why not let her refer to yours?"

A pang of bitterness hit me. I knew there was more to his words.

Laila's health had always been fragile, so I had always done her Werewolf Academy homework for her. She had even asked me to cheat for her in exams.

She didn't want my grades to surpass hers, yet through plagiarizing my work, she became the top student in the Werewolf Academy.

In truth, she hadn't even started her thesis yet. She was just waiting to copy mine.

Noticing my silence, Mom spoke in a low voice. "You know how bright Laila is. It's just her health… You're her sister. Help her out, okay?"

I had heard this over and over again for the past five years, and I should've been used to it by now. But every time those words echoed in my ears, my chest tightened.

I forced a smile and nodded. "Alright. I'll go get it now."

This was the last time. I wondered if Laila could still graduate smoothly without someone to plagiarize from after I was gone.

"I knew you'd say yes!" Simon exclaimed. "So when I left home, I brought your thesis with me."

He quickly pulled it from his bag and handed it to Laila.

Laila stuck her tongue out at me, a smug smile on her face.

Gently stroking her hair, Simon bent down and whispered something in her ear. She flushed and shot him a glare.

I said nothing and watched their intimate interaction.

If my wolf hadn't been killed by wolfsbane, it would've been howling with rage inside me.

I turned and left the healing hut. Laughter echoed behind me, but no one stopped me this time. Perhaps they hadn't even noticed I had left.

I went back home. As I gazed at the cozy interior, I suddenly made up my mind.

I wanted to clear all my belongings. Since no one seemed to care about me at all, I'd just discard everything about myself. After all, I didn't want my things to be a burden.

I packed everything—including my clothes, daily necessities, my pictures, the gifts I'd bought for my family and Simon—and threw them in the trash outside.

I was completely exhausted, and my breathing grew labored. The wolfsbane had taken hold of my body, and with every movement, a wave of excruciating pain shot through me.

I was really dying.

It took hours before I regained some strength. Just as I got into bed and was about to sleep, Simon barged in.

Flanking a crying Laila, Mom and Dad hurried after him.

"Zora, you promised to give Laila your thesis. How could you collude with others and accuse your sister of plagiarism?" Simon questioned, his eyes thick with disappointment.

"Zora, I understand that you're upset about me borrowing your thesis." Laila sobbed. "But how could you ask your supervisor to publicly criticize me online? I've been swarmed with insults! You're so cruel!"

"Zora, we're family. How could you do this to your sister?" Mom chimed in disapprovingly.

Turning back to Laila, Mom patted her back gently and cooed, "Don't cry, sweetheart. You'll hurt yourself. I'll make your sister apologize to you!"