第3章

I told my preferred advisor, Professor Adrian Cole, that I wanted to join his research group. After reviewing my resume, he was pleased with my qualifications.

Just as it was about to be settled, a friend from high school sent me a message out of nowhere.

"Liliana, why am I seeing a video of you online?"

I opened the link she sent and froze where I stood.

The video stitched together clips of every time Giulietta had pranked me, from childhood onward.

In every clip, I looked wretched, pathetic, and foolish.

It already had a huge number of likes and comments. The first comment came from an account I recognized instantly by my mother's profile picture.

"This child has been slow and dull since she was little. Even her body is weaker than a normal werewolf's. This is the only time she's any fun."

The newest comment was from Elias.

"My edit turned out pretty well, right? Thirty thousand likes already."

Tears fell onto the screen and blurred my vision.

My wolf-spirit was howling beyond my control, and my chest ached all over again.

So they had made the video together.

Everyone else was having fun. I alone was trapped underwater, drowning in humiliation and grief.

Professor Cole suddenly called, and I hurried to answer.

"Liliana, a video of you has been spreading online and has reached a wide audience.

"I can't have students in my research group attracting this much attention online. Please handle it quickly, or I'll have to reject your application."

His words left me no room to grieve.

I went straight home and told Giulietta to delete the video.

She refused, smiling.

"The account has gained so many followers lately. Maybe I could become a streamer. If I delete it now, that chance is gone."

I lunged forward to snatch her phone.

"You can't do this. That's me in the video, and I never agreed to you putting it online!"

Just as I was about to reach her phone, Elias, who happened to be coming home, yanked me away.

"Have you lost your mind, Liliana?!"

I slammed into the wall and dropped to the floor in pain.

"She's the one who won't delete it! If that video stays up, my advisor won't take me!"

Elias didn't look at me or acknowledge a word of it.

His gaze stayed fixed on a tiny scratch on Giulietta's hand, his face full of concern.

He knew perfectly well that for a healthy werewolf like Giulietta, it didn't even count as an injury.

"Does it hurt?"

Giulietta shook her head, and only then did he turn to me.

"This is an opportunity Giulietta may never get again. Are you really going to destroy it over your feelings?"

"You're a werewolf. Learn to be strong. Don't be a disgrace to the pack."

The moment the words landed, the person in front of me felt like a stranger.

My dignity and my place in that group were worth less to him than one vague possibility for Giulietta.

Exhaustion took away whatever strength I had left to argue.

I walked silently to the study and searched for the draft of the paper I had been writing.

It was the paper I had meant to publish in a journal. Now it was my last hope of joining a research group.

But the draft was gone.

I tore the place apart looking for it, but it was nowhere to be found.

Elias spoke up.

"Are you looking for your draft? I gave it to Giulietta."

I stared at him blankly, not even noticing that my tears had soaked my collar.

"Why?"

He looked at my tears, finally sighed, came over, and gently wiped them away.

"The advisor Giulietta wants is very demanding. She needs your paper."

I knocked his hand aside, my voice hoarse.

"Because she needs it, I have to give her everything?"

His tone grew even gentler.

"Stop sulking. The video will blow over soon, and I'll write another paper with you.

"As long as you let it go, everything will be fine."

Three years earlier, he had confessed his love in that same voice and promised to be good to me for the rest of his life.

And now he was using the same gentle voice to talk me into giving everything to Giulietta.

I leaned against the wall, drained, my voice hoarse.

"Elias, let's break up. I don't want you anymore."

He pulled me into his arms. The embrace I had once found comfort in now left me struggling to breathe.

"Don't say things you don't mean. Be good. We'll be fine."

He still thought I was speaking out of anger.

But there was no future left for us.