Chapter 2 : Burdens

By the time training finally ended, every single part of my body ached with exhaustion and pain that ran deep into my muscles and bones.

My arms throbbed from the endless drills, and my legs felt so weak they might give out beneath me at any moment. There was still dried mud caked on my clothes, and a fresh bruise was already forming along my ribs from where Brandon had shoved me hard during one of the exercises. Nobody had bothered to check if I was okay afterward, not even the instructors. Nobody ever did.

I walked slowly through the pack grounds with my head down, avoiding any eye contact as I made my way toward the Alpha House. Today I was supposed to have dinner with my so-called ‘family,’ though the thought alone made my stomach twist uncomfortably.

The largest house in the entire pack stood proudly on a hill, overlooking the whole territory like a symbol of power. Most wolves thought it was beautiful, grand, and impressive—a place anyone would feel lucky to live in. I used to think so too, back when everything still felt new and hopeful. Not anymore. Now it felt more like enemy territory than anything else, a constant reminder of where I didn’t truly belong.

The moment the grand house came into view, a familiar knot formed tightly in my stomach. Home was supposed to be somewhere you felt safe and wanted, a sanctuary from the world. But the Alpha House was neither of those things for me.

I climbed the front steps quietly and opened the door with care, trying not to make too much noise. The familiar scent of expensive furniture, polished wood, and dominant Alpha wolves immediately filled the air around me. My mother was sitting in the living room when I entered, and the second she saw my disheveled state, her eyes widened slightly.

“What happened to you?” she asked.

I glanced down at my bruised arm, feeling the weight of everything. “Training,” I replied simply.

Her face tightened for a moment. For a brief second, I actually thought she might ask more questions or even show some anger on my behalf. Instead, she just sighed heavily. “Go shower before dinner.”

That was it. No outrage, no real concern, and no comforting words to ease the hurt. Just another reminder to keep moving and survive another day.

I forced a small smile onto my face. “Okay.”

I headed upstairs, my steps heavy with fatigue. Halfway to my room, I saw Damon coming down the hall toward me. My heart betrayed me instantly, speeding up just like it always did, even after everything that had happened earlier that day and all the humiliation I had endured.

Damon didn’t stop walking, didn’t greet me, and didn’t even glance at the bruises visible on my skin. His eyes passed over me like I was nothing more than part of the wall or furniture in the hallway. I stepped aside quickly to let him pass. “Hi, Damon,” I said softly, the words slipping out before I could stop them.

He paused for a moment. For one hopeful second, I thought he might actually respond with something real. Instead, he gave a short, indifferent nod and continued walking without another word. Nothing more.

The knot in my stomach tightened even further as I watched him disappear downstairs. Then I continued to my room, feeling more alone than ever.

An hour later, I joined everyone for dinner in the formal dining room, which was already fully set and prepared. Alpha Richard sat at the head of the table like always, with my mother beside him. I quietly took my usual seat at the far end, trying to make myself as small as possible. Nobody spoke much at first, and the silence stretched out in an uncomfortable, heavy way.

Then the dining room doors opened, and Damon walked in. Everything changed instantly. Alpha Richard smiled warmly, pack business discussions started flowing naturally, and servants hurried to bring out extra dishes. The entire room seemed to wake up and come alive the moment he appeared.

I stared down at my plate, pushing food around with my fork. Sometimes it felt like Damon carried his own gravity with him—everything and everyone revolved around him naturally, including me, whether I wanted it or not.

“Practice went well?” Alpha Richard asked his son.

Damon sat down confidently. “We won the scrimmage.”

His father grinned with clear pride. “I expected nothing less.”

My mother tried to join the conversation. “I heard your hockey team is leading the league again.”

Damon barely looked at her. “Yeah.” The coldness in his voice was impossible to miss, cutting through the air like ice.

My mother’s smile faded noticeably. I felt a pang of sympathy for her, even though part of me deeply understood why Damon acted that way toward us. Everyone in the pack knew the rumors surrounding our family. Damon’s mother had died years ago, and then my mother appeared—beautiful, charming, and young. Within a year, she had married Alpha Richard. Many wolves believed she had planned it from the beginning, that she was only after his money, status, and power. Damon believed it more strongly than anyone else, and because of that, he hated both of us.

Dinner continued with the conversation shifting toward pack finances and upcoming events. I stayed quiet, knowing that was usually the safest choice for me. Then Damon spoke up again.

“Some wolves have been volunteering extra hours lately.”

His father nodded approvingly. “That’s good.”

“Some people understand what it means to contribute to the pack,” Damon added, his tone carrying a sharp edge.

Something about the way he said it made my stomach twist painfully. His eyes flickered toward me for just a brief second before moving away. I knew exactly who he meant by that comment. The room grew uncomfortably tense, but nobody said anything to challenge him.

Damon continued eating casually. “Others are just freeloaders”

The words weren’t openly directed at me, but they might as well have been a direct strike. Heat rushed into my face as embarrassment flooded through me. I stared harder at my plate, my appetite completely gone. My mother shifted uncomfortably beside Alpha Richard, but still, nobody challenged Damon. Nobody ever did.

A few minutes later, I forced myself to speak up softly. “Actually, I was thinking about helping with the charity event next weekend.”

The words came out quieter than I had intended. Everyone at the table looked at me, and I instantly regretted opening my mouth. Alpha Richard smiled politely. “That’s a good idea.”

Before I could even feel a hint of relief, Damon cut in firmly. “No.”

The single word sliced through the room like a blade. I looked up at him. “What?”

Damon took a slow sip of water. “You’ll only get in the way.”

The room fell into complete silence. My chest tightened with hurt and frustration. “I can help,” I insisted quietly.

His expression remained unchanged and unyielding. “Doing what?”

I opened my mouth to respond, but nothing came out. Because honestly, I didn’t know the answer myself. Damon leaned back in his chair, his presence dominating the space. “The event needs people who actually have something to contribute.”

The words hit me harder than any shove on the training field, because deep down, a part of me already believed them to be true. Nobody said anything after that, and dinner ended soon afterward. I escaped to my room as quickly as I could, the embarrassment following me upstairs like a shadow.

I tried reading, then studying, and finally attempted to sleep, but nothing worked to quiet my racing thoughts. Around midnight, I gave up and headed downstairs for a glass of water. The house was quiet and still, with most people already asleep.

As I walked past the study, voices drifted out through the slightly open door. I recognized one immediately—it was Damon’s. I should have kept walking, and I wish I had. Instead, I froze in place, unable to move.

A second voice laughed. It was one of Damon’s friends. “You really can’t stand them, huh?”

Damon snorted. “You think?”

His friend laughed again. “Your father seems determined to keep them around.”

I knew I should leave, but my feet refused to obey. Then Damon spoke again, his voice clear and cutting. “Elliot is weak. He contributes nothing.”

The words landed like a heavy punch to my chest. “He’s useless during training.”

The floor suddenly felt unsteady beneath me as my world tilted. His friend said something I couldn’t quite hear, but Damon answered right away. “My father only keeps then here because of his obsession with Lila. Was he is bored with her, they will be gone”

Silence followed for a moment. Then came the sentence that shattered whatever small hope I still clung to. “They’re both burdens.”

For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. The hallway blurred in front of my eyes, and my throat burned with unshed tears. A burden. Not family. Not a stepbrother. Not even a proper pack member. Just a burden. And my mother too. Everything suddenly made perfect, painful sense—the cold looks, the indifference, the disappointment, and the way Damon always acted like we didn’t belong. Because in his eyes, we truly didn’t.

I backed away from the door carefully, slowly, and quietly, making sure not to make a sound. I couldn’t let him know I had overheard. I couldn’t let him see how deeply those words had cut me. My hand trembled as I reached the end of the hallway. Then I turned and hurried upstairs as fast as I could.

Once inside my room, I locked the door behind me. The silence felt overwhelming and suffocating. I sat on the edge of my bed, staring blankly at the floor as the weight of it all settled over me. A burden. Maybe Damon was right. Maybe the pack would be better off without me. Maybe the Alpha House would finally be happier and more peaceful. For the first time in my life, a dangerous thought entered my mind and refused to leave.

What if I left? What if I just disappeared? Would anyone even miss me?