Chapter Four

Raine POV 

I didn’t stop until I reached home.

But the moment I stepped inside, I realized—this place wasn’t home anymore.

The front door clicked shut behind me, but the silence inside the house was suffocating.

I barely had time to catch my breath before my mother’s voice sliced through the air.

"Where the hell have you been?"

I froze, my fingers tightening around the strap of my bag.

She stood in the center of the living room, arms crossed, lips pressed into a thin line. Her expression was carved from stone—cold, unreadable, but full of something that made my chest tighten.

Disappointment.

I opened my mouth to answer, but my sister beat me to it.

"Probably off sulking in the woods again," Brielle said, stretching lazily against the couch. Her golden hair gleamed under the dim lights, and the mark of her wolf—her strength, her power—radiated from her effortlessly.

The complete opposite of me.

"Do you ever stop embarrassing us?" she added, not even bothering to look at me.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "I wasn’t sulking."

My mother scoffed. "Then what were you doing? Running away from your responsibilities again?"

"Responsibilities?" My voice cracked, but I forced myself to meet her gaze. "You mean like pretending I don’t exist?"

A flash of something—guilt?—flickered in her eyes. But it was gone before I could be sure.

"You think I have time to coddle you?" Her voice was sharp, clipped. "You’re nearly twenty, Raine, and you’re still useless to this pack. While Brielle is training, while she’s preparing for her future, you—" She exhaled sharply. "You’re running around like a lost child."

"Because that’s what you treat me like," I shot back.

The moment the words left my mouth, the air in the room shifted.

Brielle smirked, watching the tension unfold like it was her own personal entertainment.

My mother, on the other hand, went still.

"Watch your tone," she warned.

I wanted to. Goddess, I wanted to.

I wanted to swallow it all down, to nod and pretend like her words didn’t cut me apart.

But something inside me cracked open tonight.

Maybe it was Ronan. Maybe it was Ava.

Maybe I was just tired.

"You never talk to Brielle like this," I whispered. "You never look at her like she’s a burden."

A shadow of irritation passed over my mother’s face. "Because she isn’t one."

The words felt like a slap.

Brielle let out a soft laugh, not even trying to hide her amusement.

I stared at my mother, waiting—hoping—for her to take it back.

She didn’t.

My chest ached. "Dad wouldn’t have—"

"Don’t," she snapped, her eyes flashing. "Don’t bring him into this."

"But it’s true, isn’t it?" My voice wavered, but I kept going. "He never would’ve treated me like this."

"Then why hasn’t it happened?" Her voice cracked, and I saw something other than anger in her eyes—frustration. Desperation. "Do you think I enjoy having people whisper behind my back? Do you think Brielle likes being the sister of a wolfless freak?"

Brielle scoffed. "I definitely don’t."

I clenched my fists. "I can’t control this."

"Then what can you control, Raine?" my mother snapped. "Because right now, you’re nothing but dead weight."

The words cut deeper than I wanted them to.

I opened my mouth, searching for something—anything—to say. But there was nothing.

Because deep down, I was terrified she was right.

I was nothing.

Silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating.

Finally, my mother exhaled, rubbing her temples. "Just—go to your room. I don’t have the energy for this."

I turned, heading toward the stairs, my vision blurring as I fought against the burning in my throat.

Brielle’s voice followed me, light and mocking. "Night, freak."

I slammed my bedroom door shut behind me, pressing my back against it as I sank to the floor.

And finally, when I was alone, I let the tears fall.

Because no matter how much I fought, no matter how strong I pretended to be—

I was just a broken girl.

And no one—not my pack, not my family, not even the moon itself—wanted me.