Chapter 3

I followed my mother everywhere.

She took a detour through an import grocery store. She looked at the wild berry jam for a long moment, then put it back and picked up a jar of wildflower honey instead.

"Lily likes sweet things," she murmured to herself.

Wild berries were my favorite. When I was little, she'd buy them sometimes and spread them on fresh roasted meat.

I followed her home. She'd moved to this apartment after the divorce, and I'd been left with Grandma out in the countryside.

My first visit here, I was nine years old and had been on a bus for six hours.

That day was my mother's birthday.

I'd spent a whole year saving up sun stones to make her a necklace, and I'd stared at it every day until I could finally come.

Grandma had stroked my hair gently before I left. "Go on. It's been so long. Give it to her yourself."

But the moment my mother opened the door and saw the necklace resting in my palms, her face went cold.

"You heard I made professor? Think you can get something out of it? Just like your father. Always calculating."

I shook my head frantically.

I hadn't known until that moment that she'd been promoted. I was just nine. I'd saved those stones because I wanted to give her something.

Did Mother blame me for not coming here before?

Grandma was in poor health back then. I only started to visit on my own after I grew older.

She didn't let me in.

She tossed the necklace on the ground. The beads scattered everywhere.

A girl slipped out from behind her, small and cautious.

"Mom, who is it?"

"No one important." She turned back, wrapped an arm around the girl, and went inside.

I stood there like I'd been struck by lightning, staring at the scattered beads.

She already had another daughter.

That was the first time I saw Lily.

I pulled myself back to the present.

The front door opened and Lily came running out, throwing herself into my mother's arms.

"Mom! You're finally home!"

My mother bent down and ruffled her hair. Her face lit up with a warmth I'd never been given.

Lily's bracelet was rough work, honestly worse than the necklace I'd made at nine.

But my mother put it on immediately, like it was the most precious thing in the world.

Then she held up a shimmering silver-white dress.

I'd seen it in a magazine. Five figures, at least.

"A reward. You earned it."

Lily kissed her cheek. "Thank you, Mom!"

"Your teacher said you did great on the exam. Maybe one day you'll get into my alma mater, the medical school."

I went to her alma mater.

But I'd quietly dropped out months ago. The treatment costs had drained everything.

Werewolves celebrate their coming-of-age at twenty. You were supposed to wear a beautiful dress.

My twentieth birthday was tomorrow. My mother had probably forgotten.

Then my mother's phone rang. Grandma's voice came through the speaker.

"Astrid, have you heard from Laila? I've tried calling her several times. She's not picking up."

My chest tightened. Grandma was the only person in the world who thought about me. And I'd lied to her.

I didn't want her to watch me die. So I told her I'd gone out of town with classmates and a professor for a research project.

"How would I know?" My mother's warmth vanished in an instant.

"But Laila's such a responsible girl. She wouldn't go silent without a reason. And tomorrow—"

My mother hung up before Grandma could finish. No hesitation, not a trace of warmth left.