Chapter 6

So it was that incident again.

I no longer had the strength to explain. After all, I had cried and screamed explanations a thousand times before, and the only answer I ever received was solitary confinement.

Father glared at me, the disgust in his eyes entirely unhidden.

"If I knew you would turn out like this, I never should have kept you by my side back then."

"Go to the confinement room and reflect on yourself! No food for you today!"

I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth and let out a faint smile. "There's no need to trouble yourself."

I went to my room and grabbed the small bundle I had packed earlier. Mother glanced at what I was holding, seemingly surprised that I was actually leaving. "We just scolded you a little, and you're going to run away from home over this?"

Father's expression had already turned icy cold. "Since you've always felt we were partial, then don't stay here another minute!"

"I'd love to see if you can still live as comfortably as you do now once you leave this family!"

In the past, every time I heard words like these, I would be terrified, afraid that they would truly abandon me, afraid that I would no longer have a home.

Yet right now, there wasn't a single shred of grief left in my heart.

I felt a sense of relief, as if I had finally been waiting for these exact words.

This family had never been my home to begin with.

I didn't give them a single backward glance, turning on my heel and walking toward the door.

From behind me came Father's voice, barely suppressing his rage.

"Since you detest this home so much, starting today, the Blackthorn family will no longer give you any protection."

"Once you step out of this door, you're on your own."

"Perfect," I whispered. "I had no intention of coming back anyway."

I pushed open the heavy doors of the manor, greeted face-first by the night's biting wind. From inside came the sound of breaking glass.

I had barely descended the stone steps when Dylan caught up to me.

"Amelia, wait."

He unbuckled a leather pouch from his waist and drew out a few silver coins, his tone stiff.

"This is enough to last you a few days. You have nowhere to go right now. Find an inn in town for a couple of days and come back when Mom and Dad cool down."

This was barely a single day's allowance for Clover. It seemed they had already accepted as fact that I was destined to live a life far shabbier than hers.

Before I could even answer, Clover came trotting up to us, her voice sickly sweet.

"Dylan, since Amelia has already made up her mind to leave, let's respect her choice."

She hesitated for a brief second, then unclasped the Moonstone necklace from her neck and held it out to me.

"Here, take this necklace. Even though I can hardly bear to part with it, you can pawn it for money."

A cold laugh echoed in my chest. There was no way she was offering it out of the goodness of her heart. Everyone had seen Mom and Dad personally place this necklace around her neck today. If I were seen wearing it, they'd accuse me of stealing it, just as they always did.

"I don't want it," I said.

Dylan's expression darkened. "Clover is willing to give you her own coming-of-age gift, and you're still acting like this?"

"I don't want anything," I repeated.

Dylan's voice turned icy as he pulled back the silver coins in his hand.

"Fine. Then take nothing. Don't ever come back."

He took Clover by the hand and turned away. As they walked off, Clover glanced back over her shoulder, giving me a smug, triumphant smirk.

I couldn't be bothered to care, turning away to walk past the manor's grand gates alone.

Before I had gotten very far, a sharp, searing pain burst in my chest.

I leaned heavily against a roadside wall, gasping violently for air.

My damaged wolf was convulsing in agony. I knew my body couldn't hold on much longer.