They Chose My Sister. I Chose To Leave

Mom snapped at me without a second thought.

“Emma Bennett, why can’t you be more like Bella? She never asks us for money.”

Bella was always “sweetheart” or “honey.” But whenever Mom was angry with me, she used my full name. Emma Bennett.

She must have forgotten that Bella had been getting a two-hundred-dollar allowance every week since she was twelve.

My spending money came from the bottles Bella couldn’t be bothered to return. I saved them up and fed them into the recycling machine at grocery stores, one at a time.

Bella’s eyes filled with tears.

“This is my fault. Emma must be upset because the dress doesn’t come with a free gift. I’ll just pick another one.”

My brother, Ryan, shot me a glare. Then he turned to Bella with a gentle smile.

“No. You like this one. You should have it.”

I wasn’t in the mood to watch them fuss over Bella anymore. I kept my voice steady.

“You’re spending eighteen hundred and ninety dollars on Bella’s limited-edition dress. I’m asking for a tenth of that.”

Dad frowned.

“Have we never bought you anything? What will people think of us when you talk like that in public?”

Of course they’d bought me things.

Bella got a velvet cloak, made just for her to wear to the full moon ceremony.

I got a hair ribbon the tailor had made from the scraps.

Ryan saved two months of patrol pay to have the pack’s weaponsmith make Bella a hunting knife. Her name was even carved into the handle.

I got the sharpening stone that came free with it.

The sales assistant had been watching us for a while. She looked at me as if I were a child throwing a tantrum.

“I spoke to my manager. He said we could include a free pair of socks.”

She held them out. They were old stock that hadn’t sold, even on clearance.

Dad took the socks and handed them to me, his face grim.

“There. She gets the dress, you get the socks. What else do you want?”

Bella pressed a hand to her chest. Her breathing grew quick and shallow.

She was high-needs. This happened whenever our parents stopped focusing on her, even for a second.

Mom hurried to put an arm around her. Then she turned on me.

“We’re exhausted enough as it is. Can’t you make things easier for once?”

Ryan tossed me a bus pass.

“Go home. Stop ruining everyone’s day.”

I looked down. The bus pass had expired.

I was about to tell him when I glanced up. Bella was already in the car. Whatever she’d said had everyone laughing.

Ryan caught my eye, the smile still on his face.

For a moment, I froze. The last time I remembered him smiling at me like that was on my first day of kindergarten.

He’d held my hand and told me, “Don’t be scared. Whatever happens, you can always come to me.”

I closed my fingers around the useless pass. I couldn’t bring myself to walk over.

Our family’s SUV had been modified for Bella. The back seat had been replaced with two separate massage seats so she could ride in comfort.

There was room for four people.

Everyone but me.

For twelve years, I’d taken the bus and tried not to be any trouble.

Now I finally understood. It wasn’t just the car. There was no place for me in this family, either.

It was a long way home, and I had no money for another bus pass.

So I walked. By the time I got home, it was dark.

Six miles had left my feet covered in blisters. My toes were rubbed raw, and blood had soaked through my shoes.

The laughter stopped the moment I opened the door.

No one had waited for me. No one asked where I’d been. They looked at me as if I’d walked into someone else’s house.

Mom looked almost sorry, as if she’d only just remembered I existed.

“We’ve already had dinner. Should I heat up some soup for you? There’s a can in the cupboard.”

Adrian was there, too. We’d grown up together. He came over and took my hand.

“It’s okay. I brought Emma something to eat.”

I looked at him, grateful. I’d given up hoping for anything from my family. But Adrian was still the one good thing I had left.

He brought a small bag out from behind his back.

“And this is for you. A little something to celebrate getting into the academy.”

I didn’t question it. He’d only recently taken over as Alpha of the Silvermoon Pack. He’d been very busy.

I opened the bag. A small moon-shaped charm lay at the bottom.

When I looked closer, I saw a tiny crescent stamped into the metal. It was the mark of the pack’s finest jeweler.

I thanked him with a smile.

For once, someone had picked out a gift just for me.

Bella snorted. Everyone turned to her.

“See?” she said, looking pleased with herself. “What did I tell you? Emma loves freebies.”

She picked up the moonstone tiara beside her. Pale stones gleamed along its delicate metal band.

Its gift box was still sitting nearby. The crescent on it matched the one on my charm.

“I wish I could be that easy to please. Imagine getting this excited over a free charm they threw in when Adrian bought my tiara.”