They Partied While I Died Alone

A dead silence fell over the room the moment the words left my mouth.

Caleb was the first to react.

He frowned, studying me as if trying to figure out if I was bluffing.

"Are you serious?"

I nodded.

"I am."

Right on cue, my mother, Evelyn, who had been waiting in the hallway, hurried inside.

Her eyes were a little red, but she couldn't hide the overwhelming relief on her face.

"I knew you’d finally show the grace of an Alpha’s eldest daughter."

She sat on the edge of the bed and opened her arms to hug me.

I instinctively turned away to avoid her.

Her arms froze in mid-air, and she looked instantly embarrassed.

My father, Marcus, cleared his throat to save her the awkwardness.

"Since you've made your decision, don't go back on your word."

"The healers say Jessica's body can't wait. It’s best if you sign the waiver today."

So they had the waiver ready all along. They were just terrified I'd change my mind.

A thick stack of papers was placed in front of me.

The top page read: Voluntary Waiver of Medical Serum.

I stared down at the word "Voluntary," feeling a bitter sense of irony.

For the past three months, they had used every trick in the book.

My mother said Jessica was still young and told me to be more understanding.

My father said tearing the family apart over this was a disgrace to the Redwood Pack.

Caleb cut off my access to premium painkillers, withdrew most of my medical resources, and even stayed silent when people asked if I was trying to steal Jessica’s chance at life, letting them assume the worst.

And now, having finally waited for me to bow my head, they couldn't wait to nail the coffin shut.

I picked up the pen and signed my name, page after page.

Caleb stood beside me, watching closely. It wasn't until I made the final stroke that his tense jaw finally relaxed.

"That's better."

He gathered the documents, his tone softening a fraction.

"Once Jessica is cured, we'll use the full strength of the pack to find a second serum. You don't have to worry."

A second serum? I had waited over twenty years for this one chance to live.

When would the next one be?

I glanced at the notice of my deteriorating condition on the bedside table and asked softly, "What if I don't make it until then?"

Caleb froze completely.

Before he could answer, his expression shifted. He looked panicked. "Jessica just mind-linked me. She says she's in a lot of pain. We need to go see her."

He turned and strode out of the room. My parents scrambled to follow him.

No one looked back.

And no one noticed that the vitals monitor by my bed was blaring a weak, frantic alarm.

By the time the healers rushed in, I was already curled up into a tight ball of agony.

While my consciousness was fading, I tried using the mind-link to call Caleb.

But after several tries with no response, I finally remembered. He thought I was too annoying, always calling him for every little thing, so he had blocked my mind-link a long time ago.

When the emergency resuscitation was over, the healer stood by my bed, his face grim.

"Your inner wolf is in a far worse state than Jessica’s."

"This serum was originally allocated to you based on the severity of your condition. Now that you've given it up, no one can guarantee if you'll ever get another chance."

I stared up at the snow-white ceiling.

"How long do I have left?"

The healer was silent for a moment.

"A month. Conservatively."

Suddenly, cheers erupted from outside the room.

My mother’s tears of joy carried clearly through the walls.

"Jessica, the serum is yours!"

"You're saved!"

I turned on my side and buried my face in the pillow.

Today was my twenty-fourth birthday.

My parents forgot, and Caleb forgot.

But today, they finally got the gift they wanted most.

None of them came back to the hospital that night.

I only found out from the nurses' gossip that they had gone out to celebrate Jessica’s rebirth.

Jessica sent me a photo.

In it, she was surrounded by my parents and Caleb, a triumphant smile on her pale face. There was a cake on the table.

Thank you, sister, for giving me the chance to live.