All Chapters of Too Late to Save Me: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

9 Chapters

Chapter 1

I was shifting.The silver-banded chains cut through my clothes, bit into my skin, and kept burning into my wounds. My wolf was howling inside me—screaming.Then I heard my sister's voice from outside the door."Dad, Mom—just let Maria out. She's part of this family, too. She needs to be at the Moon Rite."The Moon Rite. Our coming-of-age."No."My mother's voice was sharp with anger. "After everything, you're still defending her? You forgot how she rubbed her test scores in your face that year?"I knew exactly what she meant.I was ten. I'd scored perfect on my wolf strength test—twenty points higher than my frail sister.I ran home with the parchment in my hands, my face burning with excitement. I said, "I beat Alice by twenty points! I'm the pack's strongest!"My sister heard it. Her eyes went red, and tears spilled over.My mother broke down crying right there. She cursed me, said I was wishing death on my own sister.My father didn't say a word that night—he just locked me in the

Chapter 2

"Mrs. Underwood."A hand clamped down on my mother's wrist.It was Evan Blackmoon—my Alpha childhood friend. The young Alpha I'd grown up with.He stood at the doorway, brows furrowed."Maria's always been too proud, too competitive. Right now, whatever you say to her, that stubborn pride of hers won't let it through."He paused, then shot a cold look toward the crack in the door."Maria, I know you're bitter. But Alice is a rare white wolf. She can't be the price of your rise. Just be reasonable this once, alright?"No answer from inside. Because I couldn't move anymore.The silver had pierced clean through my skin, shrinking around my bones. I didn't even have the strength to scream.I stared at that sliver of light.Mom. Open the door.I was so close. So close to being saved.But the light vanished. The iron door slammed shut again.Through the door, I heard Evan let out a soft sigh."Maria, don't worry. Once your sister makes it through safely, I'll talk to my father. You can rejoi

Chapter 3

Just then, my father's voice cut through the mindlink, sharp with impatience."What's taking so long with the moonstone? Alice is waiting!"I hadn't expected to hear their mindlink after death—even if it wasn't meant for me.My mother stared at that crack of darkness. For a long second, she didn't move. Her hand trembled on the doorframe.Then she let her hand drop."We'll deal with it after the ceremony."She turned and walked away.Inside the door, my corpse leaned stiffly against the wood.I floated in the air, watching her back in despair.Mom. One turn. That's all it would've taken. One turn and you would've seen my body.That night, Alice couldn't reach me through the mindlink. So she sent me a text on her phone.[Maria, there's a spare key under the doormat. Let yourself out and eat something! I left steak in the kitchen—a filet, your favorite cut!]She never forgot what I loved.Every time I got locked up before, she'd hide food in the stuffed wolf plushie in my room.I looked

Chapter 4

The basement door swung all the way open.My body was frozen mid-shift—fur half-sprouted, claws half-extended. The silver-banded chains had sunk deep into my flesh, wrapped around my bones. The blood around me had long since dried. Only my right hand still reached toward the door, frozen in that last desperate knock.My mother collapsed to the floor.She tried to stand—twice, three times—but couldn't. So she crawled.Her knees scraped against the ground as she made her way to my body. She reached for my arm—and the silver burned her palm. She jerked back."Maria... how did this happen..."Her voice cracked, barely a whisper."Maria... my Maria..."Then, from her touch, the chains loosened.My body crashed to the ground—shrunken, contorted, grotesque.She couldn't make a sound anymore. She just knelt there, trembling uncontrollably.My father charged toward me like a madman. He tried to pick me up—tried to save me.He wrapped his arms around me and heaved upward.My waist shifted, and t

Chapter 5

The basement incident spread through the pack within hours.Alpha arrived with his Beta and sealed off our house.I was carried out on a stretcher.The pack healer examined my body and issued a report.When that report was laid in front of my parents, they stared at the words—read them over and over again.[Deceased: Maria. Cause of death: severe silver burns complicated by wolfsbane poisoning. Time of death: five days prior.]"Five days ago... that was the night of the Moon Rite."My father's voice was barely audible.He stared blankly at the report, the scene from that day playing back in his mind.Then his shoulders started shaking—violently."She begged me that day. Begged me to let her attend the ceremony.""I kicked her back inside. Told her to think about what she'd done."Beside him, my mother suddenly started clawing at her own hair—frantic, wild."I thought she was throwing a fit! She wasn't throwing a fit—she was begging for help!"She was too far gone—her eyes blood red, he

Chapter 6

She scrolled down, one note after another.First entry.[I scored top marks on the test today, but I can't even feel happy. Alice didn't do as well as I did. I don't know what to say when Mom asks. I'm so scared—will she lock me in the basement again?]Second entry.[I was right. She locked me in again. Mom slapped me over and over, asking why I kept hurting Alice. It hurts so much. I really didn't mean to. The basement is so cold, and I'm so hungry. But Alice hid candy in the stuffed bear again. At least something sweet makes the pain a little easier to swallow, right?]Third entry.[Today was the first day of wolf training. The instructor made me squad leader to train the younger pups. I didn't want to. Last time I taught another pup, Mom didn't speak to me for three days. I can't be better than Alice. But I don't understand—I've tried so hard to be good. Why can't Mom and Dad love me just a little bit? Even a fraction of what they give Alice?]Fourth entry.[Hunting training ended.

Chapter 7

For negligent homicide of a pack pup—their own blood—my parents were stripped of their ranks and thrown into the Abyss Dungeon.The day of the sentencing, a drizzling rain fell over the forest.The pack gathered, voices thick with rage."Monsters!"Someone shouted from the crowd."You killed your own daughter over a liar's prophecy! You don't deserve to call yourselves wolves!""That woman wasn't even our pack's witch!""She had the strongest build this pack had seen in years. Every instructor mourned her potential. She gave up growing—just to keep you two at ease. And what did you give her? One single day of kindness?!"My instructor broke through the line and landed two punches on my parents' faces."She should have been our greatest warrior!"Another voice cut through:"My pup was just born. I can't even breathe the same air as you monsters. You don't deserve to be parents!""The ones who should be dead are you!"They didn't fight back.They just kept walking—heads down, step after

Chapter 8

That night.Alice fell asleep against my ice coffin.And I walked into her dream.It was the first time she'd seen me since I died.I was wearing clean clothes. No blood. My skin was full and smooth. Just like when I was alive—standing in a wide, bright light.Alice froze.Then she lunged forward and wrapped her arms around me so tight it hurt."Maria—"She touched my face, like she needed to make sure I was real."Maria, it's my fault. There were so many chances—I could've made Mom and Dad open that door...""Maria... are you cold?"I smiled at her and shook my head.She held me, sobbing so hard she couldn't speak."I knew something was wrong. I should've been braver. I should've broken that door down myself."I took her hands."Alice, you did enough. Really.""In all these eighteen years, I never once regretted being your sister.""If there's a next life—will you be my sister again?"She pulled me in tighter, never letting go.In the dream, I was warm.When she woke up, her face was

Chapter 9

Bonus: What If.Maria Underwood was six years old.She had thick, bouncy black curls that smelled faintly of pancakes. She always wore a little black dress."Sissy! Sissy!"She threw herself into her sister's arms.Alice crouched down and wiped a crumb of cookie from the corner of her mouth."Slow down. What if you fall?""Then Sissy will catch me!"Maria giggled, showing off the gap where her front tooth used to be.Alice pinched her cheek."You were so fierce in training today—took down two deer all by yourself. Since when do you need me to protect you?""No matter how fierce I am, I still need Sissy! Even if I become the strongest warrior in the whole pack—I'll still need Sissy!"Maria puffed out her tiny chest with pride.Alice laughed."Maria, you're such a little clingy monster."That evening, they went for a walk.Maria held her mom's hand with her left and her dad's with her right—swinging between them like a little pendulum, hopping with every step."Mommy, Mommy! Teacher prai

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