บททั้งหมดของ I'm Done Being the Family Joke: บทที่ 1 - บทที่ 9

Georgia's POVMy sister, Lily Cornwell, finally stopped laughing and raised her phone, snapping several pictures of my back."Mom, look. With those words on Georgia's back, doesn't she look just like a Rogue who's been stripped of her status, branded, and cast out?" Lily mocked.Mom nearly spilled her wine laughing, but she leaned over and wiped at the reddened skin on my back."Goodness, go wash that off. This paint seems a little harsh on your skin." Then she turned to Lily. "And you, Lily. Don't take your pranks this far next time."Mom patted me on the shoulder again and sighed. "Stop sulking. It's just a few words. They'll wash off. Lily has always loved little jokes. You're just too uptight to get the humor."I'd heard those words more times than I could count.I was about to say something when a dense, prickling burn suddenly spread across my back.Nyx, my wolf, shuddered inside me, her fur standing on end. Instincts told her something toxic had entered my bloodstream.

Georgia's POVThe next morning, Ethan came to my room with two cups of coffee.I was standing on a chair, taking down the photos on the wall one by one. They told the story of our five years together—our first hunt, the rings we exchanged under the moonlight at our coming-of-age ceremony, and the day we stood before the pack to receive their blessing.I placed the very last photo into a cardboard box.Ethan leaned against the doorway and watched me for a while before speaking in his usual casual tone. "Still mad? Lily kept saying she was scared last night."I set the photo down gently, careful not to crack the glass. "Scared of what?""That you'd really cut ties with her." Ethan frowned slightly. "She just likes pulling pranks. She never means any harm. You're her sister. You don't have to take everything she does so seriously."I looked at him. "She wrote those words on my back and posted the pictures in our family group chat.""It'll wash off," Ethan argued."It was mixed

Third-Person POVAt 7:00 pm, the fireplace in the Cornwells' living room was blazing, and the logs crackled softly.Lily checked the time on her phone, then glanced at the tightly closed front door."You lost the bet, Ethan," she said, adjusting the angle of a tiny camera hidden behind a suit of armor in the entryway. "You said she'd be back before sunset."Ethan was lounging on the couch, swirling his bourbon with his usual relaxed confidence. "What's the rush? When has she ever stayed mad for more than one night?"Georgia's dad, James Cornwell, sat nearby, flipping through the pack briefing. He nodded along."True. She's always been like that. Right after her first awakening, she insisted on leaving to live as a Rogue. She stuffed her backpack like she was preparing to run for her life."But she only made it as far as the Black Woods. She sat under a tree feeding mosquitoes for half an hour before trudging back home."Georgia's mom, Fiona Zegler, walked out of the kitchen car

Georgia's POVOn my third day in the Northridge pack, I officially took over as chief healer.The new medical center had just been expanded, and emergencies kept pouring in. I was so busy that I barely had time to drink water.During a brief break at noon, a young healer pointed at her phone and asked, "Ms. Cornwell, is that… you in this video?"I looked at the screen.The video had been filmed in the dining room of my old home, a place I knew all too well.My back was to the camera, and the humiliating words scrawled beneath my shoulder blades were plain to see.Off-camera, Lily was laughing so hard she could barely catch her breath. Then her voice came through. "Doesn't she look just like a Rogue who's been stripped of her status?"Dad sounded annoyed. "It's Christmas. Do you really have to make such a fuss over some paint and ruin the whole mood?"Then came Ethan's dismissive laugh. "Looks like I overestimated her."The title was impossible to miss. "Pranking My Sister on

Georgia's POVA brief silence followed.The Northridge warriors around us exchanged glances, and Ethan stood there without a word. His face flushed red with a mix of anger and panic."You're just letting your emotions get the better of you!" he shouted, trying to drown out his own unease with sheer volume. "We're fated mates! You know damn well you'll never find anyone more suitable than me. You belong to me!"He suddenly unleashed the full force of his aura, his fury and dominance bearing down on everyone around him.But Nyx didn't flinch in the slightest. She raised her head proudly and snorted in disdain.I looked at Ethan with nothing but pity. "The Moon Goddess gave us instincts, Ethan. But she also gave us free will."I took a deep breath, my voice clear and steady. "Ethan, I am giving up the possibility of becoming your mate. Whatever bond we were destined to share ends here."Ethan staggered back and stared at me in disbelief, as if he couldn't believe what he'd just he