Chapter 2

Smart.

That was the word I had heard more than any other growing up.

Lydia had always been cuter than me, and far more lovable.

The only thing I had going for me was that I was smart.

I only needed to read a textbook once to remember it. I could master combat techniques almost instantly.

But none of that ever made my parents love me any more.

Hunter was just as gifted, yet he was their pride, the future Alpha of the pack.

I, on the other hand, only earned a weary sigh from Mom.

“Why do you have to be so smart? It’d be better if you were more like Lydia. A little slower, a little more obedient. That’s what’s adorable.”

Eventually, those words became everyone’s excuse for favoring her.

They said Jenna was smart enough to take care of herself.

So the best food went to Lydia.

The prettiest new dresses went to Lydia.

Even our parents’ love belonged to Lydia first.

The very trait that made Hunter worthy of praise somehow became the reason I wasn’t worthy of being loved.

Then I met my mate, Aaron Foster, the future Alpha of the neighboring pack.

Back then, he hadn’t met Lydia yet.

After hearing my story, he only frowned.

“People get spoiled for being less capable? What kind of logic is that?”

“Jenna, being smart isn’t a flaw.”

Later, he met Lydia. After that, I heard him laugh more than once.

“Your sister’s a little clueless. It’s actually kind of cute.”

Even so, I still loved Aaron.

Because he had been the first person to tell me that being smart wasn’t something to be ashamed of.

But now…

Even he was saying the same thing.

Silence settled over the living room.

Hunter was the first to frown. He tapped the coffee table impatiently.

“Jenna, say something. Mom and Dad are doing this for the good of the pack. They’re not trying to hurt you.”

I lowered my head. My throat felt so tight I could barely breathe.

After a long pause, I quietly replied, “Okay.”

Everyone finally looked relieved.

Almost at the same time, they each pulled out a gift bag from behind them.

“Come on, don’t look so miserable. These are your graduation presents.”

“If Lydia got one, so did you. Don’t say we play favorites anymore.”

I looked at the four gifts in front of me, and my eyes stung even more.

What was this?

A slap across the face, followed by a piece of candy?

Besides, I had seen everything clearly.

Lydia’s gifts were the latest smartphone, a new laptop, a limited-edition designer bag, and tickets to the concert she had been talking about for months.

Mine were a fountain pen.

A book. A plain canvas tote. And a dress with the tags already cut off.

I took the gifts and stood to leave.

“Jenna.”

Mom stopped me.

After hesitating for a moment, she asked, “Do you want to stay for dinner?”

A bitter smile tugged at my lips.

This was supposed to be my home. My pack.

Yet even having one meal here was described as staying.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and shook my head, “No, thanks.”

As soon as I walked outside, I threw all four gifts into the trash.

On the bus ride back, I came across Lydia’s latest post.

[The person I can’t stand is finally gone. Now I can actually enjoy my dinner.]

The attached photo showed Mom, Dad, Hunter, and Aaron gathered around the dining table.

Sea urchin. Lobster. Oysters. Eight dishes in total.

Every single one was seafood I was severely allergic to.

For the first time, I was actually glad I hadn’t stayed. If I had, I would have only humiliated myself.

At a table full of food, the only thing I could have eaten was the basket of dinner rolls.

When I returned to my shabby apartment, I started packing.

In the living room, I turned the four dolls around so they faced the wall, as if they were being punished.

On my desk, the most eye-catching thing was a postcard. Aaron had given it to me before he ever met Lydia.

It showed Divine Eye Lake at Eclipse Warrior Institute.

In the lower right corner, his bold handwriting read: [Jenna, I’ll be waiting for you at Eclipse Warrior Institute.]

I looked at it for two seconds.

Then I pulled it out from under the papers and tore it cleanly in half.