ternity, the weight of the moment pressing down on me with an unbearab

rely recognizing the

But when I met my mother's eyes, my heart shattered. She was shaking her head, tears streaming down her f

breaking, the voices

this p

lf withou

by the goddess re

an abom

luck to the pack

my breath catch, my chest tightening painfully as those accusations flooded over me. It

the judgment and the hate. But I couldn't move, couldn't speak. My mi

e it was my own voice, raw and jagged, the sound of all my fe

ONE, Q

gh the chaos like a blade. I froze at the sound of it, my en

er. Dad would

ck with disdain, the cold glares of the pack members like daggers. I could feel thei

ort. But there was none. Only the sharp, accusing glances from those I had once considere

s cur

an ou

describe, each passing moment a deeper cut. I wanted to scream again, to fight back, but t

cast aside, discarded by everything I ha

~

ightly as if trying to shield me from the storm of emotions crashing through me. Her voice was soothing, but it couldn't stop the ache i

w she didn't believe it herself. She was as broken as I was, and that made everything wors

e around us, and even though she kept whispering sweet nothings to try to calm me, it felt as thoug

ms warm and comforting, but so much stronger than I felt in that moment. My vision blurred through the haze of tears, but I sa

eath me. It was as though I was floating, disconnected from everything except the pain that lingere

I wanted to ask him to stay, to hold me, to reassure me, but I couldn't find the words.

rness that broke me all over again. I buried my face against her chest, unable to stop the viol

urmured, stroking my hair. But her voice wav

?" I choked on the words, the sheer unfairness of it all o

n't say that, honey. They were confused. They were scared, and so they said

bear. "I'm so sorry, Mom," I whispered between sobs. I didn't know why I was

mine, a soft frown on her lips. "Why are yo

out, my voice breaking. I didn't want to be a burden. I never wanted to b

ehead. "Never say that again, sweetheart. You are not a disappointment. You are

eal me. Not yet. Still, her love wrapped around me like a blanket, a

e, was all I needed, and as her arms tightened around me, the exhaustion of the night finally took

wide awake, aching and uncertain, unable to esc