Chapter 3

Father, Mother, and Caleb immediately rushed to her side. Seeing the red, burn-like mark on Serena's palm, they panicked.

"We weren't around any humans at the party. Which werewolf would send a gift made of silver?"

Mother's eyes scanned the room, finally settling on an open gift box.

"That gift box... is that Maya's?"

Serena's eyes immediately welled with tears. "Mother, please don't blame Maya. The gift was on my bedside table this morning. I'm just happy she was willing to give me a present at all."

Disappointment and rage instantly hardened Father and Caleb's faces.

"I knew it! That's why she's been dragging her feet and avoiding coming home. She was plotting to hurt Serena!"

"How could I have such a vicious sister?"

"Enough! Stop arguing and get Serena to the Clan healer!" Father kicked the gift box—the very one Serena had stolen from my room—and slammed his hand on the table in fury.

"We're out of gauze. I'll grab some from the basement," Caleb said before they could leave.

Serena's eyes darted nervously. She grabbed Caleb's arm. "Don't go. The healer will have gauze. It hurts so much..."

If Caleb had taken just one step closer to the basement, he would have smelled the overwhelming stench of blood.

But it was not to be.

At Serena's plea, the family hurried away, leaving only my spirit floating in the empty living room.

I wanted to scream that I hadn't done anything.

But I could no longer speak.

And I knew that even if I could, they would never believe me anyway.

So be it.

The housekeeper, hearing the commotion, came out to clean up the mess and sighed.

"Miss Maya, why do you never learn to protect yourself?"

My spirit drifted back to my room. Seeing the journal on my desk, a flood of memories washed over me.

When I was ten, our family held the decennial Lunar Ascendance Rite. That day would determine every cub's future status and power within the Clan.

Caleb went first. His wolf form was pure black, a symbol of power and future leadership. Father looked at him with undisguised pride.

When it was Serena's turn, her wolf was a rare snow-white, possessing a natural aura of peace that calmed all the Clan members around her. Mother held her close, calling her the family's treasure.

Not wanting to disappoint my parents, I stepped onto the awakening platform filled with anticipation.

But when my wolf form appeared, everyone fell silent.

My wolf was just an ordinary gray wolf.

I had no special abilities and no rare coat color. I was so plain that I would easily be lost in a crowd of Clan members.

From that day on, I became the family's "common one," someone simply not worth investing resources in. Even after I achieved the highest academic honors, they still believed that bloodline determined everything.

Caleb and Serena enjoyed all the favoritism and resources.

And I, just like my wolf's bloodline, was ordinary. Expendable.