Chapter 1"I'm SSS-rank! Do you hear me? SSS-RANK!"
The highest combat assessment score in werewolf history.
I should've been celebrating with my family right now.
Instead, I stood in a roach-infested apartment, shouting the news to four homemade dolls lined up on a busted couch.
Dad. Mom. My brother Hunter. My "soulmate" Aaron.
My only companions since they exiled me a year ago.
Turns out being too good at everything is also a crime—when your sister's the one they actually love.
Whatever. Doesn't matter anymore.
I'm heading north to Lycan territory—somewhere that actually values strength instead of punishing it.
They wanted me gone? Fine.
Now they'll never get me back.
...
"I did it! Top tier scores!"
"Finally heading to the capital. I'll see Hunter and Aaron at school!"
My voice bounced off the walls.
Nobody answered.
Four stuffed toys lined the sagging couch.
One for Dad, one for Mom, one for my brother, one for my supposed soulmate Aaron.
Their plastic eyes caught the light.
They'd been my only audience for months now.
Reality hit me like cold water.
About a year back, my sister Lydia had what they called "an episode."
Apparently, my academic performance stressed her out. Made her feel inadequate.
She'd threatened to harm herself because of it.
Overnight, I became the problem that needed solving.
They relocated me to this dump an hour outside pack territory.
First night here, some wasted guy pounded on my door by mistake.
I pulled the covers over my head, shaking too hard to make a sound.
Tried calling home—parents, brother, Aaron.
Every single call went straight to that robotic message.
Around five in the morning, Mom finally texted back.
[Quit calling. Seeing your name on the screen sets Lydia off.]
That's when I stitched together these four dolls.
They became my dinner companions, my roommates.
I told them about every small victory, every achievement.
They absorbed all the loneliness I couldn't share with actual people.
Today, though, as tears tracked down my cheeks, I didn't grab them for comfort.
Instead, I took in my surroundings with fresh eyes.
The wallpaper had given up in several places, revealing raw concrete.
The curtains had been laundered into cardboard stiffness, black mildew creeping across every seam.
That ancient AC unit rattled constantly but only managed to circulate hot air.
Through the brutal exam prep months, I'd sat at that wobbly desk for hours.
One practice test would leave me drenched enough to need multiple showers.
Meanwhile, the Greenwood Pack had money to spare.
Back home, Mom and Dad and Hunter and Lydia occupied this massive four-level house that looked like something out of a fairy tale, right in the heart of our territory.
Lydia had her private study. Her music studio.
Even an entire room dedicated to her toy collection.
When they shipped me here, Mom had wrinkled her nose.
"You're only staying a year. Makes no sense to waste money on anything nice."
"After the warrior trials wrap up, you'll move back in."
The results had been public for over two weeks. Nobody had mentioned me coming home.
I reached for the dolls, planning to pack them away, when my phone vibrated.
Mom's name flashed on screen.
[Jenna, head back to the house this afternoon. Need to talk about your university plans.]
Those words—back to the house—made something in my chest flutter despite everything.
Maybe I hadn't been completely forgotten.
I flew downstairs.
The bus schedule felt impossibly slow, so I burned through some savings on a rideshare.
Pushing through the front door, I walked into what looked like a celebration.
Everyone had gathered—Dad, Mom, Hunter, Aaron.
Lydia held court in the middle, fancy wrapped boxes piled around her.
Mom ran fingers through her hair with this incredibly soft expression.
"Baby, you exceeded expectations this round."
"We've only got four C-rank fighters in this whole pack and one B-rank—that's you now."
"Lydia, you've earned a spot at a capital university."
Hunter jumped in, grinning.
"Lunar Crest Academy, obviously. Best werewolf school there is, plus I'm already enrolled."
Aaron shook his head firmly.
"Negative. Eclipse Warrior Institute makes way more sense. Elite education, coastal location, and I'll be right there."
They went back and forth like they were negotiating over the crown jewels.
I hovered near the entrance feeling like an intruder in someone else's house.
Eventually Mom spotted me. Her smile dimmed.
"Jenna. You made it."
All conversation died.
Lydia shot me this poisonous look, scooped up her presents, and vanished upstairs.
Everyone else suddenly found the floor fascinating until Hunter broke the silence.
"Don't just stand there like a weirdo. Sit down."
I crossed the room and took the isolated chair in the corner.
Dad coughed. "Your scores came through?"
I nodded.
"What'd you get?"
Before I could respond, Mom interrupted.
"That's irrelevant. We called you here to discuss university applications."
She wouldn't look directly at me.
"Stay out of the capital region."
"Lydia worked herself to exhaustion for a full year to achieve this ranking."
"If you show up in the capital too, she'll spiral again."
My nails bit into my palm.
They understood perfectly well that every prestigious werewolf institution in the entire realm operated in the capital—the Alpha King's domain.
Yet for the hypothetical possibility of Lydia feeling upset, they'd sacrifice my future without hesitation.
I looked at Dad, hoping for support.
He nodded immediately. "Your mother's right."
I turned to Hunter.
He looked confused, like the answer was self-evident.
"Coastal schools are solid. Pick one of those. Closer to home anyway."
Finally, I looked at Aaron.
He kept his gaze down, refusing to meet my eyes.
After an agonizing pause, he spoke quietly.
"Jenna, you've always been capable. You'll succeed anywhere."
"Lydia's different, though. She needs people looking out for her."
Chapter 2
Capable.
That word had followed me around my entire life.
Lydia had always been the adorable one, the lovable one.
My only distinguishing feature was being capable.
I'd read textbooks once and retain everything.
Combat training clicked instantly for me.
None of it ever translated into more affection from my parents.
Hunter had identical gifts, yet he was their golden child, the designated future Alpha.
I, meanwhile, only ever earned this tired sigh from Mom.
"Why do you have to be so capable?"
"Better if you were more like Lydia. A bit slower, a bit more compliant. That's endearing."
Eventually those words became everyone's justification for the preferential treatment.
They'd say Jenna was capable enough to handle herself.
So the best food went to Lydia.
The new clothes went to Lydia.
Even our parents' attention belonged to Lydia first.
The exact trait that made Hunter worthy of respect somehow became evidence I wasn't worthy of love.
Then I met Aaron Foster, future Alpha of the neighboring pack.
This was before he'd encountered Lydia.
After hearing my history, he'd just frowned.
"Rewarding incompetence? That's backwards."
"Jenna, being capable isn't a character defect."
Later he met Lydia. After that I'd catch him chuckling.
"Your sister's kind of clueless. It's actually endearing."
Still, I loved Aaron.
Because he'd been the first person to tell me that being capable wasn't shameful.
But now…
Even he was saying the same thing.
The living room went silent.
Hunter broke it first, tapping the coffee table irritably.
"Jenna, respond. Mom and Dad are thinking about the pack's wellbeing. Nobody's trying to screw you over."
I kept my head down. My throat felt like it was closing.
After forever, I whispered, "Fine."
Relief washed over everyone's faces.
Almost in unison, they each produced a gift bag from behind them.
"Come on, quit looking so tragic. These are your graduation gifts."
"Lydia got one, you get one. Can't say we play favorites anymore."
I stared at the four packages in front of me, eyes burning.
What was this supposed to be?
Getting slapped, then handed a lollipop?
Chapter 3
Plus, I'd already noticed the difference.
Lydia's haul included the newest phone model, a high-end laptop, some exclusive designer purse, and passes to that concert she wouldn't shut up about for weeks.
Mine consisted of a fountain pen. A book. A generic cloth bag. And a dress with the price tags already removed.
I collected the gifts and got up to go.
"Jenna."
Mom's voice stopped me.
She paused before asking, "Want to stay and grab dinner with us?"
A bitter taste flooded my mouth.
This was technically my home. My pack.
Yet eating one meal here was framed as staying.
I forced down the tightness in my throat and shook my head. "Pass."
Outside, I dropped all four gifts in the nearest trash bin.
On the ride back, Lydia's latest social media post appeared in my feed.
[Finally rid of that energy vampire. Dinner's actually enjoyable now.]
The photo showed Mom, Dad, Hunter, and Aaron around the dining table.
Sea urchin. Lobster. Oysters.
Eight different dishes.
Every single one featured seafood that could send me into anaphylactic shock.
For once, I felt grateful I'd declined.
Sitting at that table? Would've been pure humiliation.
Surrounded by all that food, I would've been limited to the bread basket.
Back at the apartment, I started organizing my belongings.
In the living room, I rotated those four dolls to face the wall like they'd been put in timeout.
On my desk, the most prominent item was a postcard Aaron had given me before Lydia entered the picture.
It showed Divine Eye Lake at Eclipse Warrior Institute.
His bold handwriting marked the lower corner:
[Jenna, I'll be waiting for you at Eclipse Warrior Institute.]
I stared at it for two seconds.
Then yanked it free and ripped it straight down the middle.
Next day, I headed to my regular shift at the coffee shop.
Simple gig.
Climb into a mascot suit, distribute flyers by the entrance.
Afternoon sun hammered down, and that thick costume became a personal sauna.
Couldn't take it anymore.
I pulled the giant head off and squatted in some shade to hydrate.
"Jenna?"
That voice behind me—I knew it immediately.
My stomach dropped as I turned.
My parents stood there with Hunter, Aaron, and Lydia.
Aaron's parents—both Alphas—accompanied them.
Hunter and Aaron carried multiple shopping bags.
Didn't need three guesses about the intended recipient.
When Mom registered my sweat-soaked appearance, I saw zero concern.
Just mortification and fury.
"Jenna, I sent you money. You're an Alpha and Luna's daughter."
"Parading around in that ridiculous costume handing out flyers—are you deliberately trying to make people think we abuse you?"
My fingers crushed the water bottle.
"My allowance is a thousand monthly. Rent costs nine-fifty. Explain how I'm supposed to eat without working."
Hunter's face darkened and he shoved me hard.
"Fix your attitude! That's how you address Mom?"
Aaron stood next to Lydia, looking conflicted.
Finally he spoke in that patronizing tone.
"Jenna, you're being oversensitive. Lydia gets the same thousand monthly."
"When she needs more, she asks Luna Megan, who never refuses."
"You never asked, so naturally Luna Megan assumed you were fine."
"So, this is on you. You owe her an apology."
I opened my mouth but nothing emerged.
Lydia's thousand always arrived punctually, sometimes early.
Mine was different.
Every month required multiple reminders.
Mom would delay until the absolute deadline, then transfer it like she was doing charity work.
If I'd actually requested extra... would she have provided it?
I already knew the answer.
Whatever I said would just get labeled ungrateful and immature.
So I simply picked up the mascot head again.
"Leave. You're interfering with my work."
The heavy head descended over my face, drowning everything in darkness.
Next second, someone shoved me violently from behind.
"Don't attack Mom!"
That mascot head was massive and awkward. Even minor contact could cause injury.
This shove sent me lurching forward.
My forehead cracked against the costume's hard interior shell, vision whiting out instantly.
I braced against the wall, disoriented for several moments.
Not one person checked on me.
Instead, Mom grabbed Lydia's hand.
"Lydia, are your hands alright?"
Hunter frowned.
"That costume's heavily padded. Why would you push her? What if you'd injured yourself?"
Aaron spoke gently.
"It's fine. Nobody's upset with you."
While they clustered around Lydia, I staggered away.
My face was wet.
Couldn't distinguish sweat from tears anymore.
By shift's end that night, a massive lump had formed on my forehead.
At least it was payday.
With twenty-five hundred in cash tucked away, I headed for a food truck.
Wanted to splurge on a roast beef wrap and an Americano.
Just thinking about that savory taste made me salivate, and I smiled for the first time all day.
I extended the cash toward the vendor.
Instead of accepting it, he seized my wrist.
"What's your deal, kid?"
He held up one bill, expression darkening.
"You seem like a decent person. Why are you passing counterfeit money?"
He glared at me.
"Explain. Where'd you get these fake bills?"
