Blood Reckoning

3.

My father said nothing. He moved his chair back in after getting up from the table. Clad in a casual training outfit, he reached for his jacket. It was chilly outside; if you peered closely enough, you could see the dew on the tree leaves and the fog through the glass.

Ellie looked so cold that I couldn't figure out how she wasn't freezing to death.

Father gave a grumpy "I'll be home at my usual time" and bent to give Ellie a forehead kiss. It was such a simple gesture, but it never failed to make me cry. She leaned her head on him, showing him how much she loved him, and closed her eyes. Oh, how I hurt.

My chest felt like it was on fire from the intense pain. How come he couldn't look at me that way? I would have given anything to have him kiss me the way he kissed her, even just once. It was simply one more stark reminder of how much he despised me, much like a loving parent. I averted my gaze as he stood back up and made his way to the front door.

As Ellie gave me a knowing look, I thought to myself, "Cindy, don't show her how much it hurts you. Don't let her see how much it affects you." She'll use it simply to bring you to tears. Y concentrated on my breathing, observing Ellie as she ate her yoghurt slowly in front of me, enjoying each bite, her mischievous eyes sparkling. Well, I knew that look. It implied that she had some plans. I waited for her to go quickly while I stood in the kitchen corner. Then maybe I could eat. There was another deep rumble in my stomach. I was so embarrassed that my cheeks burned. It filled the kitchen. Ellie had to be aware of it. If she did, she showed no signs of it as I drooled over her toast and fruit. My father and Ellie were the only members of my family who could eat before I could. I've been instilled with it. I therefore forced myself to hold back on my impatience while I could still smell the food.

Ellie finally finished and used the back of her hand to wipe her lips when I felt like I could take it no more. She put down her spoon on the plate and got up, leaving me to clean up the soiled dishes. The sight of the food still there, c*****g her head, made her laugh a little.

She said, quite gently, "Let me guess, you're hungry" Just so you know, I heard your stomach roiling earlier.

You really are a pig. Did you miss out on dinner last night? The woman said. Seven thipk ought to be sufficient for you.

Food is no longer necessary; what you need is exercise and a diet. Having a sibling that resembles you is awkward."

Every statement struck the heart like a dagger. I bit my lip and winced, wishing that Stre would stop talking. She leaned forward, examining every inch of me with her dark gaze. "You'll never find a partner or be as attractive as I am.

"What partner would desire someone resembling you?" she asked, tossing her hair over her shoulder.

I told myself not to cry, not to cry, even as my body started to shake. My worst dread had just been revealed by her. Shifters share a special link with their partner solely. They adore one other from the moment they first set eyes on one another and are ferociously protective of one another. However, they have the option to turn down their partner. Some shifters never fully get over the hurt of having their other half reject them; it is an unbearable ache as the bond dissolves.

The pack members are obliged to put them down when they either grow crazy or go renegade, causing their wolves to lose their brains. With all of my existence, I yearned to not be one of them.

What if I experienced that? Ellie shot me a twisted smile and I felt myself starting to fear. Compared to other shifters, who all seemed like supermodels, I was larger. What if my friend decided right then and there that I wasn't good enough after taking one look at me? had imagined a partner who would come along and knock me flat, but I'd always harboured a fear that Prince Charming would actually be a villain hiding in plain sight. It was enough to break me to think of my partner rejecting and not loving me. Ellie inserted the knife further as I became pale.

"Just so you know, nobody is concerned about you. I promise that even if you meet a partner at the age of 18, they won't want to see you ever again. Would you mind killing yourself as a service to all of us? That way, at least, you won't have to endure the embarrassment of being rejected in front of others.

Cindy, take a deep breath. Out, in, in, out. I balled my hands into fists. My patience was eroding. I was struggling to stay composed.

I informed her, "You don't know that, my mate will love me no matter what," and she laughed, tossing back her head.

She shrugged, "Believe what you will; I'm just telling it like it is." It's best not to raise your hopes', she remarked sourly. "In any case, your partner will most likely be a lowly omega. Isn't that something funny? An omega turning away from another omega.

My body shook with wrath as I snarled, "Yeah and I bet your mate rejects you when he finds out jyst what an evil b***h you are."

Her jaw fell agape. For a split second, I was relieved that I had surprised her. There was no time for me to boast. Her hand extended and tightened its grip around my throat, preventing me from breathing in. I fidgeted with her hands. As I kicked and failed, my face going blue, she scowled at me. Her wolf was near the surface, providing her with the strength she needed to overcome me. I noticed that my vision was become fuzzy.

"Pay attention, slut. I'm going to be Luna of the pack, and my partner will be a strong Alpha. There's nothing you can do to stop me from making Tyson pick me," she growled.

unable to breathe. I tugged at her limbs. She was much taller than me, and with incredible strength—well, maybe not that amazing, because she was a shifter—she threw me into the cabinets. My body struck them hard before collapsing to the ground in a fog. The beginnings of a lump on the back of my skull were palpable.

With a sarcastic tone, she commanded, "Don't you ever try and talk back to me. You're just a servant, and that's so beneath me that it's funny." That your father hasn't killed you yet is a disgrace."

With foggy vision, I watched her walk over to the leftover food. Even though I was gasping for breath, my heart skipped a beat when I saw her reach for it.

"Don't" I wheezed, almost pleading with her, and she laughed.

As I watched, my eyes starting to focus, she growled loudly and said, "You should be thanking me, you fat piece of s***." Then, she threw the food into the trash directly in front of me. Just for good measure, she spat on it. I was disgusting. Retrieving the trashcan was out of the question because it stank and needed to be emptied today. She needed no reason to be that cruel.