The incapable sister
1494 Words
SLOANE
I'm the last to enter the auditorium.
No.
More like sneaking in.
And I stay glued to the wall where the lights don't quite reach.
The place is already filled with forty-something students scattered across a space too big for them.
Graduating class.
Apparently, that’s what we are.
I shove my phone in my breast pocket and crouch low as I move, hand gripping my bag straps, and my breathing low. I slip into the last row, keeping my head low like that somehow makes me invisible.
It doesn’t, as the moment my eyes lifts to land on the stage, Principal Beckett is staring right at me even with the dim light.
I make a pitiful face at him and just hope he sees it clearly.
But then, he says nothing as he continues his speech, pacing slowly across the stage like he has all the time in the world.
“…as you all know, you are now of age—nineteen—and the mating ceremony will take place tomorrow…”
My jaw tightens as I roll my eyes.
I already know it's going to be about this again as if we haven't heard enough already.
In the halls. In the class. At home. In the pack house. E. Very. Where.
Even two days ago, they dragged in some hygiene instructor from a neighboring pack school to lecture us about “preparation” and “protection” like we don’t already know what they’re really getting at.
And the regional finals bull crap too. Ohh hell.
As if hockey season and mating season happening at the same time wasn't already enough suffering for the entire school.
The ice ‘paupers’ make regionals once and suddenly, everyone starts acting like the moon goddess herself blessed their skates.
It’s exhausting.
And honestly? A little ridiculous.
The minimum age here is nineteen. We are not children.
But the way they keep going on about it especially the mating stuff—
You’d think the whole mating thing was less about fate and more about… horny and hormonal teens that need to be kept in check instead.
I shift in my seat, barely listening now because none of it matters.
Not to me anyway.
“…and following the ceremony, the Mating break will commence…”
Mating break.
Which also meant no more rink cleanup duty for two whole months.
Honestly?
Best news I’d heard all week.
However, I miss when the mating break is just about me chilling like it's a normal holiday not this.
The speech drags on, words blending into noise.
Until—
“…that will be all.”
I jerk out from whatever and wherever I've gone at the sounds of chairs scraping and voices rising.
Over already?
Emm. Good for me I guess.
As I'm already on my feet before anyone else really starts moving much.
Last in.
First out.
The moment I step into the hallway, my phone pings again from my breast pocket and I pull it out as I head toward the entrance, weaving through the dispersing crowd of other years students.
It's Alyssa.
Oh jeez.
‘Be fast.’
That's all she says.
A small smile tugs at my lips as I quicken my pace.
When I push through the doors, the cool air hits my face—and there it is.
The baby blue G-Wagon, parked directly in front of the school gates, its tinted glass rolled up.
I don’t waste time as I jog over, round the front, and slip into the passenger seat.
“So sorryyyy.” I say, shrugging off my backpack.
“I almost died waiting,” Alyssa groans the second the door shuts and I laugh, leaning over to ruffle her hair.
She stiffens immediately then shoots me a very bombastic side-eye.
I laugh harder.
“Don’t touch my hair,” she mutters, already pulling away as she presses the accelerator.
“I refuse.” I whine in her voice, leaning to ruffle it again.
She snorts, using her palm to smoothen it.
The car pulls out smoothly and just like that, the school is behind us.
I slump back into the seat, letting out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding.
Alyssa glances at me.
“What happened?”
I hesitate for half a second.
Then—
“The usual,” I say lightly. “Your not so favorite helmet-headed disasters.”
Her lips curl in disdain.
“Those idiots again?”
I huff out a quiet laugh.
“Yeah.”
And I tell her.
Not everything but just enough.
The hallway and the books and Zion.
Her grip tightens on the steering wheel.
“Small-dicked behavior,” she mutters.
That pulls a laugh out of me.
A real one this time.
“Honestly,” she adds, shaking her head. “All that ego for nothing.”
I lean my head back against the seat, staring out the window.
For a moment, it feels… normal.
Just me and her.
Just noise and laughter and movement.
But the closer we get home, the quieter it gets.
The words fade and the laughter dies until there’s nothing left but the hum of the engine and everything I’m trying not to think about.
Alyssa doesn’t say anything.
Neither do I.
She pulls into the driveway, and the car comes to a smooth stop.
I grab my bag, pushing the door open and we step out together to walk towards the door.
When we walk in, the familiar scent of home wraps around us but it doesn’t quite settle anything inside me.
Mom is in the lounge talking to one of the maids.
Alyssa spares me a brief glance and gives me a reassuring smile just as Mom’s eyes shift from the maid to us and her brows furrow.
“You went to pick her up from school again?” she asks, her gaze settling on Alyssa.
I say nothing.
I don’t need to.
Alyssa exhales softly before stepping forward.
“Mom, you know—”
“How many times do I have to tell you not to burden Alyssa with your private matters?” Mom cuts in, her voice firm as her eyes shift to me.
Alyssa stiffens.
“That’s not—”
“She has her own responsibilities,” Mom continues, not letting her finish. “Training. Studies. Beta heir duties. She doesn’t have the luxury of distractions.”
The words aren’t loud and they don't need to be. But they land anyway.
I keep my gaze on my shoes.
“Mom, she’s still getting bullied at school,” Alyssa pushes, her voice tighter now. “She needs me. She needs us.”
“And so?” Mom replies, almost dismissive. “That will only strengthen her mentally. She needs to learn how to handle herself so could at least be able to fully transform.”
A pause.
Then, softer—but worse—
“She won’t always have someone to hide behind.”
That one hits and it always does.
I don’t wait for more.
I turn, already heading for the stairs, my steps quick and quiet because I’ve heard this before.
Too many times.
“Mom—” Alyssa starts again below me.
But I don't listen as I rush, push my door open, and slam it shut behind me.
The sound echoes through the room and I stand there for a second, back pressed against the door, my chest rising and falling unevenly.
You’d think I’d be used to it by now.
You’d think hearing it over and over again would make it easier.
But it never does.
It still feels the same.
Every single time she said it feels like the first time she said it and that was three years ago.
When I was sixteen.
Like every other wolfborn, that was the first time I shifted.
Or maybe tried too.
And I failed.
But not completely.
It would have been better if I failed completely but I didn't. Mine was not a full transformation as the only thing that managed to shift was only my claws and feet.
And since then, I've tried.
Goddess. I've tried over and over and over again to completely finish what started that day.
But nothing. No progress. No change.
Just that half-shift, frozen in time.
And that's how the name came.
Barehide.
Followed closely by the whispers and the laughter and finally, the bullying.
Every expectation and every responsibility expected of me as beta heir shifted to my little sister, Alyssa.
She's two years younger than me.
She's just a baby. My baby.
I exhale deeply and push away from the door, walking further into the room.
My chest tightens as I drop my backpack on the bed.
Tomorrow is the mating ceremony.
And it's a good thing none of it matters to me because I already know I'm not going to find mine.
Or maybe because I'm just scared of being hopeful.
- Writer
