Chapter 2
822 Words
I stared at the blinking keypad, my chest rising and falling out of control.
Only two years, and they’d already changed the password.
I thought of how indulgent they’d become with Sophia, and on a hunch, I keyed in her birthday instead.
Beep—the lock clicked open.
The scent inside the house didn’t feel familiar anymore.
Cold air slipped in through the gap as I stepped through the door. I walked toward what used to be my room.
The bedroom that had once belonged to me had been completely remade. The pale pink walls were now a soft cream, a thick rug spread across the floor.
In the center of the room lay a wolf pup with golden fur. The moment it saw me, its hackles rose and it let out a warning growl, tiny fangs bared.
It lunged at me. I tried to sidestep, but its claws still cut my arm. The tang of wolf blood hit the air; my skin began to burn, like something inside my veins was rejecting itself.
My breath caught—not from fear, but from the allergic reaction.
I have a severe allergy to beast blood.
“My EpiPen… where is it?” My voice was hoarse as I groped blindly through the cabinets. The medical kit was gone. The spot where my EpiPen should have been was now occupied by a framed family photo—of them.
The pup pounced again. Instinctively, I kicked it away. It slammed into the table leg and let out a soft whimper.
The door burst open. Henry, Lisa, Kane—and Charles. Sophia stood in the middle of them.
She screamed, scooping the pup into her arms. Tears shimmered in her eyes as she glared at me. “Karen, why would you hurt Luca?”
Lisa’s brows knit together; her voice as cold as a winter gale. “Karen, I thought those two years would teach you self‑control. Turns out you still can’t even tolerate a harmless pup?”
My lungs were burning, my chest tightening in sharp, fiery pulses. “My meds…” I could barely drag the word out.
Kane let out a frustrated sigh. “There you go again. Stop pretending.”
Charles looked at me like I was nothing but walking trouble. “Why do you always have to be like this?”
They turned away with Luca in their arms, leaving me nothing but their backs.
I finally found a forgotten vial of medication and swallowed the pills dry. Cold seeped back into my lungs, thinning out the heat.
I slid down the wall and sat on the floor, my nose stinging in waves.
Two years ago, they were terrified I’d get hurt; they wouldn’t even let me near any wild beasts. Now they’d forgotten I was allergic to beast blood entirely.
I lifted my head and looked at the pet room they’d made. That had been my bedroom. Now it belonged to a wolf pup named Luca.
The butler walked by and paused when he saw me. “Alpha Henry said that room is Luca’s now. You can sleep in the guest room.”
I let out a small laugh and didn’t argue.
I spent the night in the guest room. It was my first night back in Moon Shade Pack. It was also my last.
The next morning, they were already lined up neatly on the living room sofa when I came downstairs.
Sophia noticed me and stood up with a bright smile. “Karen, we’re planning a welcome party for you. Come help us.”
Kane frowned. “Sophia, you’re too kind. After everything she’s done to you, you still want to celebrate for her?”
Lisa stayed quiet. Charles said nothing either. Sophia moved closer to Lisa, gently leaning her head on Lisa’s shoulder. “Don’t be mad. Luca’s fine. It’s not Karen’s fault.”
Lisa finally laughed, the tension easing from her shoulders. The air warmed.
They looked like a picture‑perfect family, just without me.
They started discussing the party—roses, cake, a beige dress. They mentioned that all of those were Sophia’s favorites.
I watched them for a while before speaking, my tone even. “I like tulips, not roses. I’m allergic to nuts. And beige… is Sophia’s favorite color, not mine.”
The warmth in the room vanished again, as if someone had opened a window in the dead of winter.
Lisa forced a smile. “Sorry, we mixed it up.”
Kane scowled. “Do you really have to make such a big deal out of it?”
Charles murmured, “Karen, we can change it together.”
“Don’t bother,” I said, turning to head upstairs. Behind me, I could only hear the clink of cups and plates.
No one said another word. For the first time, they realized—maybe Karen really wasn’t the same anymore.
- Writer
