After 101 Betrayals, I Walked Away

"I used to be the one and only girl spoiled by my family.But everything changed on my 18th birthday, when my father adopted a she-wolf orphan named Sophia from the Werewolf Charity House.My elder brother, Alex, started to love her more and began to look down on me.My mate, John, who had grown up with me, liked her and ignored me.Even my father said that Sophia, an orphan, was ten thousand times better than his own birth daughter.It was my graduation day from Werewolf University. But instead of celebrating with me, they broke their promise because of Sophia.The 101st time. I counted. And it hurt worse than all the hundred before.I couldn't help crying out, "Am I really part of this family?"My father looked at Sophia—whose eyes turned red because of my words—with pity. Then he slapped me across the face."You're still fighting for affection? I wish I had never given birth to you," he shouted.Alex snapped at me too."You make me sick. I'm ashamed to have a sister like you. Get out of this den!"I didn't say a word. I simply packed up my things and left in silence.After I left, the den fell into a strange quiet.They took Sophia to the South Pole to see penguins, as if nothing had happened.No one contacted me or showed concern, because they assumed I would eventually come back—just like before.They never planned to do anything for me. They never had.But this time, they didn't know I was leaving for real.I called my mother, who lived in another pack far away, and told her I'd finally agreed to go live with her.Because this time, the family…Was no longer a place I needed."