Left in her underwear

"That's not true!" Acantha screamed, her voice echoing down the cold hallway as her chest heaved with the effort. Her heart pounded, but it was the fierce anger in her eyes that made her mother stop in her tracks.

"I've sacrificed everything for this family, for this pack! And you're just a selfish, spoiled brat who can't even follow simple orders—the very same way you didn't thirteen years ago!" her mother spat back, eyes narrowing.

Acantha's fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned white, her body trembling with barely suppressed rage. She stared at her mother,

"You're the selfish one, Mother," she hissed, her voice harsh.

Her mother's face twisted, nostrils flaring, and for a split second, Acantha saw the intent to strike flash in her eyes.

But then her mother's expression shifted, the fury melting into something colder, more calculating. Her lips curled into a sneer that sent a shiver down Acantha's spine.

"You know what your problem is, Acantha?" her mother began, her voice icy, each word carefully enunciated.

"You're still stuck in the past. You're blaming yourself for your brother's death. But let me tell you something, Acantha, Nico is dead. And it's all because of you."

Acantha felt the words like a punch to the gut. Her breath caught in her throat, her vision blurring as the cruel truth in her mother's voice struck deep.

Her hand flew to her chest, as if she could physically hold in the pain. She had known her mother would use Nico's death against her.

"Get her ready, Anel," her mother commanded, her voice curt and dismissive.

Anel, her hands trembling slightly, approached Acantha with a sad, apologetic look in her eyes.

She began fastening the intricate laces on Acantha's dress, with tears dropping from her cheeks, Anel had been with Acantha since childhood, her silent witness to all the pain and heartbreak, and it tore at Acantha's heart to see her suffering as well.

"Please don't cry," Acantha whispered, her voice breaking as she fought back the tears that threatened to spill.

But Anel couldn't hold back any longer. A single tear escaped, sliding down her cheek as she continued her work with shaking fingers, each touch of her hand gentle, against Acantha's skin.

Acantha's mother stood nearby, watching them with disdain and something that looked suspiciously like satisfaction.

When Anel finally finished, Acantha's mother cast a scornful glance in her direction, her lips curling into a cruel smile.

"You look acceptable," she said, her tone dripping with malice before she turned on her heel and stormed out of the room, leaving Acantha standing there, her hands trembling at her sides.

As soon as her mother was gone, Acantha collapsed into Anel's arms, her body wracked with sobs that shook her to the core.

Anel held her close, one hand gently rubbing Acantha's back, the other smoothing her hair, whispering soft words of comfort that Acantha barely heard through the sound of her own heartbreak.

"It's alright milady."

"You need to put yourself together."

"Don't let her break you."

When the tears finally subsided, leaving her feeling drained, Acantha pulled back and looked into the mirror.

The girl who stared back at her was a stranger, a doll dressed in finery, with eyes that were empty and a soul that felt like it was slowly dying.

The silence between them was broken only by a soft knock on the door. "Miss Acantha," a maid's voice called from outside, "your mother and sister are waiting for you downstairs."

Acantha took a deep, shaky breath, wiping away the remaining tears with the back of her hand. Anel moved swiftly, gently patting her cheeks with a damp cloth.

"Let me cover that bruise for you," Anel whispered, her voice trembling as she applied a layer of makeup to hide the angry red mark on Acantha's cheek, the evidence of her mother's fury.

She dusted a light powder under Acantha's eyes, masking the dark circles left by sleepless nights and endless tears.

Acantha watched in the mirror as Anel worked her magic, transforming her from a broken, tear-stained girl into a poised young woman, ready to face the world.

Acantha clutched the edges of her dress, still feeling the sting of her mother's harsh words. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror, her eyes searching for any trace of the girl she once was. Her gaze fell on Anel, who was once again adjusting the laces of her dress.

"I just don't understand why it's so hard for them to accept me," she began, her voice trembling. Her hands balled into fists, her knuckles turning white as she struggled to keep her composure.

"My father always wanted a son, someone to carry on his legacy. When my brother died, it was like everything I did was never enough. It's like I'm constantly falling short of his expectations."

Anel's fingers paused on the laces, and she looked up, her eyes full of sympathy. She tried to keep her voice steady, but the tremor was unmistakable.

"You're not falling short. You're doing your best."

Acantha's face flushed with sadness. She rubbed her temples with a sigh.

"But that's just it. My best never seems to be enough. My father tried to mold me into the son he wanted, and it's clear he's been disappointed. It's like he sees me as a failure because I didn't develop my wolf like everyone else."

The tears she had been holding back finally broke free, streaming down her cheeks. She dabbed at her eyes with the back of her hand, trying to regain her composure.

"He wanted a son to inherit everything, and when Nico died, it was like all hope for that future vanished. And now, every mistake I make just seems to remind him of what he lost."

Anel's face softened, and she reached out, gently squeezing Acantha's shoulder.

"You're not a failure. You're just you, and that's enough. They might not see it, but I do. I see how hard you try and how much you care."

Acantha let out a shaky breath, her gaze dropping to the floor.

"Sometimes, I wonder if they want me to fail. It feels like they're waiting for me to run away, to prove that I'm not worth the effort. It's like they're hoping I'll leave so they can be rid of me."

She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.

"I've considered running away so many times, but the fear of not surviving out there keeps me from doing it. It's like the moon goddess is playing a cruel joke on me, keeping me here in this misery."

Anel's eyes glistened with unshed tears. She took a deep breath and continued to work on Acantha's dress, her touch gentle and reassuring.

"You're stronger than you think. Sometimes, it feels like the world is against you, but that doesn't mean you're alone."

Acantha wiped the tears from her face, feeling a slight sense of relief from Anel's words.

Sixteen was the latest age for a wolf to manifest, but most kids got theirs much earlier—some as young as ten, others from birth. But not Acantha. Twenty four Now and still no wolf, She was the odd one out, the failure, the girl without a wolf. Her parents turned their backs on her, their disappointment and embarrassment clear for all to see.

The pack members mocked her openly, calling her cursed, a disgrace to the bloodline. Even the other children avoided her, their parents warning them away from the "cursed girl."

Today was supposed to be different. Acantha was determined to escape, even if only for a little while.

She turned to Anel, her voice barely above a whisper. "Can you excuse me for a while? I want to be alone."

Anel nodded, understanding in her eyes, and quietly left the room.

Acantha's heart raced as she made her way to the door, knowing she had to be as discreet as possible. If anyone saw her, she'd be in deep trouble.

She slowly opened the door and tiptoed down the hall toward the back exit.

Thankfully, it wasn't far from her room, so she didn't have to walk too much. The moment she closed the door behind her, she let out a sigh of relief.

For the first time in a long while, she was free.

She wandered through the garden first, letting the scent of flowers and the cool breeze calm her nerves.

Nature had always been her sanctuary, the one place where she could find peace.

Then she headed for the stream, her second favorite place in the pack. The thought of being there alone made her smile, and she quickened her pace, excitement bubbling in her chest.

When she arrived, She looked around, making sure she was alone, before stripping off her dress and stepping into the water, leaving only her underwear on.

The lukewarm water lapped against her skin, soothing her frayed nerves. She closed her eyes, letting herself drift in the shallow part of the stream, her mind finally quiet.

But her peace was short-lived.

When she opened her eyes, someone was standing on the bank, watching her with an evil smirk.

Acantha's heart skipped a beat as she recognized her—Veinnel.

Veinnel was looking at her with an evil smirk on her face, Acantha's clothes in her hands.

"Hi, Acantha. How about I join you?" she said, causing Acantha's heart to skip a beat for reasons she couldn't quite understand.

Acantha's throat bobbed up and down with nervousness.

The smirk on Veinnel's face, combined with the anger lurking underneath it, made it made it clear that she wasn't happy at all.

Veinnel was the one-person Acantha tried everything in her power to avoid. Her presence always seemed to spell trouble, and Acantha felt like she was the bane of her existence.

The warm sensation from the stream that had been coursing through Acantha's body instantly turned cold, and she found herself shivering on the spot.

"What? You can't talk? Aren't you going to invite me to join you?" Veinnel asked.

"Uh, I was just leaving. Can I have my clothes?" Acantha tried hard to keep her voice steady and normal, but it came out squeaky.

"What? You only just got here. Why should you leave already?" Veinnel asked in a falsely concerned voice.

At this point, she might as well have been named Medusa because she was acting like one. As Acantha walked closer to the edge of the stream, Veinnel kept moving further away, making it impossible for Acantha to reach her.

Acantha couldn't get out this way; her underwear was too short and covered almost nothing.

"I'm no longer interested in swimming. Can I have my clothes back already?" Acantha tried again.