Chapter 3: The Break Starts Now
Nathan, hearing about Sophie’s condition, withdrew his hand. Downstairs, he saw Sophie’s flushed face, clearly feverish.“I’ll get the car. First Quarter Pack hospital, now!.” He and Brandon rushed Sophie to the Pack Hospital.
Upstairs in my room, I lay in bed, flushed and sweating. I was plagued by nightmares all night. My wolf and I were howling while trapped in the endless nightmares, hopeless and terrified. Just like the reality.
The next morning, my phone buzzed incessantly. Irritated, I opened it to find a flood of messages from a social media app – full of insults. I was familiar with this; the video of me supposedly pushing Sophie into the pool had been posted on the campus forum. Sophie was popular; these people were furious. Her supporters were enrages to send insult messages.
My head felt like it was about to explode from the pain. I lashed out, unleashing a torrent of insults. The forum exploded with thousands of messages; the administrators panicked, thinking it had been hacked. Then, I tossed the phone aside and went back to sleep. I didn’t need to please the Ashford Family nor care about my reputation anymore. I
13:38
< Chapter 3: The Break Starts Now
didn’t have my family in the Pack, they were all Sophie’s. I was done with this suffocating
existence.
/Soon, a maid knocked.“Miss Lina, it’s time to
school; you’ll be late.”
Oh, right. School.
Menu
I splashed cold water on my face to clear my head. To escape the Ashford Family, I needed to finish school and get into Harvard University, far away from this Pack.
After changing into my uniform, I went downstairs, encountering Nathan and Brandon entering the house. Nathan noticed my flushed cheeks and instinctively reached out to touch my forehead. I stepped back, avoiding his touch, and sat at the dining table. I needed to eat to recover and study for the WAT. His hand hung in the air, then awkwardly dropped.
Brandon sneered.“I told you she’s an ungrateful wretch! She’s as strong as an alpha. Unlike Sophie, who’s always been frail, she caught a cold and fever from last night’s incident. Lina never gets sick!”
Nathan remained silent; Lina was always healthy since child. He approached the table.“Sophie is
13:38
< Chapter 3: The Break Starts Now
Menu
sick. While she’s in the hospital, you’ll take care of her until she recovers. Understand?” He felt she was becoming increasingly spoiled. Since she didn’t understand how to be grateful, he would force her to learn.
Brandon added, “Lina, Sophy’s father saved your life, but you almost killed her. You must care for Sophie to pay back!”
I ate my breakfast, forcing myself despite my lack of appetite. Less than a hundred days until the WAT–after which I could leave the Ashfords and
the Pack.
Brandon, displeased by my indifference, snatched my chopsticks.“I’m talking to you, you deaf?”
I looked up, my eyes clear, speaking no words.
He commanded, “When Sophie takes her pills, you go get her warm water. At lunch time, go get her food from the cafeteria. Remember to be hurry, don’t let the food get cold. When she goes to the bathroom and needs help, you should go with her! Her father saved your life. So, this is what
you
should do. Understand?”
My voice was cold.“Understood.”
But I didn’t promise to obey.
13:38
2.0%
< Chapter 3. The Break Starts Now
Mend
I left the villa, tears welling but quickly suppressed. My wolf teared inside, too. I thought after all these years, I would have gotten used to it and wouldn’t feel sad anymore. I thought this rebirth would be different, but his words were like needles piercing my heart. I remembered when I was sick as a child; Nathan stayed up all night with me, and Brandon told jokes to coax me to take pills. But because Sophie was frail, they always focused on her when she was ill. Later, even with a fever, I had to
endure it alone.
I swallowed the bitterness, got in the car, and closed my eyes. Just a hundred more days. After
that I would be free from bloodline.
At school, I went straight to the classroom of
senior year. The usually noisy room fell silent at my arrival. Her online rant had spread. Everyone -thought Lina was crazy.
“I wonder what exactly triggered Lina to give up herself like this?”
“I think she realized she could never redeem
herself, so she stopped pretending. This is the real Lina.”
“She’s nothing compared to Sophie. Sophie is much more like an Ashford family child.”
- e) 88
< Chapter 3: The Break Starts Now
Menu
Ignoring the whispers, I dropped my bag and lay down on my desk to sleep. I slept through the entire morning.
After lunch, Sophie appeared, her arm was still hooked up to an IV drip. She immediately garnered sympathy and caring.
I frowned and shifted positions. Soon, someone slammed my desk. I glared up, my eyes filled with a cold fury. Sophie stood before me, her entourage looking impatient. Those two had repeatedly bullied and slandered me, fabricating stories for my brothers.
Sophie said weakly,” Lina, what do you want for lunch? I’ll get it for you. Don’t be mad at me, please?”
I replied coldly,“Leave me alone.”
Girl #1 snapped, “Lina, don’t go too far. Sophie is the one who’s sick!”
Girl #2 added, “You should take care of Sophie at school. She’s sick because of you! It’s all
fault!”
your
Sophie coughed weakly.“Please don’t say that. I can take care of myself. I always have, as an orphan omega in Pack. Please stop it, or she’ll get angry.”
13.98
<Chapter 3: The Break Starts Now
Menu
Girl #1, Sophie, you’re too kind. That’s why you’re bullied.”
Exasperated, I stood up to leave. As I stepped out, Sophie rushed out, knocking over her IV stand. She fell onto the broken glass. What a fucking coincident accident!
Chaos erupted. My head swam, and I fainted.
I woke up to the smell of antiseptic. The school infirmary.
“Temperature of 104°F. Holding out this long? Trying to experience werewolf–grade sous vide cooking?”
A tall, slender man in a white coat, his features obscured by a mask, looked down at me. I sensed that his wolf was highly aggressive, but he was restraining that aggression. The new school doctor. Handsome and extremely sarcastic. Girl’s ≥ attention. He didn’t stay long.
I sat up, feeling better. The IV had worked. “Can I go now?”
“Wait for your family. I don’t want to be responsible if you die on the way.” His voice was nonchalant.*As expected of the sarcastic doctor.”
“I don’t have a family. Or they are not my
familie
- 13:38
J
< Chapter 3: The Break Starts Now
Suddenly, Brandon’s voice echoed from
outside. “Sophie, are you alright? You’re badly hurt!”
Menu
“Nathan, it’s just a minor injury. Don’t blame Lina. It wasn’t her fault; I’m clumsy and knocked over the IV stand.”
Girl #1 added fuel to the fire.“No, it was Lina. Sophie offered to get her lunch, but Lina refused. She’s spiteful and her wolf pounced on Sophie. We all saw it.”
Girl #2 echoed,“Sophie was sick and still worried about Lina, but she’s so cruel!”
Brandon’s fury ignited, he shifted to wolf. He was too angry to control his wolf.“Where the hell are you, Lina? Get out here! How dare you let Sophie get your lunch? Her father should have let you in that car accident years ago. You’ve tormented his daughter long enough!”
die
A cynical smile touched my lips. It was just like the past life; Sophie’s word was law. She easily manipulated my biological brother with her words, hiding behind the guise of her delicate omega identity,
The curtain beside me was violently ripped open. I looked up, pale and weak.
13:39
< Chapter 3: The Break Starts Now
Menul
“Lina, you…” Brandon’s anger died in his throat as he saw my condition. His wolf frozen.
