Laura has been absent from my life for nearly four years, and I continue to struggle, confined to a dreary chamber while she is presumably not contemplating my existence.
While my younger sister may have encountered fewer difficulties, I have repeatedly faced significant challenges in life.
“I can no longer endure this existence,” I murmur, compelling myself to rise from bed and seek my bath towels. “I cannot persist in weeping in bed while the world advances. I have squandered sufficient time attempting to emulate Laura, yet I will never become her. I am resigned to myself, so I might as well transform into something worthwhile.”
The more I start to formulate a plan for restarting my life, the more excited I get. It will be a life where no one knows who I am so they cannot compare me to her. A life where I get to be myself and where that is more than enough. A life just for me and this second chance wolf I’ve been gifted. Isn’t that what Moon Goddess asked of me?
Anticipation surges within me as I enter the shower, my thoughts consumed by visions of a more fulfilling life ahead. I assemble a modest ensemble and groom my hair before departing for breakfast at a little café by the lake.
While awaiting my food and sipping my coffee, I peruse my phone for employment opportunities. Situated approximately 100 miles from Blood Night, the tranquilly of Greenville instills in me a sense of optimism for my potential for independence.
I gaze upon the shore of Moosehead Lake when a recognisable scent permeates the air, shattering my aspirations into inconsequential fragments. My stomach churns with trepidation, prompting me to contract into my seat in an attempt to minimise my presence. However, as his footsteps draw nearer, I comprehend the futility of escape. Steeling myself, I take another sip of my coffee as he settles into my booth, positioning himself directly opposite me. My wolf whimpers at his arrival, the pain of his rejection resurfacing.
Clearing the tears accumulating in my eyes, I boldly pose an inquiry.
“Have you come to assassinate me?”
Zen
Nina is remarkably peaceful and composed as she sips her coffee and casually flicks through her phone, entirely unaware of my observation. I have not witnessed her this at ease since her initial arrival at Blood Night.
Her wide green eyes covered by thick lashes and the long brown hair framing her slightly round face give her an almost angelic look as she reads her phone. I never noticed how innocent her features make her look.
She is indeed exquisite, my wolf, Casper whispers.
Exquisite… yet unattainable, I exhale, bracing myself to disrupt her day.
I have been monitoring her for several days, with Nina predominantly sequestered in a motel room. She was not difficult to locate, as she utilised my credit cards for sustenance and accommodation. Although I could have effortlessly terminated her access to funds, I lacked the resolve to freeze my accounts. Numerous times, I contemplated barging into her room to embrace her, yet I understood the importance of not revealing my presence to her prematurely.
Upon entering the modest diner by the lake, I observe Nina recoil, presumably detecting my scent and sensing my presence. As I approach her table and take a seat opposite her, she hesitantly straightens and sips her coffee before enquiring whether I have come to murder her.
I remain silent, my gaze fixated on Aldo’s mark on her neck.
That ought to be my designation, Casper growls, a surge of envious fury coursing through my veins.
Perceiving my gaze, Nina sweeps her hair over her shoulder to conceal the mark and consumes another drink.
“Do you understand why I cherished Aldo so deeply?” she enquires, settling into a relaxed posture, and when I remain silent, she continues to respond to her own question. “He was the first individual who truly recognised me. He made me feel significant, and that sensation was gratifying. It was fulfilling to matter to someone. It was gratifying to simply be sufficient for someone to acknowledge my existence. I never experienced that in my upbringing,” she exhales through a weary smile. “I was perpetually regarded as a failure with an attractive visage. Laura was the intelligent one, the accomplished one. The one who instilled pride in our parents… while I merely existed to enhance the family portraits.”
Aldo seldom referenced her during our school years, and it disheartens me to consider that he held greater significance for her than she did for him. While she valued and treasured every interaction with him, he scarcely acknowledged her or those inconsequential moments in class. Frankly, I barely noticed her as well, recognising only her attractive visage and little else. How shattered and starved for attention must she have been to succumb to Aldo’s insincere flattery and misconstrue it as love?
She halts as a waitress approaches with a tray of food for her and enquires if I desire anything. I shake my head, prompting her to dismiss the waitress before gazing at the lake’s shore.
“I was heartbroken the night Laura informed me of her impending marriage to the man I had fallen for… I seized the chance to retaliate against her, to make her experience the anguish I had endured for years. Engaging in an affair with Aldo felt like I finally possessed something of value—something Laura could not provide him,” she retorts with bitterness.
“Did you believe Laura was responsible for all your misfortunes?” I enquire, seeking to understand how a sister could be so willing to harm her own family. “Did she ever induce feelings of inferiority in you? Did she merit your animosity?”
Nina cradles her head in her hands, shaking it silently, her shoulders trembling with each subdued sob. I observe her intently, attempting to comprehend her misplaced fury towards an innocent individual.
To the best of my recollection, Laura exhibited considerable patience towards her sister, striving to maintain her proximity and safety; however, it was evident that their mutual understanding was limited. Numerous interactions between them appeared somewhat awkward or contrived, as if an invisible barrier separated them.
“Laura was perpetually the favoured child,” Nina finally murmurs. “I presumed she required nothing from me… She did not have to vie for our parents’ affection. It was simply bestowed upon her. Everything was effortlessly granted to her, whereas I—” She suppresses her tears and shrugs. “I could not even receive a ‘well done’ or a ‘I take pride in you’.”
