Left the Group Chat, Became the Apex Luna Chapter 05

Left the Group Chat, Became the Apex Luna Chapter 05

Mum’s hands shook as she opened her phone gallery, trying to find a photo of me to show the bystander.

She scrolled for a long time.

The whole album was selfies of Nessa, goofy shots of Callum.

Tens of them.

Hundreds.

Not a single one of me.

Finally, she found that one class photo-the one she’d saved only to cut me out and paste me into the family

portrait to keep me quiet.

She zoomed in, pointed to me in the back row of the Combat Prep class.

“Is this her?”!

“Yeah! That’s her!” He nodded without hesitation.

But then it hit him.

He looked at them with a strange expression. “So… it’s you? You’re her parents?”

“This girl just turned eighteen, and you let her stay alone in a place like that?”

“No wonder she didn’t want to go home after reporting it. I wouldn’t either.”

Mom scrambled, “We can’t reach her. Do you know where she went?”

He waved them off. “Go check the police station.”

He walked away muttering.

Mom and Dad exchanged a look.

Then they both headed for the parking lot.

At the police station, the officer confirmed their identity and told them, “After she gave her statement, she asked me to drop her off at the intercity bus station.”

“Whether she’s still there, I don’t know.”

“Can you help us reach her?” Dad pleaded. “She blocked us. We can’t get through.”

The officer looked at them caludy,

“Mr. Calder, first of all, she’s an adult.”

“Second, we’ve already confirmed she left yoluntarily and is safe and free.”

“She has the right to privacy and her own choices. We can’t interfere.”

They had nothing left to say.

They drove back to Silverpine Pack after dark.

Before the car even stopped, they heard Nessa and Callum fighting inside.

“Callum, did you take my Moonrise Festival charm?”

“I don’t want your cheap trinket. You’re the one who thinks it’s gold.”

They pushed the door open-the two were going at it.

Nessa ran to Mom as soon as she saw them. “Mom, my limited-edition Moonrise charm is gone. Callum

must have stolen it-”

And just like that, the tears came.

But normally, Mom and Dad would jump to comfort her the second she cried. This time, they didn’t even

seem to notice.

Both of them looked like they’d been drained of all life.

Callum smirked. “Maybe Laurel took it. You kicked her off the couch-she probably did it to get back at

you.”

Nessa’s eyes widened in realization.

“Mom, where’s Laurel? I’m going to find her.”

“If she took it, I swear I’ll make her pay.’

Mom stared at her, at her twisted expression, like she didn’t even recognize her own daughter.

“Nessa,” she said slowly, “why is your first instinct to blame your sister?”

Nessa shrugged it off. “Aren’t you guys the same?”

That hit them like a punch.

Because she was right.

Laurel fell behind in training they assumed she wasn’t trying hard enough.

Laurel went quiet-they thought she was just odd,

Laurel fought with Nessa they didn’t even need to hear the story before deciding Laurel was at fault.

That bias had become instinct.

Like muscle memory from pack drills.

No thinking required,

The moment anything happened, everyone automatically put me in the spot of the suspect, the sacrifice, the one who had to give ground,

It had become so normal that none of them even noticed.

Dad collapsed onto the couch, covering his face.

“Is she ever coming back?”

Callum snorted. “Relax, she’s just been gone a few days. She’s broke-tuition, living expenses, everything costs money. She’ll have to reach out eventually,”

“Wait-tuition!” Mom’s eyes lit up. “Does anyone know which school she got into?”

Nessa frowned. “She never even told us her Senior Combat results. Probably failed so bad she couldn’t get into any college.”

Callum looked confused. “She posted her training scores in the family channel, though.”

“Didn’t you guys… see it?”