The Forgotten Twin, The One They Beg in Tears Chapter 01

The Forgotten Twin, The One They Beg in Tears Chapter 01

“What are you doing here? Weren’t you supposed to take the Werewolf SAT next year?”

My twin sister and I sat for the same exam, yet no one remembered me.

Mom smoothed Elowen’s hair. My brother Kael carried her bag for her, and our childhood friend Lucian kept her laugh.

They only noticed me when I stepped toward the car.

“Freya? Aren’t you a grade below Elowen?”

It was true—I’d started school a year later than Elowen because of health issues.

But I’d skipped a grade long ago. No one had noticed.

No one knew I’d already received an early acceptance offer from Southvale Academy.

Outside the exam hall, they left me alone on the curb and drove away.

Mom called out through the window, “We’ll also come pick you up once you finish your exam next year.”

I nodded with a smile.

Then I quietly booked a red-eye flight.

A few days later, when pack reporters knocked on our front door, they finally learned the whole truth.

Mom and Dad blew up my phone with calls.

My brother asked for the first time, “When did you take the exam?”

When?

While every single one of you was busy loving Elowen.

…

As the car pulled away, only the two coins Mom pressed into my hand remained.

“We didn’t expect you to come. There’s no more room in the car. Take the bus home.”

It was a five-seater.

Dad, Mom, Kael, Elowen and Lucian.

No room for me.

I pocketed the coins like I always did and boarded the bus.

My phone buzzed. A message from Mom popped up in the family group chat.

[Great news! Elowen said the test went really well. The whole family’s going out for Italian tonight!]

I replied: [Got it. I’ll be home in fifteen minutes.]

Mom typed and deleted, typed and deleted, then sent a final line.

[You don’t have to come. When you take your Werewolf SAT, Mom will take you out separately.]

[Actually, I took it this year too—]

The message never sent.

A new notification from Kael popped up.

[Freya, you’re getting older. You need to be more sensible.]

[You were sick all the time before you turned seven. The whole family focused on you back then.]

[Today’s Elowen’s big day. Don’t compete with her for attention.]

[After all, you owe Elowen so much.]

A hollow exhaustion settled in my chest.

I knew Kael was about to bring up what happened when I was seven again.

That day, I’d fainted at Elowen’s dance competition.

Mom panicked, picked me up, and rushed me straight to the pack hospital.

When I opened my eyes again, I saw Mom’s eyes red and swollen from crying.

“Freya, Elowen’s gone. We can’t find her.”

“Did you do this on purpose? Why couldn’t you just sit through Elowen’s competition without causing trouble?”

Three days later, Elowen was found. She threw herself into Mom’s arms, sobbing.

I stepped forward timidly, wanting to give her my favorite stuffed pup.

Kael shoved me hard.

“Are you faking being sick again? Get out of here!”

From that day on, “attention-seeker” became my label.

If I was hungry, I was being unreasonable.

If I was in pain, I was playing the victim.

If I cried, I was manipulative.

And Elowen, who’d been lost and found again? She gained everyone’s care and adoration.

I never dared get sick after that.

Because comfort and care would never come. All I’d hear was—

“You’re fine now. Are you pulling this trick to scare us again?”

“We spent seven years revolving around you. Now it’s Elowen’s turn. We need to make it up to her.”

“That’s only fair.”

But that “makeup” had lasted eleven years.

Seven years versus eleven. Was that really fair?

I picked up my phone silently and replied in the group chat: [Alright. I won’t come.]

I closed the chat window and opened a hidden email.

A month ago, I’d gotten the early acceptance letter from Southvale Academy.

It was the most prestigious werewolf academy across North America, training countless warriors and top healers.

The only catch—it was all the way down in Miami, over two thousand miles from the Northvale Pack. No family there. No Lucian.

I’d registered for the SAT originally just to keep my options open.

Now, there was no need to look elsewhere.

The familiar streets of the Northvale Pack slid past the bus window.

I bowed my head.

And clicked—

Accept.