In Their Shadow: The Daughter They Forgot Chapter 04

In Their Shadow: The Daughter They Forgot Chapter 04

The next morning, I heard a commotion downstairs before I even got out of bed.

Mirelle paced with Pippin in her arms. “Did Pippin eat something bad last night? He’s barely moving today.”

Mother called the vet almost immediately.

Father canceled his morning pack meeting.

Within ten minutes, the whole family rushed out with Mirelle and Pippin.

The Pack House fell quiet again.

I pulled my suitcase from under the bed and packed the last few pieces of clothing.

Then I left by myself.

I handled some banking and bought a few things I might need in Washington State.

By the time I returned that evening, everyone was home.

The house looked just as it had when I left. Breakfast dishes covered the coffee table, and someone had knocked over the garbage can.

The moment Mother saw me, she frowned. “Tamsin, the house is a mess. Why haven’t you cleaned it?”

Last night’s nightmare surged back.

I wanted to try one last time. What would she do if she knew I was sick too?

So I looked up. “I went to the ER.”

She paused.

I held down the hope in my torso and watched her.

Just one word of concern. Please.

Instead, she shrugged. “You’re an adult. You can’t handle a little fever by yourself?”

I stared at her. “But you all went with Pippin.”

Mother’s brow tightened. There was no guilt in her eyes. Only annoyance.

“Seriously? Are you jealous of Pippin now? How pathetic can you get?”

Inside me, my wolf let out a broken howl.

Something I’d held in for too long finally gave way, and the words burst out.

“Really? You ignored your own daughter so you could fuss over a guinea pig. Don’t you see anything wrong with that?

“If a guinea pig matters more to you than your own daughter, maybe I was never the child you wanted.”

She froze.

Then, she lashed out at me in anger.

“Tamsin! You’re being ridiculous! Is this how I raised you?”

She shouted, “You keep whining that no one values you. Have you ever stopped to ask why? Look at you. You still don’t understand what this family needs.”

Father stood beside her with a dark expression. His Alpha aura flooded the living room.

“Apologize to your mother!”

Mirelle tilted her head in disgust. “It was just a fever. Did you really have to make a scene?”

The three of them stood side by side with a guinea pig. A perfect family.

I stood across from them.

Less than two steps separated us, yet they might as well have been a world away.

There was no point arguing anymore.

“Fine.”

My voice was so calm it surprised even me.

“If there’s no place for me here, I’ll move out. From now on, pretend you never had me.”

Mother scoffed.

“So you think you’re all grown up now? Is that supposed to scare me?”

Father and Mirelle frowned too, their faces wearing the same contempt.

Mother was about to say more when Mirelle shrieked, “Oh no! Pippin threw up!”

Mother and Father rushed over. “We need to take him back to the vet!”

The front door slammed in my face.

The living room went silent.

I stood there, my cheek still stinging.

Yet for the first time, my wolf didn’t grow restless when they left.

It even relaxed, as if telling me…

It’s enough.

No one gave me another glance.

I stood still for two seconds, then went upstairs and packed.

As I walked out, I looked back one last time.

“Goodbye.”

I closed the door.

Dragging my faded suitcase behind me, I went to the airport.

The boarding call came for my flight to Washington State.

I rose and walked toward the gate.

Everything that belonged to Greyhaven fell farther behind me.

***

Meanwhile…

The front door of the Greyhaven Pack House opened again.

Mother entered with a lively Pippin in her arms and frowned out of habit.

“Tamsin, come clean this up.”

No one answered.

She called again.

Still silence.

Her irritation deepened. She marched upstairs and shoved my door open.

The next second, she froze in the doorway.