Alec’s

I walked into my room and immediately went to the bathroom to take yet another shower. This one, unlike the previous one, was quick. I was hoping that I could wash away Alec's burning stare and the dirt that came with dragging a hybrid through the forest. I managed to wash the dirt away, but not his burning gaze. One that followed me all the way back into the packhouse.

Once done, I changed into my pajamas, noting that I had discarded another pair right before I shifted.

I got into bed, careful not to disturb or wake up Aspen before settling in. I thought that I would struggle to find sleep like I did just a few hours ago. I was wrong, though. The moment my head hit the pillow, I was off. It took less than five minutes for me to fall into the dark abyss of sleep.

***

I was in the garden chasing after a butterfly. It was so pretty, and I just wanted to study it. I was laughing, turning around in circles, my small bare feet on the soft, lush grass underneath me.

It kept circling me before landing on the tip of my nose.

I couldn't stop the giggle that left my lips. It was so ticklish, but it also made me happy that it chose to land on my nose. I didn't want to scare it away. Like I said, I just wanted to touch it and know how it feels to have the colorful creature on my palm.

I slowly stretched out my hand, ready to catch it. The anticipation was killing me, but it also brought a sense of excitement.

I was just about to catch it; I was so close when, from nowhere, someone screamed my name.

The butterfly flies away, and I immediately deflate like a punctured balloon.

I turn in annoyance. "Why did you do that?"

"Do what?" she asks, looking at me in confusion.

"You scared the butterfly away. I wanted to feel its soft wings." My irritation was evident, even as I scowled at the girl who seemed to be my age.

She rolled her eyes at me as if she had just heard the stupidest thing. "We are eleven. When are you going to stop this childishness?"

My frown deepened as my anger bubbled to the surface. She had this air of superiority, and I was beginning to hate it. I balled my fist, trying to stop myself from doing anything that would hurt our relationship or cause our mother to get angry at me.

"Stop it," I growl at her, feeling my wolf come to the surface.

She smirks. "Or what? I'm only telling the truth. We should be focused on training and here you are chasing after a butterfly like a child."

"I said stop it!"

"No," she growls back at me. "Stop being childish and stupid, and maybe I'll stop." Calling me stupid triggers me, making my anger bubble out. I rushed over to her and pushed her. It was all so perfect in my head. I'd push her, she'd fall to the ground, and I'd be satisfied watching her crying.

It doesn't happen like I'd imagined, though. She doesn't move an inch. With her hands folded across her chest, her smirk broadens.

"Weak," she mutters. "You are weak! That's why you can't even do anything to me. What kind of leader will you be when you can't even defeat me?"

Her words break my heart. The anger that was there a minute ago disappears and hurt takes its place. I try to fight it, but I can't. My eyes start filling with tears and my shoulders shake with my sobs.

I stare at her under my lashes and, for the first time in my life, I feel inferior to her. She has always been stronger. She has always been more elegant than I am. She is the golden child that our mother is proud of.

She carries herself in a way I never could, no matter how many lessons in elegance t had. We haven't been given ou crowns yet, but she holds her head up in a way that

Helie

communicates that she's a queen in the making. It's like she has this

invisible crown on her head.

As much as I hate to admit it, she's right, but that's just who I am. I like playing in

the garden among the flowers and chasing after butterflies.

The fire in her eyes changes as her expression changes. She takes one step before pulling me into a hug.

"I'm sorry, Sissy," she whispers, patting my back. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

I couldn't answer even if I wanted to. Not when my hiccupping hasn't stopped.

"You know I love you," she pulls away and says. Her eyes are on mine and her hands hold my upper arms. "I didn't mean any of it."

I nod my head, but the stab is still there. I can't stop her words from echoing in my head like a broken record. They hurt, and the more my mind plays them, the more my heart breaks.

"Look at me," she demands in a soft voice and I oblige. That's the kind of power she has. Others in our kingdom stare at her in reverence, while I am viewed as the joker.

"I love you," she repeats, her voice strong.

Despite my pain, something warm enveloped me. I sniffed before muttering. "I love you too, sissy."

My tears stop as we hug, holding on to each other like our lives depended on it. "What are my two baby girls doing?" our mother's voice sounds from behind us. We break up our hug and turn to face her. She has a bright smile. Her love for us radiating off her in waves.

"Nothing," I smiled back at her. "I needed a hug."

"Are those tear streaks I'm seeing?" she hurries towards us. The smile has disappeared and in its place is a frown.

We stare at each other before our eyes meet that of our mother, who is now on her knees in front of us.

"I just felt sad for a moment," I answered her. I didn't want to cause her any trouble with our mother.

"You are terrible at lying," she gives me a pointed look. "Did you forget who I am? You can't lie to me. I'll always know."noveldrama

Her eyes shifted, looking at both of us, but none of us said a thing. We remain quiet, not willing to speak a word of what just happened.

Mother sighed before pulling us into a small hug, then holding us in her arms.

"You have to remember that you are sisters above all. I know siblings quarrel, but you are twins, and you have to be there for each other no matter what. Promise me that you'll never hurt each other. Promise me."

Our eyes clash as we stare at each other. A smile appears on our faces. It took

our mother to remind us of what we meant to each other.

"We promise," we vow at the same time.

With that vow, the pain in my heart disappears. I thought that was it, that it was done. Only I didn't know that it was just the start. I didn't know that my sister would break every promise we ever made. I didn't know just how much she would

obliterate my heart in the future.