Chapter 1
Larisa's Pov
My presence is a larger-than-life entity that sucks the life out of every room I walk into. That's why I cage myself everyday in my bedroom, refusing to go out or even say a word. For 365 days, I stare at the pictures on the wall — The pictures of HER and wonder where it all went wrong.
Hazel was not like me. She was warm, friendly, the kind of person you'd want to open up to, talented, and very beautiful that suitors from different packs ask for her hand in marriage. And always, she'd tell them no. That she wasn't ready. It always infuriated me. I was never going to be like her. I didn't have any suitors lining up for me or a friendly face or have any talent of any kind. I was the lazy, chubby twin no one wanted to look at. Sometimes, I wish Hazel and I had shared the same face so my troubles will be lesser than they are. But some wishes never come true. And one of them was bringing her back to life.
Hazel is dead.
And it's all my fault.
“Get your ass out here! It's time!” April’s voice tore through the air as she banged her fist on my door.
I didn't flinch. Didn't need to.
I knew why she was here.
It was Hazel’s remembrance day.
I picked up my calendar and marked the 25th of July like I did last year and pushed back my seat.
“If you don't get your —”
April was cut off mid-sentence when I opened the door and walked past her.
I didn't need to say much. She knew the drill. I did too.
The guards waited for me at the top of the stairs and they did like they always did every year — latching the silver cuffs onto my wrists and dragging me down the stairs.
Yes, I was a fugitive in my own home. A guilty one.
Soon, I'd be dead anyways.
The air got sucked out of the room the second my foot touched the marble floor.
All eyes landed on me and I could read the emotions in them — anger. Nothing changed. No one cared enough to. They all harbored the same feeling they'd had for me since the incident. Even my father.
The double doors parted and Father Morris walked in.
The guests in the hallway rose to their feet at his arrival and followed behind him, leaving echoes of fake-sniffles and fake-tears.
I trailed behind, holding a look of indifference on my face.
It was the same ceremony all over again and I was so fucking tired.
We entered the Remembrance Hall, one built to honour the souls of our fallen and seated as Father Morris.
He began the admonition about Hazel being this, being that. The sound of sniffles increased in the room and I nearly rolled my eyes.
Oh, please, none of you even liked her.
Luna Bella, Ava’s mom, had been palming circles on her daughter's back before she turned to me. Her baby-blue eyes held mine in an icy glare. She muttered something to her mother and looked away.
The ceremony carried on with the sniffles and whimpers till it ended at noon.
“Come on. Let's go.” One of the guards tugged on my arm and I rose to my feet.
Before I could leave, a soft hand reached my shoulder giving it a hard squeeze.
“I have to talk to her.” The voice said.
I'd recognize it anywhere — Ava.
The guards exchanged looks before one of them replied. “She had to return to her room. It's for your own safety.”
For your own safety? Spare me the crap.
“There are over a dozen packs in this room. She wouldn't dare lay a finger on me.” Ava hissed.
“Okay,” The guard gave up. “But you have 5 minutes. Make it quick.”
The moment he walked away, a slap traveled across my face.
“You arrogant bitch! How could you not care that your sister has died?” Ava said in a voice trembling with both pain and rage.
My blonde curls bounced over my face and I whipped them back with a little tilt of my head.
“Say something!” She screamed at me.
Now, everyone was watching us, including my father. Even he and his guards had their hands to their hips. So, that's what it is now? They're scared I'd kill someone else again?
“Talk, you fucking bitch!” Ava slapped me again and I reacted.
It was supposed to be subtle. It wasn't the high pitched scream of a girl but far more deeper and with extreme rage. The scream turned into a loud growl. The mere echo of it shook the room, sending everyone to their knees.
"What is she doing?!" Father Morris yelled over the uproaring noise.
Ava clapped her hands over her ears, startled by what she was seeing. The screaming stopped and so did the shaking building.
I paused, breathing hard. I looked at everyone, their hands over their bleeding ears as they moaned in pain, paralyzed by the sound of the heavy scream.
When the echo died, they all stared, eyes round in shock.
As if on cue, the whispers erupted.
“Monster.”
“She's going to kill us the same way she killed her sister.”
“Someone should get her out of here!” Father roared.
Rough hands clasped my arm and pulled.
I couldn't fight. Couldn't even struggle. I let them pull me away, defeated.
The whispers still linger in the air, a constant reminder of the failure I am.
Maybe my father was right that night.
Maybe, I should've died and not Hazel.
The guards dragged me upstairs and threw me inside my room, bolting the door behind me.
“Stay gone, monster!” One of them roared as he pounded on the door.
I crumpled to the floor, wrapping my arms around myself, praying, crying that the pain would go away.
I lifted my eyes and they met hers. It was a photo of us when we were still little cubs. We wore identical green gowns with bows in
our hair. She was smiling but I was staring away from the camera.
Hazel, come back!
Tell them I didn't kill you!