Chapter 2
Selene Wolfe
"Where the hell do you think you are going?"
Mom's sharp voice brought me to an abrupt halt.
I didn't notice she was sitting in the living room as I stumbled toward my room.
Her blazing brown eyes welcomed as I turned to her. She was already on her feet, and Sera stood beside her, hands crossed in front of her.
"Mo…mom… Good morn…" she closed the distance between us, her hand swinging across my face, accompanied by a thunderous strike on my cheek, and my hand instinctively flew to my cheek, eyes widened, jaw dropping.
"Mom!" My cheeks burned as I rubbed it, staring at her.
"How dare you, Selene? How dare you ruin our family's reputation?! Are you better than a whore?" She snapped, the veins in her neck red and visible, her face burning with fury.
Sera's smirk welcomed me as I glanced at her. What the heck did she tell mom? Did she tell her about what happened last night?
"Wh…what are you talking about?"
I was still trying to figure out what was happening, when mom raised her phone to my face, my eyes widened at the disturbing sight that welcomed me. A video of me half naked on a bed, chuckling and scrolling through my phone, was playing on her phone.
It was a familiar room. Kaelen and I hung out there one time. He filmed me secretly. That bastard!
I froze, my nails curling into my palm, and I swallowed nothing, taking a step back.
"Wh…what is…" My voice failed me as the rest of the words got stuck in my throat. My lips trembling.
"Is this what you do, Selene? Sleeping around with men?" Mom's eyes flickered with rage mixed with disappointment, her voice louder than the previous one.
I shook my head defensively. "No, mom. That's…that's not true. That… that is not what it…" My voice betrayed me when I needed it the most.
"Then explain this!" She demanded.
Tears clouded my eyes, my body trembling as I shifted my gaze to Seraphine who was quiet all along. There was no doubt that she was behind this... Her smile confirmed it.
"For how long have you been doing this, Selene? For how long have you been disgracing me?" She snapped.
"Can you let me explain this, mom?" I knew she wasn't going to listen to me, but I was hoping she would. At least just for this time.
Seraphine stepped forward and held mom's arm, rubbing it gently. "Mom, please calm down. You are going to hurt yourself at this point."
I scoffed in disbelief. How she always paints herself as the perfect child, and me, the bad guy in every situation would never stop amazing me.
She turned to me, and smiled softly. "Why don't you just beg mom for forgiveness, Selene? You are only going to get her angry if you keep trying to defend yourself."
I blinked back the tears in my eyes, clenching my jaw tightly. She could still face me after last night?
Mom looked me straight in the eyes and said, "Can't you be like your sister, Selene? Sera is so perfect... can't you be like her? Is that too much to ask of you?"
She continued, "She has been decent. Her decency earned her the position of the future Luna of Wyrmshade Pack. Why can't you make me proud like your sis—" She yelled, and I scoffed.
"Did you ever see me as your daughter?" A drop of tears slid down my cheeks, and she scoffed.
"Selene!"
"I am your daughter too, mom. Your biological daughter! How could you treat me this way?"
My heart twisted in my chest.
When I was reunited with my mother ten years ago after living in the orphanage for fourteen years, I was the happiest girl on earth. I was glad that I would finally get to feel what a mother's love was, but it turned out that I was only being delusional.
Ten years of torment. Of pain, of being neglected by my mom, and living in Seraphine's shadow. Ten years of Seraphine as the favourite child... A girl she adopted, choosing her over me... And me? I just existed as a burden, taking blames for her faults, watching her live my life, being loved by my mom. It hurts.
I scoffed, dragging my fingers through my hair. "I think I expected too much from a woman who abandoned her own child."
Mom stared at me, her expression the same. "That is why you shouldn't have come to my life, Selene. You were never meant to come back!" Her voice was sharp, firm, and void of emotions. They cut deeper than any dagger would.
She never regretted her decision.
My heart throbbed as I headed to my room without another word.
I crashed to the floor, hugging my knees to my chest, my heart twisting as her words replayed in my head. I've been a good daughter to her. I've tried to fit in. To be the perfect daughter she would be proud of even though she never appreciated anything I do. I guess I've just been trying too hard for nothing.
Sera's unwelcoming voice slithered through the thick silence as it echoed from outside, accompanied by a knock on my door. "Can I come in, sis?"
She didn't wait for another second before walking inside, a smug smile playing around her lips.
"Oh, my gosh! Are you alright, Selene?" She gasped, her hand flying to cover her mouth, and her eyes widened.
"You are not mad at mom, are you? She didn't mean any of the things she said to you... She was just angry…" she paused, going to sit on my bed, and facing me.
"She will come around." Her words... Her expression... everything was fake. She didn't try hard to hide it.
Seraphine's eyes scanned me pathetically, a smug smirk tugging at the corner of her lips as she crossed her arms on her chest.
"See how I took Kaelen away from you with just a snap of my fingers?"
"That's how I'll take everything from you… Even your name… Your place in the Pack. And soon, they'll forget you were ever here." She smiled softly.
She continued. "You don't belong in this family, Selene. You were never meant to be here. And the sooner you accept that, the less painful it'll be."
She then stood up, smiled, and started off to the door.
"Are you this obsessed with me, Sera?"
She paused.
I stood and faced her.
"You want everything I have. Is that how obsessed you are with me? You can never have anything on your own, that is why you always want to take mine, isn't it?" I tried to mask my pain, fighting back my tears with everything in me.
She scoffed, blinking her eyes. "Huh?"
I closed the distance between us, staring into her eyes. "Why are you trying so hard to be perfect, sweetheart? To please mom?"
"Selene!" She gritted out.
"What? Are you scared? That mom would send you back to the street she picked you from, if you ever disappoint her?" A smirk curled around my lips as I watched her face burn with rage.
I continued. "What if mom stops backing you? What if she sends you out? Will Kaelen still stand by your side then?"
"You are just jealous of me!" She fired, her eyes dancing nervously in their sockets.
"No, sweetheart. You have nothing of your own to be jealous of. You are just pitiful." I whispered, putting on a soft smile.
She clenched her jaw tightly, her eyes blazing with fury, and without another word, she stormed out of my room and slammed the door close.
My heart twisted in my chest. I should feel triumphant... But nothing could take away the pain inside me. This burning fire inside me could not be quenched by just a few blows to Seraphine's pride.
My fingers trembled as I dragged them through my hair, exhaling deeply.
As a fragment of last night's memory flashed through my mind, I paused, curiosity sparked through me.
Who was that man?