The prison gates creaked open, and the scent of freedom hit me, crisp and unfamiliar. Two years—two long, agonizing years—had passed since I took the fall for my brother.

As I made my way back home, an unexpected detour changed everything. On the border of my town, I stumbled upon an elderly man, his frail form being overpowered by a group of rogue wolves. Without thinking, I shifted, and things changed more when I unleashed a power I never knew I possessed. Within moments, the rogues were scattered, and the man was safe. He looked at me with a mix of awe and gratitude, his eyes gleaming with something more—recognition.

"You have the mark of the Lunaris," he whispered. "I’ve been searching for the next Alpha of my pack, and it seems I’ve found you."

I barely had time to process his words before he handed me a pendant—a symbol of the Alpha lineage in his powerful, prestigious pack. It felt warm in my hand, pulsing with energy. But even with this newfound power and responsibility, the only thought that occupied my mind was home. I needed to see my family, to let them know I was back, that everything could finally go back to normal.

Little did I know, there was no home to welcome me anymore.

***

My fingers trembled as I dialed my father’s number, the first call I'd made in two years.

The line went dead. He’d hung up. I stood there, frozen, the dial tone ringing in my ears. Something was wrong—terribly wrong. Fear gripped me, and I broke into a run, heading straight for home.

As I approached our house inside the Ring Forest Pack, the place that had once been my home, I hesitated. I reached for the doorknob but paused as voices reached me.

"Of all days, she had to get out today, making me skip my prenatal check-up just to talk to the Alpha about the ownership of the house!" Lavender's voice, sharp and irritated, cut through the air.

My mother, Luciana, responded, her tone firm but laced with concern, "It's for your own good. With her prison record, it’ll be hard for her to be accepted by the other pack members. Even finding a mate and getting married will be tougher. She might just end up staying here and fighting you for the house."

"Let her rent a place somewhere in the territory, or better yet, she should just leave the Ring Forest Pack. I’m not living with an ex-con!" Lavender's disdain was palpable, every word a dagger to my heart.

I stood there, rooted to the spot, the weight of their words crashing down on me. My mother, the woman who used to call me her little sweetheart, was now speaking as if I were an outsider. And Lavender—Lavender had once been like a sister to me. Now, she was nothing more than a viper in disguise. How had everything changed so drastically?

Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to knock on the door. It swung open, revealing my mother. Her eyes widened in surprise, and for a fleeting moment, I saw a flicker of the old warmth. But it was quickly replaced by a mask of concern that I now knew was nothing more than an act.

"Amaris, you're back? I was just about to send your dad to pick you up!" She gave me a once-over, her eyes lingering on the shadows under my eyes and the tension in my shoulders. "You've lost weight over these two years. It must have been tough."

If only I hadn't overheard their conversation, I might have believed her concern was genuine. I forced a smile, one that felt more like a grimace. "No worries. I shifted for only half an hour, but I rode a taxi most of the way."

Stepping inside, the familiarity of the house did little to soothe the storm brewing within me. Before I could say anything more, Lavender appeared, her pregnant belly leading the way. Without a word, she pulled out a bottle of alcohol spray and drenched me in it until the bottle was empty.

She finally looked at me, her expression tight. "Don’t take it the wrong way. I’m just cleansing you of bad luck."

Her words were meant to be casual, but the disdain in her eyes told a different story. I bit back the retort on the tip of my tongue. Lavender seemed to have forgotten one crucial detail—I was in prison because of her and Thyrone.

Without a word, I walked to my old room. But when I opened the door, I was met with clutter—piles of things that didn’t belong to me. My heart sank as I realized none of my belongings were in sight.

“Mom,” I called out, my voice shaking slightly. “What happened to my room?”

Luciana hesitated, her discomfort evident. “You’ve been gone for so long, and the house is small with lots of stuff, so we stored everything in your room.”

“And my things?” I pressed, the sinking feeling in my chest growing heavier.

She looked down, unable to meet my eyes. “Sold or thrown away. They’re all gone.”

Gone. Everything I had left behind, every piece of me, was gone. My heart twisted painfully. "Mom, I was in prison, not dead. Was it really necessary to clear out all my things?"

Herbert, my father, spoke up from the sofa, not even bothering to turn his head. "Amaris, Lavender is five months pregnant and needs space for baby stuff. The house is cramped. Your things weren't needed anymore, so we got rid of them."

His words hit me harder than any rogue’s attack ever could. This was the same man who used to treasure my belongings, who once said he was collecting them for a wedding gift to give me when I found my mate. Now, he didn’t care that everything was gone like my past didn’t matter like I didn’t matter.

The reality of my situation was crystal clear. I was no longer welcome here.

The room felt cold, and not just from the lack of warmth. It was the kind of cold that seeps into your bones, the kind that no amount of clothing or blankets could chase away. I had just returned home after two years in prison—a prison I entered to protect the people now standing before me. Yet, the welcome I received was anything but warm.

"Where am I supposed to stay?" I asked, my voice barely masking the hurt.

My mother, Luciana, didn’t even look me in the eye. She reached into her purse and pulled out a couple of crumpled bills. Two hundred dollars. She tossed it onto the table between us like it was a chore she had to complete. "Here, take this. If you can't face our Alpha and ask for a place to stay, then go out of the pack and find a motel or rent a place. It’s up to you."

The weight of her words crushed the last bit of hope I had clung to.

"The nerve of this family! Just wait and we will show them who they are shunning!" Andromeda, my wolf, could not help but sound offended. I could feel that she didn't like any of this at all.

I forced a bitter smile, a shield against the despair that threatened to overwhelm me. "What about Thyrone? Does he feel the same way?"

At that moment, Thyrone stepped out of the bathroom, the sound of running water still echoing faintly in the background. His eyes met mine, and for a brief second, I saw a flicker of the brother I once knew. He spoke, but his words felt empty. "Amaris, you're my sister. Of course, I'm on your side. If you want to stay here, I'll clear the room for you."

There it was—a glimmer of hope, so faint it was almost imperceptible. I nodded, trying to latch onto it. "Alright, I'll stay for a while."

But as soon as those words left my lips, the atmosphere shifted. Thyrone's expression froze, and the room was suddenly suffocating. He stood there, unmoving, staring at me as if he didn’t quite know what to do with the promise he just made.

Before I could ask what was wrong, Lavender stormed over. "Amaris, have you lost your mind in prison? How can you be so inconsiderate? Can't you see how cramped the house is? Even if we clear out the room, it should be for the baby. You're an adult now. How can you shamelessly insist on staying here? Have some sense!"

Her words hit me like a slap to the face, and for a moment, I couldn’t breathe. The house, which had once been my home, now felt like a prison of its own—a place where I was no longer welcome.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and said quietly, "Lavender, this is my home. Isn’t it normal for me to stay for a few days?"

"Your home? This house is under Thyrone’s name now. He’s married and mated, and you’re old enough to live on your own. How can you still want to live with your brother?" Lavender’s voice dripped with contempt, her disdain no longer hidden.

I looked at Thyrone, hoping he would say something—anything—to defend me. But he pressed his lips together and avoided my gaze, the silence between us deafening.

Turning to my mother, I searched for some sign of the woman who once called me her little sweetheart. But Luciana’s face was unreadable, her eyes dark and distant, offering no comfort.

My father, Herbert, sat on the sofa, a cigarette hanging loosely from his lips. He puffed away, his gaze focused on some distant point, acting as if this entire situation was none of his concern.

The realization hit me with the force of a thousand daggers—this wasn’t just about the cramped space or the baby. They were using these excuses to push me out, to rid themselves of the burden I had apparently become.

I couldn’t believe it. I had sacrificed so much for them. Two years of my life spent behind bars, taking the fall for a crime I didn’t commit—because Thyrone and Lavender needed me to. And now, they were throwing me out like yesterday’s trash.

My voice trembled as I asked, "Did I do something wrong? Why have you all changed so suddenly?"

For the first time, I felt like an outsider in my own home, in the pack I once believed was my family. Before I went to prison in the central city led by the royals, everyone treated me with love and respect. Now, that affection had turned to scorn.

Lavender’s response was swift and brutal. "Amaris, before, you could make money and support the family, so we all got along. But now, you're just an ex-con. Finding a decent job or mate will be nearly impossible. In your situation, what can you do but leech off us? Why should we still treat you well?"

Her words stabbed at my heart. "So, because I'm no longer useful and might be a burden, you don't care about me anymore?"

My mother finally looked at me, but there was no warmth in her eyes. "Look, it's not our fault. Another mouth to feed isn't something we can afford. Your father may be one of the strongest wolf generals in the pack, but his money is already enough for us alone. You're better off asking the Alpha for a place to stay or finding somewhere to rent. It’s time you took care of yourself instead of being a burden to us."

I stared at her in disbelief, my voice barely above a whisper. "I'm a burden?"

I stared at my mother, disbelief etched into every line of my face. "Mom, you were the ones who begged me—begged me in tears—to take the fall for Thyrone. You said I’d be the savior of this family, that you’d repay me no matter what." My voice trembled as the memories flooded back, the sense of betrayal almost too much to bear. "And now, I’ve just come home, not even had a sip of water, and suddenly, I’m a burden?"

I could barely recognize the woman in front of me as the mother I once adored. The woman who had once held me, promising the world when I sacrificed everything. My voice cracked as I continued, "I’ve given everything for this family. I handed over all my wages, I helped buy this house, and I even spent two years in prison for Thyrone. Doesn't that entitle me to a room in my own home?"

My words hung in the air, heavy with the bitterness of betrayal. But instead of comfort, I was met with the harsh sting of indifference.

Thyrone stepped forward, his tone defensive. "Amaris, I know you're upset, but do you think it was easy for us these past two years? Having a convict in the family disgraced all of us. Pack members point and whisper wherever we go. Who knows what they’ll say if you stay here? Can't you think about us for once?"

His words cut deep, revealing the true depth of his selfishness. The brother I had sacrificed everything for now saw me only as a burden, a stain on the family’s reputation. I stared at him, my heart breaking with every word. "Thyrone," I said, my voice cold, "don't forget that it should have been you who went to prison. The one who shamed this family is you."

I could see the anger flicker in his eyes, but I pressed on. "If you really cared about the family's reputation, you should have confessed from the start. Instead, you let me take the fall, and now you have the audacity to blame me for not thinking about you?"

Two years ago, it had all seemed so simple. Thyrone and Lavender had spread false rumors about the crown prince, the son of the Alpha King, across the continent. They had even profited from it, selling their lies to the highest bidder. It happened three times, and they thought they’d found an easy way to make money. But then, a notice arrived from the royal wolf family, stamped with the Alpha King's seal. They had traced the sabotage back to our family, and the consequences were clear: someone had to pay.

My parents came to me in a panic, their eyes pleading. Thyrone had a weak heart, they said and had only just gotten mated. If he went to prison, he’d lose everything—his marriage, his future, possibly even his life. They cried, they begged, promising that the family would take care of me once it was all over. They painted me as the savior, the only one who could keep our family intact.

And like a fool, I agreed. I went to prison and sacrificed my freedom, my future, everything—for them. I sold my car, drained my savings, lost my job, paid the compensation, and endured the insults, all for my family. But now, as I stood before them, I realized the full extent of their betrayal.

"Isn’t blood supposed to be thicker than water?" I asked, my voice heavy with pain. "Why does family loyalty mean nothing when faced with personal gain?"

Thyrone’s expression darkened. "I've already thanked you for taking the fall. What more do you want from me?" His words were like daggers, cutting deeper with every syllable. "This house is under my name now, and Lavender is expecting a baby in a few months. There's not enough room for you here. You need to move out. We can't afford to support an idler."

In his eyes, my two years in prison for him were worth no more than a simple 'thank you.' Anything more, and I was the unreasonable one.

My mother, who had once been my greatest ally, now looked at me with cold, calculating eyes. "Amaris, don't you get it? A woman's place is to get mated and have children, not live off her family. We were hoping to mate you off to a good man and get some money, but now, as an ex-convict, no one will want you. Letting you stay here is already more than you deserve."

Lavender, who had been silent until now, stepped forward. "Exactly. You've been to prison, so you'll be poor forever. If we let you stay, you'd just drain us dry."