She'd never been physically strong. Fighting had never been something she could do. Even so, she always found a way to protect Freddie and me with whatever she had. Sometimes, though, she depended on me more than she should have. Somewhere along the way, without either of us ever talking about it, I became the one carrying our family.

"Dilly!"

I turned around at once. Freddie had rushed toward the stairs without paying attention. I caught him just before he could fall.

"Be careful!"

He wrapped his arms around me and locked his legs around my waist. The pressure on my back made me flinch.

"Gently... It still hurts."

He looked up at me with a guilty expression.

"Sorry..."

I leaned over and kissed his cheek. He immediately burst into laughter, and I carefully set him back on the floor. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the table with his usual excitement.

"Come on!"

I let him lead the way as he practically dragged me behind him.

"Dylan... your back..."

My mother's voice suddenly faded. Standing in the doorway with two bowls in her hands, she stared at me after I sat down.

I reached behind me and touched my shirt. The fabric felt wet.

That wasn't a good sign.

"Looks like I'll have to see Sheila again after dinner."

I pulled my hand away and looked at it. My fingers were smeared with blood. The bandages had already loosened. Some of the wounds must've opened again.

"Please let me take care of it. I can change your bandages after we finish eating."

She placed the bowls in front of us. I answered with a small smile and gently shook my head.

"You're too gentle. They need to be wrapped tighter. Thanks anyway."

A disappointed sigh escaped her before she went back to get her own bowl. Then she returned and sat down with us.

"I know how to wrap bandages, Dylan. I've treated much worse injuries when you were little."

I looked at her for a moment before finally giving in.

"Alright..."

At least I wouldn't have to make another trip to the infirmary.

Once dinner was over, I wanted nothing more than to lie down and stay there. All the exhaustion caught up with me at once.

While Freddie remained at the table doing his homework, I sat down on a small stool. Then I slowly took off my shirt, gritting my teeth through every movement.

My mother came back carrying a basin filled with warm salt water and a bundle of cotton.

I already knew this was going to hurt.

She carefully started removing the bandages wrapped around my torso. The farther she got, the slower her hands became. By the time she reached the last layer, I felt the cloth pull against my skin where it had dried to the wounds.

My hands tightened into fists.

"Damn..."

The final strip came free, and the cool air brushing across my back made me let out a long breath.

"Oh my God..."

Her voice shook.

"There are so many more this time... far more than fifteen..."

I turned my head slightly to look at her. Tears were already running down her face.

"Mom, I'm going to be fine."

She kept shaking her head, unable to stop crying.

"No, you're not! I'm your mother. I'm supposed to keep you safe... I never should've let this happen to you... Your father would've..."

I stopped her before she could finish.

"Stop."

The word came out more sharply than I'd meant it to, but I didn't take it back.

"Dad's gone. We'll never know what he would've done. He never had to live in this world."

Even so, I already knew the answer. He would've fought back. And he would've ended up dying all over again.

"If you really want to help me, then stop crying and take care of my wounds. And next time, don't offer if you're not ready to look at them."

She drew in a shaky breath, forced back her tears, and began treating my injuries.

The cotton soaked in warm salt water touched my back.

The moment it brushed against my skin, I clenched my teeth. The pain was intense, almost impossible to bear, but it had to be done. Every touch sent another burning wave through my body.

"Some of these wounds are deep, Dylan..."

Her hands were still shaking.

"I told you I'll be fine. Just keep going."

One by one, she cleaned every wound before wrapping fresh bandages tightly around my torso. By the time she finished, the water inside the basin had turned red.

"You need to take it easy for a few days... Your body can't handle any more than this."

I nodded.

Slowly, I got to my feet and walked over to Freddie. I ruffled his hair.

"Goodnight, little one."

He laughed as he tried to fix his messy hair.

"Goodnight, Dilly."

I smiled at him one last time before making my way upstairs.

After I entered my room, I shut the door behind me and dropped face first onto the bed.

All the pain hit me again in an instant.

I buried my face in the pillow and pressed a hand over my mouth to keep myself quiet. My mom's treatment had helped. Even so, it still hurt like hell.

I couldn't let her know that.

I had to endure it. For Freddie. For her.

If she realized how much pain I was in, she'd break down.

Not long after that, my eyes drifted shut.

She'd been right about one thing.

For the time being, I needed to keep a low profile.

I couldn't survive another beating.

...

After a night that felt endless and a morning that was somehow even worse, we were finally lined up in the school hallway. We stood in perfectly straight rows, waiting for the twins to arrive just as we'd been instructed.

"Get ready!"

The order echoed through the hall, and everyone immediately straightened up. Since Nick and I were seniors, we stood at the very end of the human line. Across from us, the humans who had been claimed by Lycans stood beside their partners, all matched by age, as though the separation had to be obvious for everyone to see.

Nobody dared to move. The silence hanging over the hallway was unbearable.

Arya was the first to arrive. She walked slowly along the line until she stopped in front of Nick. He looked completely uncertain, as if he didn't know whether he should meet her eyes or keep his head lowered.

"Look at me."

Nick hesitated. He shot me a quick glance, hoping I'd somehow know what to do. Before he could react, she spoke again, this time with a colder voice.

"I said, look at me."

At last, he slowly lifted his head. From where I stood, I could clearly see his eyes. They were dark and filled with something that almost looked sinister.

"I... I don't..."

He never finished his sentence. Two Lycans suddenly stepped forward, grabbed him without warning, and dragged him out of the line.

"Hey!"

The word slipped out before I could stop myself. I stepped forward without thinking and left my place. Every eye in the hallway immediately turned toward me, and I knew I'd just made a serious mistake.

Without saying a word, Adrian walked over to me. His fist drove straight into my stomach with crushing force. The blow stole the air from my lungs, and I doubled over as the wounds across my back flared with pain all over again.

"I heard you were punished in front of everyone two days ago," he said calmly.

I clenched my teeth but didn't answer.

"I also heard that you questioned our rules during class yesterday."