They Lost Me Through Blind Favoritism

There was one rule in my family. Everything had to be fair. Whenever my older brother Kaiser and his twin sister Kelly thought our parents were showing even the slightest sign of favoritism, the two of them would get into a huge fight. As a result, everything in our household was strictly divided into two equal portions. One was for Kaiser, and the other was for Kelly. When I was little, I tugged on Mom's sleeve and asked, "What about me?" Mom immediately snapped at me. "Kaiser and Kelly are already giving me enough headaches. Can you not add to the trouble?" Later, our family bought a car. It had six seats and was just enough for all five of us. On the day of the Spring Hunt, I opened the car door in the pouring rain, only to find that the two remaining seats had already been taken. One had Kaiser's building blocks on it, and the other was piled up with Kelly's dolls. They insisted on bringing their toys with them. It made them feel safe. I stood awkwardly outside the car. Kaiser fiercely guarded his building blocks while Kelly snorted and said, "Nobody is taking my dolls' seat. Things have to be fair!" Dad looked impatiently at me as I stood there soaked. "Can't you just stay home?" he asked. I was shivering from the cold, but I forced a smile. "Okay. I won't go." I turned around, retrieved my phone, and submitted an application for the werewolf warrior isolated training camp. If I couldn't get the fairness I deserved here, then there was no reason for me to stay in this family. Chapter 1 I, Anna Moore, walked home alone. I was drenched from head to toe, and even my bones felt like they were freezing. The moment I stepped inside, my phone buzzed. Mom had sent me a message. She asked what I planned to eat since I was home alone. I sniffled, and my eyes immediately welled up with tears. Did Mom actually remember that she had another daughter who was going hungry? I was about to type a reply when another message from Mom popped up. [Don't touch the food in the fridge.] [I prepared it specifically for Kaiser and Kelly. They each have one portion. I divided everything carefully.] [If you dare steal even a bite and ruin the fairness, you can pack up and leave!] The moment I read those words, the warmth and hope I had felt disappeared. I wanted to ask Mom, 'What about me? Where's my portion?' But in the end, I only replied with a blank expression on my face. [Okay.] I'd asked that question countless times throughout my childhood. No one had ever answered me. They simply took it for granted that nothing in this family had anything to do with me. I put down my phone and searched through the kitchen for a long time. In the end, all I found was a slice of moldy bread tucked away in a corner. I didn't hesitate. I stuffed it into my mouth and eventually fell asleep despite still feeling cold and hungry. In the middle of the night, something heavy that reeked of mud slammed hard against my face. I jolted awake and sat up in bed. The lights in the living room were switched on, and a group of werewolves was making a terrible racket. Mom and Dad were complaining that the heavy rain had made it impossible to catch much prey during the hunt. Kelly Moore leaned against the bedroom door with her chin held high. "Why are you pretending to be asleep? Are you blind? Isn't it obvious that I want you to wash my cloak?" The thing that had hit my face was her mud-covered cloak. The muddy water trickled down my face and into my collar. It was filthy and smelled awful. My head was spinning with exhaustion. I softly pleaded, "Kelly, I'm really too tired. Can I wash it tomorrow morning?" Kelly immediately raised her voice. "If you don't want to wash it, just say so! Why are you making up excuses?" Kaiser Moore came running over. Looking clearly annoyed, he tossed a filthy pair of hunting boots at me. "If you're washing hers, you're washing mine too. Do it now." Mom came over when she heard the commotion. When she saw me covered in mud and looking miserable, her expression darkened. "Anna, there are three children in this family. The most important thing is to make sure everything is fair. Kaiser and Kelly have been working hard outside all day while you've been sleeping at home. What's wrong with making you wash a few things now?" She asked in a harsh tone. Looking at the way they all blamed me, I suddenly felt like laughing. So this was the fairness they were always talking about. Kaiser and Kelly received a version of fairness that came with resources and love. All I got was the fairness of doing the dirty, exhausting work. I didn't argue anymore because I knew there was no point fighting with them. I silently gathered the pile of muddy clothes and carried them into the laundry room. I squatted there and washed them for three consecutive hours until my hands turned pale from the freezing water. When I finally stood up, my legs gave out, and I nearly collapsed. My blood sugar had dropped so low that my vision kept going black, and even my wolf spirit had grown weak. I leaned against the wall and tried to make my way to the living room for a cup of warm water. That's when I ran into Dad carrying a plate of roasted meat. The moment he saw me, his expression turned tense. He quickly hid the meat behind his back. He laughed awkwardly and explained, "I happened to divide the meat into four portions, so I didn't save any for you. Otherwise, it wouldn't be evenly divided, and Kaiser and Kelly would start fighting again. There's still a serving of salad left. They don't like it, so you can have it." I took a step back and avoided his touch. "Dad, I'm allergic to salad dressing." Dad froze for a moment before nodding indifferently. When he heard Kelly's sweet voice, he immediately walked away and left me standing there. "Your late-night snack is here, my darlings." I watched him walk away and bit down hard on my lip. It felt as if a silver blade had been driven straight through my heart. It left me in so much pain that I could barely stand. I didn't even have the strength to cry anymore. Once my application to the werewolf warrior isolated training camp was approved, I would leave this place forever. I didn't want a single one of these hypocritical family members anymore. Chapter 2 After I finally recovered a little, I went back to the storage room where I lived. The moment I opened the door, I froze. The room was packed with things Kaiser and Kelly hadn't gotten around to putting away. What annoyed me the most was that there was so much stuff that there was nowhere left to put anything on the ground. Kaiser and Kelly's hunting weapons had all been dumped on my bed. The blood and grime on them had stained my sheets and filled the room with the overpowering scent of blood. My mind went blank, and I trembled with rage. I headed to the living room. They were all eating happily. Mom happened to meet my gaze. In that instant, I knew for certain that she had seen the state of my room. She had seen my humiliation and despair, yet she simply looked away and continued laughing and talking with everyone else. She didn't feel sorry. She didn't tell Kaiser and Kelly to move their things. It was as if I deserved to sleep in a pile of junk. This wasn't the first time something like this had happened. I used to have my own room. It was between Kaiser's and Kelly's rooms. It wasn't very big, but it had plenty of natural light. Then one day, Kelly grabbed Mom's sleeve and cried that her room was ten square feet smaller than Kaiser's. My parents were driven crazy by the argument. They simply had workers tear down the walls of my room and turn it into Kelly's closet. When Kaiser found out, he kicked the coffee table in the living room to pieces and ran away from home for several days. After that incident, my parents converted the other half of my old room into Kaiser's gaming room. That was how I ended up in the dark, cramped storage room. It was still pouring outside. Someone had left the window in the storage room open, and the rain from outside formed a large puddle across the floor. The water reached my feet, and I was the one who had to clean it up. I suddenly realized my status in the family was just like this puddle. Eventually, I would disappear too. Back then, it was my room that disappeared. Now, it was me, the person nobody considered important. I numbly closed the door to shut out the laughter and chatter from the living room. I didn't sleep that night because I didn't even have a place to lie down. The next morning, my mentor, David Forrest, summoned me to the Werewolf Academy. He told me that my application for the isolated training camp had been approved. Before I could celebrate, his expression turned serious. "Anna, the training at the isolated training camp is extremely demanding, and the program lasts a long time. You'll need a parent to sign the parental consent form. Have you talked it over with your family?" I immediately clenched my fists at my sides. I then nodded seriously. "Okay, Mr. Forrest. I'll talk to them when I get home." As soon as I left David's office, I ran into Kelly crying and making a scene in the academy's hallway. She was clinging to Mom's arm while openly whining and sobbing. "Mom, Kaiser won first place in the mock battle, but I got nothing! That's not fair!" In the past, seeing the two of them being so close would have made my eyes sting with tears, and I couldn't help feeling envious. But now, I only glanced at them coldly and prepared to circle around them. Mom suddenly stopped me. She looked annoyed as she ordered me without hesitation, "Anna, didn't you win an award in the hunting competition a few days ago? Tell your mentor that you're giving the award to Kelly. "You know our family believes in fairness. If Kelly doesn't get that award, she'll definitely refuse to eat." My mind went completely blank. I couldn't believe she'd just said that. The tense sensation in my throat made it difficult for me to even speak. "Mom, I risked my life for that award–" Mom cut me off. "I know it wasn't easy for you, but there will be plenty of other competitions in the future. Is it really worth making such a big deal over this one? Why not give the award to Kelly and let her have what she wants? "Do you really want to watch them start fighting at home?" My eyes went wide. All the resentment and anger I'd kept buried for more than a decade went straight to my head. 'Why? Why did maintaining fairness in this family always have to come at my expense? What about me? What exactly did I mean to this family?' I was about to throw a fit when my fingers brushed against the parental consent form in my pocket. I felt calm almost instantly. I raised the document and spoke coldly. "Fine. I'll give it to her, but you have to sign this." Mom smiled. She snatched the parental consent form from me. She didn't even look at it before signing. She couldn't have cared less what was written on the document. Once she finished signing, she immediately turned around to comfort Kelly. Kelly stopped crying, linked her arm through Mom's, and walked away with her. As she passed me, she deliberately stepped on my foot as if by accident. She turned around and sneered. "Why did you have to put on the act? In the end, you still had to give it to me." She had always taken everything for granted because that was the rule in this family. Everything had to be fair, and everything had to belong to her too. I said nothing. I simply clutched the parental consent form tightly against my chest. I felt like a drowning person holding onto the only thing that could keep me alive. 'Soon. Very soon.' In just a few more days, I would be free. Chapter 3 Kelly couldn't wait to show off my trophy to all her friends. When Kaiser saw it, he threw a fit and demanded a party. To keep things fair, Mom and Dad had no choice but to hold two parties at home at the same time. The date they chose happened to be the day of my wolf awakening. It was the most important day in a werewolf's life. I'd been looking forward to it for an entire year. Months ago, I'd even reminded them to prepare my awakening ritual. But now, all those hopes had been crushed. On the day of the party, the living room was decorated beautifully. It was filled with laughter and excitement. For once, Mom and Dad were nice to me. They softened their tone and tried to coax me into going along with their plans. "Anna, we can always hold your awakening ritual another time. But if we don't throw your brother and Kelly their parties at the same time, they'll start fighting again. For the sake of fairness, be a good girl and don't make a fuss over it." I pursed my lips together and stopped myself from saying the words, 'I'm only going to be here for a few more days anyway.' The party cake was brought out. Kaiser and Kelly stood in front of it while basking in everyone's attention. Amid the cheers, someone suddenly asked, "I recall today is Anna's awakening day, isn't it? How are you going to divide one cake among three of them?" Dad's hand stopped for a moment as he held the knife. Then, out of habit, he cut the cake in half. He turned to face me with an awkward smile. "Cutting it into three pieces wouldn't look good. You'll get yours next time." I lowered my head. My heart ached. I'd heard that excuse countless times before. I should have understood long ago that my parents' love could only ever be divided into two portions. The fairness that belonged to me would never come. Afraid that I would lose control and cause a scene at the party, Mom sent me straight into the kitchen to work. Throughout the entire party, I was nothing more than a lowly servant. I ran around serving drinks and food until my head was spinning. When I finally got a moment to catch my breath, I overheard my aunt talking to Mom. My aunt sighed. "Your twins may be outstanding, but your youngest daughter, Anna, is a good girl too. You and your husband are being so obviously biased. Anna is going to get hurt." Although I had already stopped caring, I still felt nervous. I wanted to hear how Mom would answer. After a long silence, Mom finally spoke. "The twins are my most important children. No matter what, Anna will never have the same place in my heart as they do. "And Anna is gloomy all the time. Just looking at her annoys me. How could I possibly like her?" My hand trembled, and I lost my grip on the glass. Boiling water splashed directly onto the back of my hand, leaving a large red burn. But even that searing pain was nothing compared to the pain of finally giving up on my family. I felt a trembling hand gently touching my head. I looked up and saw Grandma smiling kindly at me. She placed a moonstone necklace that glowed with a faint blue light around my neck. "Anna, I've worn this necklace for decades. It can absorb energy and soothe your wolf spirit. I want to give it to you as your awakening gift. Will you accept it?" Grandma was getting old. She didn't understand what kind of gifts young werewolves liked anymore. Yet she had given me the most precious thing she had. I'd spent the entire night holding back my tears. Finally, I felt like I could release them. I wanted to thank Grandma, but the moment I opened my mouth, a choked sob escaped me. The guests in the living room all turned to look at me. Mom and Dad immediately shot me warning looks. At a moment like this, I couldn't even cry. I hugged Grandma gratefully. I then took off the necklace and put it in my bag before running into the bathroom. Inside, I splashed cold water over my face repeatedly to force myself to calm down. Once I finally felt normal again, I returned to the living room. I looked inside my bag. My face instantly went pale. The moonstone necklace Grandma had given me was gone. I frantically searched everywhere. I was so desperate that I was on the verge of crying. In the end, I saw that same faint blue glow around Kelly's neck. Chapter 4 I stopped caring about anything else and ran over to Kelly. I pointed at her and yelled, "Give it back!" A flicker of guilt crossed Kelly's eyes, but she immediately hid behind Mom. Dad frowned and scolded me. "What the hell are you doing?" I ignored him and stared at Kelly. My eyes welled up with tears. "I said give it back!" My stubborn attitude enraged Kelly. She covered the necklace around her neck. "Why did Grandma give you a necklace and not me? That's not fair!" I laughed bitterly. I was too angry to care about holding back. "Fair? Ever since I was little, everything in this family has gone to you and Kaiser. I got nothing! "Now I finally got one old necklace, and you're still calling it unfair?" Kelly couldn't come up with an answer. She could only cry in anger. Kaiser hurried over, ripped the necklace from Kelly's neck, and hurled it to the floor. "No! Don't!" I screamed in despair. The moonstone necklace shattered into pieces. Kaiser glared at me viciously. "Happy now? The necklace is broken, so none of us has it anymore." Before I could even raise my voice, Mom slapped me across the face. The slap sent me stumbling. My head was ringing as I covered my cheek and stared at her in disbelief. Mom's expression was dark. Her eyes were filled with nothing but disgust and coldness. Perhaps she had decided I was beyond reasoning with. She turned to face Grandma and began blaming her instead. "Mom! I told you a long time ago that you shouldn't interfere with how I raise my children! "You just had to give her a necklace. Now you've caused nothing but trouble for our family." Standing among the guests, Grandma looked awfully pale. She clenched her fists tightly like a child who had done something wrong. Seeing her like that made my heart ache. The last bit of attachment I had to this family finally disappeared. I took a deep breath and spoke softly. "Don't blame Grandma. This is my fault. I won't fight anymore. "I'll never fight with you over anything again." I forced a smile, but tears kept streaming down my face. They dripped onto the back of my burned hand, making my skin sting. I crouched down and carefully picked up every shattered piece of the necklace before putting them in my pocket. While I was gathering the fragments, Dad was talking to Mom about the party. He said there weren't enough seats at the dining table and asked her if they should add another. Mom pointed at me and raised her voice. "No! We don't need another chair. If we're short of one, she can leave to make space! "She ruined the whole party. How dare she still stay here?" Every werewolf around me stared at me. Their gazes felt like knives stabbing into my skin. I'd already stopped crying then. I returned to the storage room and stuffed the few clothes I owned into my suitcase as quickly as I could. I then called David and confirmed that I would be entering the camp that very night. There was concern in his voice when he answered. "Anna, what happened? Do you need me to go to your place and check on you?" By then, I'd already slipped away unnoticed and made it to the front door with my luggage. When I heard his question, I answered bitterly, "No. I don't have a home anymore." A cold wind swept past me. I pushed open the door and left without looking back.