Chapter 45
ELODIE’S POV~
I quickly flipped through their chat history, my fingers trembling just enough to make the screen blur. Every morning, Liora messaged Sienna first. “Good morning, Auntie”, the messages stretched endlessly down the screen, filled with little hearts, pictures, voice notes, laughter. They’d talked every day… for months. About everything. About her school, her favorite songs, even secrets she never told me.
My throat tightened.
The sound of the elevator dinged softly behind me. I quickly set her phone back on the table, pretending I hadn’t seen anything, pretending that my heart wasn’t burning in my chest.
By the time Liora came down, her steps were light again. She picked up her phone without a thought, and when she unlocked it, her face lit up instantly. I didn’t have to ask why.
Sienna had replied.
Something about that made my chest feel hollow, the way her eyes softened, the way her smile bloomed as if the whole world had just forgiven her. I turned away before she could see the look on my face.
I knew what happiness looked like on my daughter, but I hated that it wasn’t me giving it to her anymore.
We got into the car in silence. I drove, keeping my eyes fixed on the road, while she sat in the backseat with her head bowed, typing away. I could hear the faint sound of her laughter, so small, private, like she didn’t want me to hear but couldn’t help it. It was the kind of laughter she used to save for me.
The city faded past the window, but I wasn’t really seeing it. My chest hurt in that dull, slow way that sneaks up on you, like a grief you can’t name.
Half an hour passed before the car finally went quiet. She must’ve finished texting. I could feel her eyes on me from the backseat.
“Mom,” she started softly. “Are you free this afternoon p>
I kept my voice even, careful. “What’s up p>
She hesitated, twirling a strand of her hair. “What do you think p>
A small, tired smile tugged at my lips. “I’ve got a lot to handle at the office, Liora. There’s a pack summit tonight with the two Alphas. Why p>
She shrugged, forcing a bright smile. “Nothing… nothing at all p>
That was when I realized, she’d been asking just to be sure I wouldn’t come pick her up. She wanted to go see Sienna after school.
My own daughter was lying to me, and I let her. Because what else could I do? Drag her away from the only person who seemed to make her laugh these days?
We reached the academy gates. I parked and walked her inside, pretending nothing was wrong. Pretending I wasn’t breaking.
The hallways buzzed with morning chatter, students running past with their backpacks, the scent of young wolves thick in the air.
We were almost at her classroom when a small voice called out, “Sister El p>
We both turned at once.
A little girl, no more than six, ran toward us with tiny braids bouncing on her shoulders. Before I could react, she threw herself into my arms, giggling. I caught her instinctively, bending low so she wouldn’t fall.
“Hey there,” I said softly, recognizing her at once. “Tommy p>
She nodded eagerly. “You saved me! Remember? From that mean Rogue some months back p>
Her cheeks were rosy, her smile pure and guileless. I couldn’t help it, I smiled back. “Of course I remember, sweetheart. You’re okay now, yeah p>
“Mm-hmm p>
And then—
“Mom!” Liora’s voice sliced through. Before I could turn, she stepped forward and shoved Tommy away.
“Liora!” I gasped.
The little girl stumbled back, her eyes wide with confusion. My heart stopped.
Tommy’s lip quivered as she looked up at me, then back at Liora, unsure what she’d done wrong.
I dropped to my knees beside her, steadying her little shoulders. “Sweetheart, it’s okay, she didn’t mean to. Are you okay p>
Tommy’s little face crumpled when Liora shoved her. She stumbled back, wide-eyed, confusion written all over her soft features. “Why did you push me?” she whispered, her voice breaking.
I froze for a heartbeat, too stunned to process what had just happened. I hadn’t even realized the girl had run into my arms until it was too late, until I felt Liora’s jealousy slice through the air like a physical thing.
Liora’s expression darkened as her eyes flicked between me and Tommy, who was still clinging to the hem of my blazer. I saw something ugly twist behind my daughter’s eyes, pain, insecurity, something deeper than childish spite.
Tommy’s bottom lip trembled. She looked so small, so fragile in that moment that my heart ached for her.
“So delicate,” Liora muttered under her breath, her voice shaking, “so pink and soft… ugly and disgusting p>
The words hit like a slap.
Tommy’s tears fell before I could even react. She backed into me and hid her face against my stomach, sobbing uncontrollably. I instinctively crouched down, wrapping an arm around her tiny shoulders, trying to calm her.
“Hey, hey,” I whispered, my throat tight, “no, sweetheart, you’re not disgusting at all. You’re beautiful. You’re brave, okay? Don’t listen to that p>
Tommy hiccupped through her tears, her small hands clutching my sleeve. She nodded weakly, but her sobs didn’t stop.
And that’s when I looked up and saw Liora watching me.
Her eyes glistened, fury and heartbreak mixing in a way that nearly shattered me. For a second, she didn’t even look like my little girl anymore. Her face was red, her jaw clenched, and there was a quiet kind of devastation in her gaze, one that no child her age should ever have to feel.
“You’re holding her,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper, trembling, “you’re calling her cute… you p>
“Liora,” I started softly, “sweetheart p>
But she cut me off, her voice cracking like glass.
“I don’t like you anymore!” Her tears spilled fast now, her small fists trembling by her sides. “I don’t want you to be my mom p>
The hallway went dead silent.
Even the hum of distant chatter from the other students vanished. All I could hear was my own heavy and deafening heartbeat and the sound of her ragged breathing.
My lips parted, but no words came out. For a moment, I couldn’t even move.
“Liora,” I finally said, my voice breaking in the middle of her name. “You don’t mean that p>
She turned to run, but I caught her wrist, gently, terrified I might break her if I wasn’t soft enough.
Her small hand trembled in mine.
“Let me go!” she shouted, twisting, her voice full of panic and hurt. “You love her more than me! You do! You always do p>
The sting of her words burned deeper than anything I’d felt in years.