CHAPTER 3 Suffocating Family

Avery's POV

Pain rippled through me as I stirred awake, my body feeling as though it had been through a shredder. My limbs felt like lead, and an inexplicable heaviness settled in my chest. When my eyes fluttered open, the familiar surroundings of my bedroom greeted me.

I was back home.

The realization was both a relief and a blow. Home wasn't where comfort waited; it was where judgment lived, cloaked in familial ties. My throat tightened as I tried to sit up, the faint scent of antiseptic lingering in the air. Charles must have brought me here before heading back to the hospital.

He always tried to help, even when I didn't deserve it.

The sound of heavy footsteps snapped me out of my thoughts. I looked up to see my father standing in the doorway. His sharp gaze locked onto mine, and the familiar sting of his disapproval seeped into the room.

"Avery," he said, his tone cold and clipped.

I swallowed hard, trying to steel myself. "Father."

"Do you have any idea what you've done?" His voice was low but carried the weight of an explosion waiting to happen.

I blinked, my mind still sluggish from everything that had happened. "I… I don't understand—"

What was this about?

"Don't play dumb!" His words lashed out like a whip, and I flinched. "You've disgraced this family. Do you know how quickly news travels in the Pack? Do you think anyone will care for your excuses when the damage has already been done?"

So this was about James?

I sat up slowly, every muscle in my body protesting. "Father, it's not what it seems. I wasn't feeling well, and Charles was just helping me—"

He cut me off with a scoff, his expression twisted in anger. "Helping you? That's what you call it? James finds you in another man's bed, and you expect me to believe you're innocent? Do you have any idea how this makes us look?"

His words hit like daggers, each one sharper than the last. I opened my mouth to defend myself, but the lump in my throat made it impossible to speak.

"You've ruined everything," he continued, his voice rising. "Do you know how much I've sacrificed to ensure this Pack's survival? And you, you can't even do your part. Losing your wolf, embarrassing yourself with Charles—do you think this is what the daughter of an Alpha should be?"

"I didn't embarrass myself!" I finally managed to say, my voice cracking. "I was sick. I didn't—"

"Enough!" he bellowed, his voice reverberating through the room.

Tears stung my eyes, but I blinked them away. Crying wouldn't help. It never did.

A soft laugh drew my attention to the doorway. Amelia stood there, arms crossed and a smirk playing on her lips. She looked pristine, every strand of her golden hair perfectly in place, her posture exuding confidence.

"Well, isn't this a lovely family reunion?" she said, her voice dripping with mockery.

"Amelia," my father said, his tone softening as he acknowledged her presence. It was the tone of a man who had a favorite child and wasn't shy about showing it.

I clenched my fists, the ache in my chest intensifying.

"Father's right, you know," Amelia said, sauntering into the room. "You've really outdone yourself this time, Ave. First, you lose your connection to your wolf; an embarrassment in itself, and now this? James is practically the only good thing you had going for you, and you've managed to ruin that too."

Her words cut deeper than they should have, but they were nothing new. Amelia had always been the golden child—the one who could do no wrong in our father's eyes. I was just the shadow she stepped on to shine brighter.

"I didn't ruin anything," I said through gritted teeth.

Amelia's smirk widened. "Of course not. You're just misunderstood, aren't you? Poor Avery, always the victim."

"Enough, Amelia," I snapped, my voice trembling with anger.

She raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise. "Touchy, aren't we? Don't worry, little sister. I'll clean up the mess you've made—again."

"Amelia," my father said, his tone almost affectionate. "You don't need to involve yourself in this. You have Julian and the Midnight Pack to focus on. That's where our future lies."

The mention of Julian made my stomach churn. Of course, Amelia would bring up her engagement to the son of an Alpha from one of the three major Packs. It was her golden ticket, her way of ensuring she stayed at the top of the pedestal.

"Father, please," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't do anything wrong."

He scoffed again, shaking his head. "Do you think anyone cares about the truth? Perception is reality, Avery. And the reality is that you've shamed this family. You've made us look weak."

The weight of his words pressed down on me, suffocating me. I had lost so much already—Nova, James, my sense of self—and now my family was turning their backs on me too.

"Maybe if you'd spent less time at Charles's and more time learning how to be a proper mate, we wouldn't be in this situation," Amelia said, her voice like nails on a chalkboard.

"Amelia," I snapped, unable to hold back any longer. "I don't need your lectures right now."

She laughed, a cold, hollow sound. "Oh, Aves. You've always been so sensitive. Maybe that's why you're such a disappointment."

"Enough!" I yelled, my voice breaking.

The room fell silent, the weight of my outburst hanging in the air. My father stared at me, his expression unreadable, while Amelia looked mildly amused.

"Get out," I said, my voice shaking. "Both of you."

My father opened his mouth to protest, but I cut him off. "I said, get out!"

For a moment, I thought he might actually listen. But then he shook his head, muttering something under his breath, and turned to leave. Amelia followed, throwing me one last smug look before disappearing down the hallway.

As soon as they were gone, I collapsed onto the bed, my body trembling. The tears I'd been holding back finally spilled over, hot and relentless.

I couldn't stay here. I couldn't endure this suffocating house, this crushing disappointment. I needed air, space—anything but this.

Without thinking, I grabbed my jacket and slipped out of the house. The cool night air hit my face as I stepped into the forest, the moonlight casting eerie shadows on the ground. I walked deeper and deeper, the trees closing in around me, until I couldn't hear the voices in my head anymore.

That's when I saw it.

Lying in a patch of moonlight was a white wolf, its fur matted with blood. Its breathing was shallow, its body limp. My heart clenched at the sight, and without hesitation, I knelt beside it.

"You're going to be okay," I whispered, my voice shaking. "I'll help you."

The wolf's eyes flickered open, its gaze meeting mine for a brief moment before they closed again.

And for the first time in what felt like forever, I felt a glimmer of purpose.