My little sister kept begging me to do the “Just Deal With It” video challenge with her.
“Pretty please, sis? Say whatever you want. I promise I won’t get mad!”
I couldn’t bear to actually hurt her, so I pointed at her… unique outfit.
“Your taste in clothes is terrible. Just deal with it.”
But her face changed in an instant.
She looked me up and down. “You’re uglier than me. Just deal with it.”
I froze.
Without thinking, I pressed my lips together and hid my crooked teeth.
Because of that mouthful of teeth, I’d always been the plain backdrop to my sister’s beauty.
Even my fated mate had rejected me because of them, and turned around to become my sister’s most devoted protector.
I felt a sting of hurt.
I had strengths, too. I’d gotten into Stanford University on my own, and I was doing well there.
Slowly, I said, “Your grades are only good enough for community college. Just deal with it.”
The air in the living room froze.
I watched Tessa’s eyes go red.
I felt bad and was about to call off the stupid game when Tessa spoke through gritted teeth.
“Mom and Dad used your teeth-straightening money to pay for my Luna etiquette training. Just deal with it.”
My wolf went completely still, and my ears started ringing.
That money… I’d saved it up myself, working one job after another.
At 7:50 that night, the key turned in the lock, and Mom and Dad came in loaded down with bags.
The bags held an elaborate strawberry-and-cream cake and a brand-new designer dress.
I didn’t need to wonder. It was all for Tessa.
But what I didn’t expect was Tessa throwing herself into Mom’s arms the second they walked in.
“Mom, you need to do something about her! I just wanted to make a fun video with her, and she made fun of my outfit, jabbed at my grades, and said I’d only make it to community college. She’s bullying me on purpose!”
Mom gently smoothed the stray hairs from Tessa’s forehead.
Then she turned to me, and all the tenderness left her eyes, leaving only impatience and blame.
“Elise, you’re the older sister. How can you be so petty?”
“It was just a joke video. Why did you have to pick on your sister’s weaknesses? Can’t you just let her have this one?”
Dad set the shopping bags down hard on the coffee table, let his gaze slide over me, and spoke as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
“Tessa just didn’t do well on her SAT, that’s all.”
“She’s got the looks and the charm — even the royal family has taken notice of her designs. Alphas from half a dozen packs want to court her…”
“One day she’ll become a Luna, and her future is far brighter than yours. As her older sister, you shouldn’t be dragging her down.”
As I listened to them scold me without bothering to hear my side, my wolf whimpered and curled into a small, wounded ball.
Neither my human form nor my wolf was beautiful. That was why I’d worked so hard to save money. I wanted to change that.
My wolf couldn’t bear the thought of being rejected by another fated mate.
I opened my bank records on my phone and looked up at the “happy little family” in front of me.
“Tessa just said you took the money I saved and used it for her Luna etiquette training. Is that true?”
Mom and Dad exchanged a quick glance, and both looked away, unable to meet my eyes.
Mom was the first to try to smooth it over, her voice dismissive and careless.
“When your sister becomes a Luna, she can introduce you to better werewolves. You’ve already been rejected once — people in the pack already look down on you. Who do you think would still choose you?”
Tessa poked her head out from behind Mom and looked at me.
Slowly, she said, “Sis, braces won’t change much for you. On me, they’re money well spent. Just deal with it.”
That sentence shattered the last shred of hope I’d been clinging to.