Moon Wish-Doll Chapter 07
As the truth unraveled, the shock in Derek’s eyes hardened to hatred.Â
He lunged straight for the two women, throwing wild punches and kicks without restraint.Â
“You two manipulative liars! This is all your fault, every last bit of it! I’ve got no mother now. No sister either.”Â
He beat them until every ounce of energy drained from his body, then crumpled to the floor, wracking with ugly sobs.Â
“Claire. Mom. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. How could I have been so wrong about you?”Â
But no matter how much he said, I couldn’t hear him.Â
“You stole Claire’s health to heal yourself, didn’t you? Then that life you’ve got–it’s Claire’s. EveryÂ
torment she endured will be visited right back onto you!”Â
Dad wore a thin smile, yet there was icy, unforgiving malice in every inch of it.Â
“Dad,” Derek said, “Lucas picked up on somethingÂ
strange about Claire’s doll form earlier that day. HisÂ
mother’s side has forest witch blood. Maybe he can help.”Â
Lucas arrived the next morning.Â
Dad and Derek had to go home and wait.Â
They looked at the hundred bowls of oatmeal again, and the guilt was unbearable.Â
Derek grabbed the earliest bowl–the one I’d given to Nora–and drank a huge gulp.Â
It had gone stone cold, yet it held no trace of excessÂ
salt–every flavor had been gently and carefully balanced.Â
But Nora had claimed I’d made it heavy–handed.Â
Derek drank and cried. “I’m the fool here. I wasÂ
completely blind, blinded by her fake softness. How could I have treated my Claire like that?”Â
He remembered when Mom gave birth to Claire. He’d bounced wildly up and down on his bed with pure joy.Â
He used to carry Claire on his back and show her off to his pack friends. He’d even learned to change her diapers like Mom showed him.Â
“I’m so sorry, Claire.”Â
The next morning, the cook laid out breakfast as usual.Â
Three plates.Â
He smiled at Derek. “Young Alpha Derek, breakfast isÂ
ready. Should I call Miss Nora down?”Â
Derek didn’t move. “Why only three? Where’s Claire’s?”Â
The cook didn’t catch the shift. “Claire? She doesn’t deserve…”Â
He bit his tongue mid–sentence, panicking and rushing to twist his words around.Â
“Miss Claire’s breakfast is in the kitchen. She’s stillÂ
asleep, I think. I’ll bring it out when she wakes.”Â
Derek walked to the kitchen. He opened every cabinet, every steamer.Â
All he found inside was a single bowl of tastelessÂ
plain water, no grain, no food at all.Â
He pointed at it. “This is Claire’s breakfast?”Â
The cook’s smile froze. He fumbled for an excuse. “This has just been our routine all along. Claire’s slow–witted and can’t even keep track of meal times anyway. Miss Nora gets upset seeing her eat, so weÂ
just stopped fixing her anything in the mornings.”Â
A cold laugh ripped out of Derek’s throat.Â
“So this is how my own sister’s been treated underÂ
this roof. Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful! Pack guards–take him away.”Â
Before the cook could react, they grabbed him.Â
He didn’t beg for mercy. He invoked Nora instead. “Young Alpha Derek, you can’t do this to me. I’mÂ
Miss Nora’s cousin. She’ll be furious-”Â
Derek didn’t let him finish.Â
He was dragged out.Â
The second Lucas stepped through the door, he couldÂ
taste the thick, suffocating despair hanging in the air.Â
“What’s going on?”Â
Derek grabbed Lucas like a lifeline. “Lucas, Claire’s become a Moonbound Doll. You have to help her.”Â
Dad’s voice cracked. “Lucas, if you can turn Claire back to normal, name whatever you desire. We’llÂ
hand every single thing over to you without hesitation!”Â
