Swapping Parents Every September, But They Only Choose My Sister Chapter 01

Swapping Parents Every September, But They Only Choose My Sister Chapter 01

After my parents severed their mate bond, they agreed that my sister and I would each live with one of them for a year, then switch. 

Every September, we traded homes. One daughter spent the school year with Mom, the other with Dad. 

But every handoff turned into a fight over my sister, Arden. 

Arden, why don’t you spend fall break with Mom on Moonshore Island?” 

Dad frowned. “She’s with me this year. Stay out of it.” 

Mom’s smile vanished. “Last year, I had to leave her with you for seventeen days while I was away on business. I want that time back.” 

It wasn’t seventeen days. It was sixteen days and eight hours.” 

Arden sighed softly, “If only I could split myself in two.” 

They argued for a long time before each finally made a small concession. 

They would both take Arden to Moonshore Island for fall break. 

The island lay east of Silvercreek Pack. During a full moon, the cliffs offered a view of the entire ocean bathed in moonlight. 

Arden asked curiously, “What about Aveline?” 

Dad looked away. “She’s not to live with me this year anyway.” 

Mom had barely looked at me since she arrived. At last, she, turned in my direction. 

Work is too busy this year. I don’t want the responsibility of looking after you. You can stay at your grandparents‘ cabin in the woods.” 

Under the table, my nails dug into my palms until they drew blood. 

Deep inside my mind, my wolf flicked her tail in agitation and let out a low whine. 

Mom had just spent twenty minutes arguing with Dad over seventeen days with Arden. 

Then she found a reason to send me away in a single sentence. 

My phone vibrated. 

It was a message from my mentor, Ms. Rowan Hale. 

[Both combat programs rated you highly. Snowridge Lycan 

Academy has formally offered you admission, and it’s very 

close to Silvercreek Pack. I think you should seriously consider it.] 

[Royal Frostvale Warrior Academy also gave you an SSS rating.] 

I replied, [I’ve decided on Royal Frostvale Academy] 

It was thousands of miles from Silvercreek Pack, far enough to leave behind eighteen years of being unwanted. 

Across the table, Arden noticed me looking at my phone and tilted her head. 

“Aveline doesn’t seem very happy about staying with Grandma and Grandpa.” 

She was right. 

I wasn’t. 

Whenever I stayed there before, I had to wake before sunrise every day and make breakfast for the whole family. 

After evening combat training, I still had to wash the mud and grass from my two cousins‘ training clothes. 

I’d done it before. 

wouldn’t do it again. 

Mom frowned. 

“Aveline, can’t you try thinking about me for once? 

This is a crucial year for me in the Pack Council administration. I handle territory matters every day. If I take you with me but can’t cater to your every wish, you’ll sulk for days.” 

Dad nodded. 

“She’s right. Your temper has gotten worse. Last year, I missed 

one parent conference, and you were furious with me for an entire week.” 

Mom shook her head in disappointment. 

Arden had just started high school. Of course your father wanted to see how she was settling in, so he attended her conference. Why can’t you be more understanding?” 

I loosened my grip on my phone case and looked at them. 

Is starting high school really that important? 

Then why didn’t either of you attend my conference when I started high school?” 

Mom’s eyes shifted. 

Then her expression hardened again. 

Arden was about to finish middle school that year. 

Obviously, we had to put her first.” 

Dad nodded at once. 

There you go again. The moment anyone criticizes you, you start dragging up the past. Her needs mattered more than yours that year, didn’t they?“, 

I lost what little appetite I had left. 

My fork hit the plate with a sharp clink. 

“Actually, Arden’s parent conference wasn’t even on the same day as mine. 

“You don’t have to work so hard making up excuses. You 

didn’t remember mine because you didn’t care. That’s all.” 

Mom had no answer. 

Dad immediately tried to distance himself from it. 

You weren’t my responsibility that year. Don’t blame me.” 

Arden tapped her fork against her plate. 

Enough, Aveline. 

The only times all of us eat together are the Winter Feast 

and the custody handoff every September. Why ruin dinner? 

Maybe Mom was too busy with work and forgot. 

It was only one parent conference. You take everything too seriously.” 

One? 

It had been ten years. 

Ten conferences. 

Even before my parents severed their mate bond, they had begun missing one school and pack event after another, leaving me to attend alone. 

Last year, Mira, the student who handled scholarship 

applications, pulled me aside after training. 

“Aveline, I hope this isn’t rude, but I wanted to ask you something… 

“Is your family having financial difficulties? Do you need help applying for a pack scholarship?” 

I stared at her in confusion. 

Embarrassed, she lowered her voice. 

Someone who went to middle school with you said… you might not have much family around. I thought I should check.” 

Then I understood. She thought I was an orphan. 

Heat rushed to my cheeks. 

I wasn’t angry with her. 

What rose inside me was more humiliating than anger. 

For years, none of my classmates had ever seen my parents at 

a conference, enrollment day, or any other school event. 

Of course they would make that assumption. 

Mira was kind. I knew she hadn’t meant to hurt me. 

So I made myself smile. 

I’m not an orphan, and I don’t need financial aid. But thank you for asking.” 

That was why I had begged Dad last year to attend my parent conference, just once. 

He promised. 

That day, he really did come to school. 

From the classroom window, I watched him cross the parking lot. 

For one foolish moment, I was happy. 

Then I saw him head toward the first–year training grounds. 

Toward Arden. 

That day, I ranked first in the entire class on my overall assessment. 

The instructor wrote in my file, [Potential above S rank. Recommend further evaluation through the advanced warrior program.] 

But Dad didn’t say a word about my result. When I got home, Dad was telling Mom how Arden had earned a C rating in her first training session. 

For ten years, I had swallowed my disappointment because I wanted my broken family to remain peaceful. 

And what did that make me in their eyes? Difficult, petty, and ungrateful. 

had been a fool. I should have stopped putting up with it years ago. 

A tear fell onto my phone screen, right over the words “Royal Frostvale Warrior Academy. 

I smiled. 

It was all right. 

It still wasn’t too late.