They Chose Her Over Me, So I Chased My Own Future Chapter 02
I’d barely tucked the signed enrollment form back under my mattress when someone knocked at my door.
I opened it to find Ronan and Damien standing outside. One held a small cake, the other a paper birthday crown.
“Happy birthday.”
I froze.
Sienna and I shared the exact same birthday. Ever since
Sienna joined the Silvermoon Pack, every birthday
celebration had belonged solely to her. Banners and cake
frosting always read only “Happy Birthday Sienna“-my
name never appeared anywhere.
I’d even forgotten that today was my own birthday. I
couldn’t remember the last time anyone had acknowledged it.
I stared at them blankly. Did they actually remember?
Could there be a tiny part of them that still cared about me?
Damien tapped the top of my head lightly, a faint smile on
his face. “What are you spacing out for? Blow out the candles.”
Ronan added, “And make a wish too.”
I fought back the stinging burn behind my eyes, closed my eyes, made
my silent wish, and blew out all the candles in one breath.
Ronan leaned in, curious. “What’d you wish for?”
I hesitated for a beat. I’d wished to run far away to free,
wide lands, free to live only for myself.
Before I could voice it, Damien cut me off with a shake of
his head. “Doesn’t matter anyway.”
I blinked in shock, then listened as Damien cleared his
throat and spoke again. “You know Sienna’s frail, with
severe asthma that flares up at the slightest upset, so…”
My heart sank. I already knew what was coming.
“Once we start school, if anyone asks, tell them Sienna’s
the Silvermoon Pack’s only princess, Mom’s real daughter.”
“On top of that, our mother’s filed paperwork to officially
grant Sienna the Silvermoon family name. You’re going to
take Malcolm’s surname instead.”
“In short, you two are swapping places.”
He said it all so casually, like it was nothing, yet his words
sent a storm raging inside my chest.
It took all my strength to force my voice out, my throat
raw and aching. “Mom said this herself?”
Ronan nodded. “She did. Malcolm only joined the pack
later, and Sienna’s sensitive about her family background-
it hurts her pride.”
I squeezed my hands so tight my palms stung.
She was disowning me. She was even stripping me of the
Silvermoon name to hand it to Sienna…
“Just because she’s fragile and sensitive, I’m supposed to sacrifice everything for her? I haven’t done anything wrong.”
Both men stared at me, stunned by my pushback. For years, I’d bowed my head and obeyed without complaint, never daring to argue.
Ronan slammed the cake down hard on my nightstand, his
expression tight and conflicted. “This isn’t up for debate.
Rhea, be reasonable.”
He exchanged a quick look with Damien, and the two
headed back downstairs.
I stood motionless, staring blankly at the lopsided,
half–spilled cake, until a hollow, bitter laugh slipped out.
I’d foolishly thought they’d actually cared about me for
once. It had just been a tiny sweet treat before delivering
another blow.
They’d barely left when Sienna showed up at my door,
triumph radiating off her. “It’s finally happening, Rhea.
Everything that was yours is mine now.”
Tears blurred my vision as I lifted my head to meet hers.
“Why do you hate me this much?”
She wore an innocent, mocking grin. “Because Mom and
Ronan should only love me. The Silvermoon Pack can only
have one princess–and that’s me. Your unhappiness
makes me happy.”
As she spoke, she lifted the cake, admired it mockingly,
then flipped it straight down onto my head, giggling.
“Happy birthday. Enjoy your last night pretending to be
the Silvermoon princess.” She slammed the door shut
behind her.
Thick, sticky frosting coated my hair and face. Tears
streamed down my cheeks, mixing with the cream, leaving
me a ridiculous, miserable mess on the one day that was
supposed to be mine.
The next morning, Mom pushed open my bedroom door
without knocking.
Her first words were sharp criticism. “You’re a grown girl
-can’t you air this room out?”
She fell silent mid–sentence, caught off guard. Sadness
washed over me too. This bedroom didn’t have a single
window to open.
Mom cleared her throat awkwardly, switching subjects
fast. “Wash up and come downstairs. We’re heading to the
pack hall to finalize your name change.”
I’d stayed up all night, my eyelids heavy and my skull throbbing. “Mom…”
She paused mid–step toward the door and glanced back.
“What is it?”
I wanted to tell her I’d be leaving for the Southern
Territories soon, that I’d never come back once I changed
my last name.
I wanted to beg her not to make me do this. But all I saw in
her gaze was impatience and urgency, and the words died
in my throat.
There was no point. Any protest would only earn me another condescending lecture. I might as well comply.
“Nothing.”
We traveled to the pack hall together. The elder
overseeing pack identity records raised an eyebrow in
surprise. “Changing your family name is a major decision- are you certain?”
Mom and Ronan answered in unison. “We’re positive.”
In just thirty minutes, I went from Rhea Silvermoon to
Rhea Nightvale.
Sienna lit up with joy, throwing her arms around Mom and Ronan, crying happy tears. “Now Sienna’s truly part of this family! I finally have my real family!”
They showered her with comfort and affection, then
walked out of the hall without a single glance back at me.
I stood alone on the front steps, clutching my new identity
card, and forced a hollow smile.
This was for the best. Starting today, I had no ties left to
the Silvermoon Pack at all.