They Rejected an SSS Bloodline, Big Mistake Chapter 01
Three days after the adult trial results were released, I was scrolling through Wolfstagram and saw a post-
[Both twin sisters are applying to Southeastern Training Grounds (STG). How should we split the living allowance to be fair?]
All the comments below said the same thing.
[They’re both your daughters, splitting it equally is the fairest way!]
I was about to scroll past when I saw the latest top comment had my brother Dorian Ashford’s profile picture.
[You can’t judge what you don’t know the full story of.]
[But as the brother here, let me be real. We raise the two girls differently.]
[The older one S is plain, doesn’t know how to dress up, and is always quiet as a stump. She wouldn’t even
know what to spend money on if you gave it to her. The younger one D is cute, clever, and gorgeous—one set of her fur care oil alone costs over 300 credits!]
[If you ask me, give S 800 and D 8,000. That’s real distribution according to need.]
Right under that comment, my fated mate Gideon Vance had liked it and replied- [Spot on.]
[We’re all going to Southeastern Territory anyway, I can just keep an eye on that little dummy S.]
I burst out laughing through my tears sitting right there in front of the screen.
When we were kids playing hide and seek, they held
hands and hid together in the pack house’s secret room, leaving me alone counting with my eyes covered in the dark attic.
I was naive enough to think if I just tried hard enough to find them, I’d get to belong.
But when I opened my eyes, I found out they’d already snuck off to the market to buy honey–glazed berries without me.
Turned out it was still the same even after we grew up.
They were walking side by side into the new world, and I was just the cheap servant they brought along for the ride.
At the very last minute before the application deadline, I deleted every single application I’d filled out for Southeastern Territory, and switched it to the Royal Training Corps (RTC) in Central Territory.
That was the best training camp in the entire werewolf world–only the one–in–a–million warriors could get in.
With my trial rating, I’d qualified for RTC all along. I’d only picked STG to be closer to them.
Now, this little game of playing sidekick to the
princess was over. I was out.
“Sera, come out and get some fruit.”
A knock on the door pulled me out of my head.
My mom Eleanor stood in the doorway holding a plate of sliced moonmelon, smiling at me.
“It’s okay if you didn’t score great on the trial, don’t lock yourself up in your room all day.”
I quickly shut off my comms screen and walked out.
Eleanor handed the sweetest center cut of the melon to my sister Delilah, then turned to me with that soft fake smile.
“Honey, even if your rating’s bad and you only get into an omega training camp, your dad and I won’t throw you away. The Ashfords candefinitely afford to feed you.”
My comms bracelet was still lit up with a message from the Elders‘ Tribunal.
[Seraphina Ashford, Trial Rating: SSS, Rank Silvermoon Pack, Rank 3 Southeastern Territory.]
I tapped the screen to turn it off. “Yeah, got it.”
My dad Alistair was sitting there with a huge, thick
pack distribution directory, going over options with Dorian and Delilah.
“Lila overperformed this cycle, got an A- rating. She’s
definitely getting into the warrior camp. You want eastern or western territory?”
Dorian’s voice was dripping with pride.
“Southeastern Territory, duh! Gideon’s going there
too, so I’ll have someone to look out for me, and it’s closer to home.”
Delilah curled up in Mom’s lap all sweet and whiny.
From start to finish, not one single person asked me, “What’s your rating?”
Alistair closed the directory and clapped his hands, grinning. “Alright, we can figure out the details later.
“To reward our girl Lila, I’m taking both of you girls to the territory market today to pick out your
coming–of–age gift. Anything you want, Dad’s paying!
Go get ready quick!”
My heart skipped a tiny, almost unnoticeable beat.
Ever since Delilah got really sick when she was twelve, I hadn’t gotten the “go to the market and pick out a
gift” privilege in years. “Okay.”
I stood up and walked quickly back to my room.
I pulled on a clean linen shirt, and even carefully dabbed on a light tinted lip balm.
Staring at myself in the mirror, I took a deep breath.
Maybe… they did care about me a little, after all.
I pushed open the bedroom door.
The living room was completely empty.
By the front door, all of my parents‘ and brother’s shoes were gone.