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FULL MOVIES ENGLISH SUB (2026) - FULL | Reelshort
#drama #cdrama #romantic #love #movie #shortdrama
FULL MOVIES ENGLISH SUB (2026) - FULL | Reelshort
#drama #cdrama #romantic #love #movie #shortdrama
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Short filmTranscript
00:00Jill Pack. We D. Trained together since we were pups. Everyone said we were the perfect match.
00:07Future Alpha and Luna. Balanced. Predictable. Safe. I smoothed down the front of my cloak for
00:14the hundredth time and glanced toward the entrance again. Still no one. Not a single soul had shown
00:19up. Not my parents. Not my brother Andrew. Not even a Hearn. Just me standing alone in the silence.
00:25I pulled out my phone and checked it for the fifth time. No new messages. My thumb hovered over a
00:31Hearn's name before I called again. It rang twice then went to voicemail. I stared at the screen,
00:37unsure whether to laugh or throw it against the stone wall. Then the package announcement
00:42flashed across it. Welcome home Bernice Thorns. A video autoplayed. There they were my family.
00:49All of them. Gathered at the arrival gates of the Northern Ridge, where the Skycrafts.
00:54Landed. My father beamed. My mother teared up. And Andrew lifted Bernice into an aspiring hug.
01:01Even a Hearn was there. Standing just behind her. Bernice's golden hair glinted under the lantern
01:06lights. Today was supposed to be a Hearn. Her arm curled tightly around a Hearn's like she belonged
01:13there. She always did. My chest burned. A moment later my phone buzzed again. This time it was a Hearn.
01:19Stop being dramatic. Anastasia. He said, his voice dry like I'd called to complain about the weather.
01:26We'll do the ceremony later. Bernice just got back from Alpha training at Wolfsbane Academy Dash.
01:31The line cut. I stared at the screen, my claws itching to come out. Around me, the ceremonial hall
01:37remained silent. Filled only with the soft rustle of moonflower petals falling to the floor. I looked down
01:43at the cloak I'd spent hours sewing silver threads into. It pulled around me now like shed fur. Like
01:49something I didn't deserve to wear. I slipped it off and left it there. The storm veil pack buzzed with
01:54noise when I returned. Someone had roasted meat on. The back grill. Bernice's perfume floated through the
02:01hall's rose and sweet leaf. Strong enough to push every other scent away. Laughter echoed from the
02:08main room. A celebration loud and thoughtless. No one noticed when I slipped inside through the kitchen
02:14door. Her arm curled. I went straight to my room, sat on the edge of my bed, and stared at
02:21the list I'd
02:22written in my journal. A simple list. Every time I'd been forgotten. Overlooked. Passed over. I added
02:29another entry at the bottom. Mating ceremony no one came. A knock slammed against the door. It creaked open
02:36and Andrew stepped inside like he owned the place. His boots heavy on the floor. There you are. He
02:42looked me over, taking in. The fur cloak now folded by. My desk and the half-written letter to the
02:48council. Bernice wants your meatloaf. Make it spicy, she says. She missed the way you cook it. I stared at
02:54him, hands resting on my lap. You missed my mating ceremony. Andrew blinked, then shrugged like it didn't
03:01matter. It's just a ritual. You and her can do it next moon, or the one after. Bernice is back,
03:07Anastasia. We haven't seen her in a year. He picked up my journal from the desk, flipped through it
03:13without asking. You still writing this stuff down? His eyes landed on the fresh page. At the top in
03:19bold letters. I went straight. Final warning. He snorted. What's that supposed to mean? You gonna run
03:27away? To be a rogue? He tossed the journal back onto the bed. Just make the meatloaf, Anastasia.
03:33I stood slowly and walked past him toward the kitchen. My hand stung as I pulled out the meat
03:39from the cold box. The new soap they dee brought back for me to use Bernice as favorite. Brand had
03:46left red blotches on my skin. Andrew leaned against the wall behind me, watching too closely.
03:52Why are you so quiet? He asked. Planning to poison her or something? Before I could answer,
03:58her voice rang out from the main room. Andrew, the chestnuts. He rolled his eyes and muttered.
04:04Coming. Before turning and leaving without a second glance. Final warning. I washed my hands under cold
04:12water, watching the red fade into pale pink. My eyes drifted to the counter. There sat the ceremonial
04:18cake I'd ordered still untouched. The bonding rings lay beside it, sealed in their velvet box.
04:24I didn't cry. I just stood there for a long time, staring at all the things that were supposed to
04:29matter. My wolf had been quiet all day, but now her voice was sharp in my head. Arlene, my wolf,
04:35growled low in my chest. They've made their choice, she said. So will we. I looked toward the window.
04:42Beyond it, the dark trees of the northern woods swayed gently in the night wind. Bernice was back.
04:48She had everything. And me? I was done waiting. I was done waiting. I set the meatloaf down on the
04:55long oak dining table, the scent wafting through the air like a forgotten promise.
05:00Laughter echoed from the living room. Father, usually buried in Alpha Council meetings and
05:05Asheville PAC's logistics, sat comfortably, listening intently as Bernice gushed about her
05:11time at Wolfsbane Academy. We practiced under the PAC elder Archibald, she said, eyes shining.
05:18He said I had the instincts of a born Alpha strong enough to lead any PAC.
05:22Mother clutched Bernice's hand, eyes shimmering with emotion. My sweet girl. You've lost weight,
05:29haven't you? You need more rest. Too much time in training will weaken your wolf and dull your
05:33senses. Andrew sat beside them, still dutifully peeling chestnuts like some beta servant.
05:39I stood quietly at the threshold between the kitchen and living room watching.
05:43Never invited. That room was warm, bright, full of voices and attention. This room mine was quiet,
05:50dim, forgotten. Bernice's voice rose with performative sweetness.
05:55Anastasia, why are you just standing there, still mad at me for ruining your ceremony?
06:00The conversation screeched to a halt. Three pairs of eyes turned toward me like I was a problem that
06:06had just come back. I set the meatloaf down on the lawn. Mother's brow furrowed.
06:11Anastasia, come here. Don't salt. Mother gave me that impatient look, the one that always followed
06:17whenever Bernice cried. You're the one who picked that unfortunate date. Bernice had just landed.
06:23We were all exhausted from the airport run. You know that, don't you? Then came the dagger.
06:28If you're going to be petty with your sister, then you're no daughter of mine.
06:32Bernice gasped, wide-eyed and full of faux concern. Mom, don't be so harsh. Anastasia will feel hurt.
06:39But her smirk said otherwise. She knew my ceremony date. I told her a week in advance.
06:45She even replied, Can't wait. Got a surprise planned for you.
06:50Surprise indeed. Since we were pups, Bernice had always managed to turn every situation into a test
06:56one where the pack had to choose. They always picked her. Even my mate chose her.
07:01I should have felt something. Anger, betrayal, sadness. But there was only stillness.
07:06I'm not angry. Those three words sliced through the tension like claws through bark.
07:12Everyone stared. Father blinked. Mother narrowed her eyes. Bernice tilted her head with a mock-confused
07:18pout. They had expected a tantrum, not serenity. Father's brow.
07:25Which meant. They knew what they did would hurt me. They just didn't care enough to stop.
07:31Father exhaled and forced a smile.
07:33Good. That's good. We're a pack. We don't hold grudges.
07:37Of course.
07:38I said, nodding with perfect obedience.
07:41It was the same voice I used to speak to the Elder Wolves during full moon rituals.
07:46The relief in their eyes was instant.
07:48They turned their attention back to Bernice.
07:50Dinner began. The maid had added S.E. Anastasial dishes besides my meatloaf crab legs.
07:57Lemon garlic scallops. All Bernice's favorites.
08:00You're too thin.
08:01Father murmured, piling food onto her plate.
08:04Eat more. You'll need your strength before the orchestral trial.
08:08Mother added, dabbing her eyes again.
08:11Andrew chimed in with a grin.
08:13Don't worry. If any of those sea wolves give you trouble, I'll rip their throats out.
08:18Bernice laughed, her silver hair gleaming in the light.
08:22No need. I've got this.
08:24They all chuckled.
08:25I ate in silence, the warmth of the meatloaf doing little to thaw the cold within me.
08:31Which meant...
08:32They knew what they were.
08:33Then for the first time that evening, Mother glanced at me.
08:36She hesitated.
08:38Picked up a spoonful of meatloaf and placed it on my plate.
08:41Try it.
08:43Don't think we don't care about you just because we fuss over Bernice.
08:46I care about you too.
08:48The words felt...
08:49Rehearsed.
08:50Like a line from a script she'd use too often.
08:53I looked down at the food, then slowly set my utensils down.
08:57No.
08:58I'm full.
08:59Her expression shifted first startled, then irritated.
09:03What's wrong with you lately?
09:05She started to say more, but Bernice suddenly clutched her throat eyes wide.
09:10Mom.
09:11I...
09:12I can't breathe.
09:13Then for...
09:15Her voice cracked, breath rasping.
09:17She staggered backward, knocking over her chair.
09:20Panic erupted instantly.
09:23Bernice.
09:24Mother screamed.
09:25What's happening?
09:26Father stood so fast the table shook.
09:28Andrew was already at her side, sniffing her neck and face for signs of poison.
09:33His beta instincts flaring.
09:36Percent spiking something's wrong.
09:37My heart thudded in my chest, not from fear, but from the quiet, twisted irony of it all.
09:44In the chaos, no one noticed me standing completely still, just watching.
09:48Arlene's voice stirred faintly in my mind.
09:51She's not choking, Anastasia.
09:54She's shifting.
09:55Something inside her is waking.
09:57Her voice cracked, breath rasping.
09:59Bernice's rash bloomed across her skin like a warning from the moon goddess.
10:03Is this... an allergic reaction?
10:06Father barked, nostrils flaring as he hovered over her convulsing form.
10:11Why would this happen now?
10:13Mother's gaze snapped to me like a dagger drawn under moonlight.
10:16In the next heartbeat, her palm collided with my cheek, sending me sprawling across the tiled floor.
10:22Anastasia.
10:23What did you put in the food?
10:25Have you forgotten your sister's triggers?
10:27My head ran.
10:28The room swam.
10:29I could feel Arlene stir within me, a low growl rising in the depths of my chest.
10:35But I shoved her back, swallowing the heat clawing at my throat.
10:39Andrew stepped forward, eyes flashing in disbelief.
10:43You were so quiet, so obedient.
10:45And now this?
10:47You meant to harm Bernice.
10:48How did I end up with a sister like you?
10:50He added his voice heavy with disappointment.
10:53Enough.
10:54Father slammed his fist on the table, a sound reverberating like thunder.
10:59Bernice's rash.
11:02Give her to the healer now.
11:04The room cleared in a blur.
11:05My parents and Andrew carrying Bernice out, frantic and breathless, like she was the moon's own fragile vessel.
11:12I was left alone, face throbbing, heart hollow.
11:15It wasn't me.
11:16I whispered the words aloud, but they echoed off the silence like lies.
11:21They wouldn't believe me.
11:23They never did.
11:24Not after everything.
11:26I felt something wet and hot on my palm.
11:29The maid had returned, her eyes wide as she caught sight of my hands.
11:33Lady Anastasia, your hands, they're swollen.
11:36I looked down.
11:37Red lines bloomed across my skin like fire veins.
11:41I'm fine.
11:42I lied, brushing past her.
11:44In my room I reached for an old leather-bound notebook.
11:47As I opened its worn cover, the scent of old ink and pine dust rose memories not even the wolf
11:53in me wanted to recall.
11:54Get her to the-
11:56That winter prey was scarce.
11:58Rogues pushed at our borders.
12:00And the council demanded more from father than he could give.
12:04When resources thinned, when space and safety grew tight, someone had to be sent away.
12:09I volunteered.
12:11The obedient daughter.
12:12The easy one to forget.
12:14The outposts clung to the cliffs beyond the pack's borders, a place carved for old warriors and outcasts.
12:20No pack song reached that far.
12:22Only wind and silence.
12:24There I learned everything.
12:26They visited once a year for solstice rites.
12:29Each time, they stayed less.
12:31Brought more gifts for Bernice.
12:33Spoke less of me.
12:34When I finally returned, the storm veil pack had grown stronger courts and galleries echoing with pride.
12:41My new quarters.
12:42A forgotten supply room near the rear exit.
12:45No windows.
12:47No warmth.
12:48Just a reminder.
12:49I wasn't part of the vision they built.
12:51I packed my things into a worn duffel.
12:54The wedding leave I had once requested felt laughable now.
12:57I was reaching for the phone, ready to send a message to my superior at outpost requesting return to the
13:04outpost.
13:05Ahern.
13:05My mate.
13:06Or at least the one fate had paired me with.
13:09The one who should have stood by me.
13:11That winter prey was scarce.
13:13What did you do to Bernice?
13:15He demanded, skipping any pretense of concern.
13:18She's in the healer's hall.
13:19You poisoned her.
13:20It was an allergic reaction.
13:22I said simply.
13:23Don't lie to me.
13:25You've always been jealous.
13:26How could you hurt your own blood like that?
13:28His words were fire.
13:30Burning through any remaining illusion I had.
13:33Yes.
13:34I hurt her.
13:35I'll apologize when she recovers.
13:37Are we done?
13:39He fell silent for a second, stunned by my calm.
13:42We'd argued about Bernice before dozens of times.
13:46He used to flirt with her under the pretense of concern.
13:50Ordered her favorite foods during our dinners.
13:52Ignored my needs, my wants.
13:54She's your sister.
13:56He always said, like that made everything acceptable.
13:59To my family, I was always the overreacting one.
14:02The unstable one.
14:04When Bernice went to the alpha training, I felt peace for the first time.
14:08Even Arlene had been calmer.
14:10Now, the storm had returned.
14:12If anything happens to Bernice again,
14:14Ahern warned, his voice cold.
14:16There will be no mating ceremony.
14:18Then the line went dead.
14:19I pictured him rushing into the healer's den, brushing hair from Bernice's face, playing the hero to the girl he
14:26truly wanted.
14:27My claws threatened to unsheathe.
14:29Instead, I smirked, hung up, and called my mentor back in the outpost.
14:33What did you do to Bernice?
14:36Later that night, the front door creaked open.
14:38Mother and father returned.
14:40Exhaustion painted across their faces.
14:43Andrew followed, his head low.
14:45My duffel sat by the door.
14:47I was ready to leave.
14:48From upstairs, I heard them speaking in hushed tones, until the silence cracked open with betrayal.
14:55If only Ahern's family had better standing.
14:57Mother sighed.
14:59He's so good to Bernice.
15:00Bernice likes him.
15:02Father added.
15:03Had I known, I never would have paired him with Anastasia.
15:06Still, Mother continued.
15:08Ahern and Anastasia are more suited.
15:10Let Bernice chase her dreams.
15:12He can still take care of her, even as Anastasia's mate.
15:15The words sank like stones in my gut.
15:18Even now, they plan to keep Bernice close to my mate.
15:21To my mate, I descended the stairs, my presence sudden, cutting off their whispers.
15:27Mother flinched as she saw me.
15:29Anastasia, you're still here?
15:31I said nothing.
15:32Just grabbed my bag and walked into the night into the cold air and the arms of the moon.
15:37Arlene stirred again.
15:38We were never one of them, Anastasia.
15:41But we are not alone.
15:42I tilted my face skyward, letting the night wind carry my scent far from that house.
15:47From the pack that never truly saw me.
15:50From the mate who never chose me.
15:52Let them keep their false bonds.
15:54I would forge my own.
15:56Later, the lights were off.
15:59Mother assumed I was asleep.
16:01She hadn't expected me to overhear their discussion about giving up my mate,
16:05as if I were merely a placeholder in Selene's shadow.
16:09When I walked past her, calm but cold, her face stiffened with fear.
16:13I'm returning to the outpost.
16:15I said flatly.
16:17Ignoring the faint ache in my chest, the burn of betrayal that still lingered.
16:21Mother exhaled sharply.
16:23Realizing I wasn't about to explode.
16:25Father gave a curt nod, his approval silent.
16:29Good.
16:29Less trouble for the pack.
16:31Andrew, however, stepped forward.
16:33His eyes narrowing at the duffel beside me.
16:36The lights were off.
16:38You're taking your things?
16:40Are you really running away because we're upset about what happened to Selene?
16:44You think that little apology call makes it okay?
16:47Their guilt from earlier so fleeting had already been replaced by righteousness.
16:52It always shifted like that.
16:54A second of shame then back to their cold duty.
16:57Your sister was hospitalized, Anastasia.
16:59Father growled.
17:00And you haven't even properly apologized.
17:03The air thickened like wolves closing in on their prey.
17:06I could feel Arlene pacing within me.
17:08Her fur bristling, lips curling and warning.
17:11Call her.
17:12Arlene urged.
17:13Let them hear her lies for themselves.
17:15I took out my phone, dialed Bernice's number, and switched it to speaker.
17:20She picked up quickly her voice soft, syrupy,
17:22laced with smugness like a wolf who thought she'd won.
17:33The silence that followed was immediate.
17:36Even Andrew flinched.
17:38My parents exchanged a glance, the perfect image they had of Bernice beginning to crack.
17:44I didn't react.
17:45I didn't need to.
17:46It's good he's there.
17:48I said tone neutral.
17:49You'll need someone at your side.
17:52Bernice hesitated.
17:53Do you really mean that?
17:55Of course.
17:56I replied coolly.
17:58I don't know what caused your reaction, but I'm sorry.
18:01I apologize.
18:02A pause.
18:03Then I ended the call.
18:05My family stood still, shocked.
18:07Perhaps because I hadn't played the dramatic, jealous wolf they expected.
18:11Now.
18:12I said, lifting my duffel.
18:14Am I allowed to leave?
18:16Their silence was answer enough.
18:18I turned my heart lighter for the first time in days and walked out the door now.
18:23Longer their dutiful Omega.
18:25Let them sit with their doubts.
18:27Let Bernice play her little games.
18:29I was done begging for scraps of affection from a pack that never truly wanted me.
18:34The silence was done.
18:35This time, no one tried to stop me.
18:38Andrew's voice called out behind me, faint and unsure.
18:42Why didn't you make a fuss this time?
18:44I didn't answer.
18:46There was nothing left to fight for.
18:47Back at the outpost, I shut everything out.
18:50My phone on airplane mode.
18:52My focus locked on the border.
18:54For 13 days, I trained hard and took extra shifts on patrol, keeping my head down and
18:59my thoughts quiet.
19:00The work was brutal, but steady.
19:02By the end of it, something inside me had settled.
19:06The next day, I turned on my phone.
19:08It vibrated nonstop messages crashing in from the pack, from a hern, from people I'd once
19:13thought of as friends.
19:15I opened my friends' messages first.
19:17Dozens of them.
19:19All furious.
19:20All aimed squarely at Bernice and a hern.
19:22And then one photo that made my blood still.
19:25A family photo.
19:26Everyone was there.
19:27My parents, Andrew, Bernice, and a hern.
19:30This time, no one tried to stop me.
19:34Silence.
19:35We couldn't reach you.
19:37We wanted to invite you along.
19:39You know.
19:39It's not our fault your friend's comment really upset Bernice.
19:43She cried for hours.
19:44We had to take her out to cheer her up.
19:47But I already apologized.
19:49I said.
19:50More silence.
19:51Then a weak reply.
19:53It's for the best.
19:54I guess you've learned your lesson.
19:57He stood.
19:58Then a hern took the phone.
20:00His voice was sharp, edged with fury.
20:03Anastasia, did you tell your friend to post that?
20:06You read disgusting.
20:07I've said it before Bernice, your sister.
20:09I'm just taking care of her for you.
20:11That's what your family does, too.
20:13But you, you're always jealous.
20:15Always playing the victim.
20:17Maybe you should think about why no one chooses you.
20:19The words were cold.
20:21Delivered with purpose.
20:22But they didn't sting.
20:24Not anymore.
20:25Because 13 days ago, I'd heard the truth from the Alpha and Luna of our bloodline.
20:31Ahern had never wanted me.
20:32He was playing a part.
20:34Just like the rest of them.
20:35If I'd stayed quiet, he would've kept pretending.
20:39You were never the choice, Anastasia, Arlene murmured.
20:42Only the placeholder.
20:44A few seconds passed.
20:46His voice softened out.
20:47He realized maybe that he'd gone too far.
20:50But I was already looking at the flight details my classmate had sent me.
20:54Ahern.
20:55I said quietly.
20:56We're done.
20:57What?
20:58I'm not your shield anymore.
21:00Or a substitute.
21:01I ended the call before I could say anything else.
21:04I wasn't a pawn in their polished little story.
21:07I was a wolf wounded, yes.
21:09But no longer theirs.
21:11I was leaving.
21:12Then a...
21:14The line went quiet after my words.
21:17Then came a hern's low chuckle.
21:20Confident in all the wrong ways.
21:22Anastasia, are you serious?
21:24After everything we planned for the mating ceremony,
21:27you're really ending it over a tantrum.
21:30I exhaled slowly.
21:32So you do remember how long this has been arranged.
21:36He still thought I was bluffing.
21:39Come on.
21:39You're just upset.
21:41I said I'd make it up to you.
21:43Acting cold won't change how I feel.
21:46I didn't need to explain anymore.
21:48When I heard Andrew arguing with him in the background, I hung up.
21:52Then I blocked every number tied to the storm veil Pacohern included.
21:58That night, I slept through the night for the first time in weeks.
22:02And I dreamed.
22:05In the dream I saw a young girl curled on the floor of a cold outpost Barack.
22:10Her uniform was too big.
22:12Her hands covered in healing scrapes.
22:14She scribbled something into a journal half numbers, half thoughts, never full sentences.
22:19A quiet record of everything she swallowed down.
22:23The line was like,
22:24Today I covered someone else's patrol again.
22:28No one said thanks, but I didn't want trouble.
22:31Today I trained with a broken rib.
22:34No one noticed.
22:36Maybe they wouldn't care even if they had.
22:39Today I was told to smile more.
22:41Be softer.
22:42Don't make others uncomfortable with my silence.
22:46The journal wasn't a countdown, it was survival.
22:49Note she left herself to remember that it wasn't her fault.
22:53In the last entry, she wasn't wearing a wedding dress or anything dramatic.
22:57Just her worn boots and a cloak that smelled of the wild.
23:01Wind in her hair.
23:03Her shoulders lighter.
23:05I should have walked away sooner.
23:07I stood beside her, older and unflinching.
23:10But you're walking now.
23:12I didn't leave the outpost.
23:14I stayed through the cold, through the silence, through the rough edges of pack life on the border.
23:19No one held my hand.
23:21No one asked if I was okay.
23:23But that was fine.
23:24I didn't need them to.
23:26Today I covered someone else.
23:29While others gathered around bonfires or joked during downtime, I trained harder.
23:34Took extra shifts, learned everything I could.
23:36Territory lines.
23:38Emergency signals.
23:39How to hold my ground when no one came to back me up.
23:43I became someone useful.
23:46Someone who didn't flinch when things got hard.
23:49Not the overlooked daughter.
23:50Not the broken bond.
23:52Just a wolf doing her job and doing it well.
23:54Well, one night, during a rare chat with a friend back in the pack, she messaged with a grin I
24:00could almost feel through the screen.
24:03Anastasia, you won't believe this.
24:05The storm veil pack are losing it without you even a hurt.
24:09Totally pulled down.
24:12Blinked, then smiled faintly.
24:14Why would they care?
24:16No clue.
24:17But they're trying every trick to reach you.
24:19Guess they finally noticed the silence.
24:21A moment later, my phone buzzed with a call from an unknown number.
24:25I almost declined but something told me to answer.
24:29My mother's voice came through tight with forced warmth.
24:34Anastasia.
24:35Thank the moon goddess.
24:37We've been trying to reach you.
24:39Why did you block us?
24:41We thought something happened.
24:44A beat passed.
24:45We, we weren't fair to you.
24:47I know that now.
24:48Come home.
24:49We'll celebrate your birthday properly this time.
24:53I went still.
24:55They found it.
24:56While others gathered around the notebook.
24:59But what it meant.
25:01The record of everything I never said out loud.
25:03All the moments they ignored.
25:06All the wounds they couldn't see or didn't want to.
25:09Too late.
25:10I don't like birthdays.
25:12I said calmly.
25:13There was a long pause on the other end.
25:16A silence that sounded more like guilt than love.
25:19She asked again.
25:21At least, come home.
25:23I looked around my small dorm room.
25:26The scent of coffee clung to my worn blanket that my boots were muddy from the last field run.
25:31A dog-eared book rested beside my pillow.
25:34All mine.
25:35This was peace.
25:37This was mine.
25:38I am home.
25:39I said and hung up.
25:42Not the notebook.
25:44I made my rejection clear.
25:46But it didn't matter.
25:48They came anyway.
25:50I returned from patrol.
25:52Boots still caked in dust and ash.
25:55Only to find them waiting outside the outpost gates foreshadows I had no use for anymore.
25:59My father, my mother, Andrew, and Ahern.
26:03The Asheville Pax Corps.
26:05They lit up like they'd found something they'd lost.
26:08Anastasia.
26:09You're back.
26:10Ahern stepped forward first before Andrew could block him.
26:13Long time no see.
26:15He said softly.
26:16He looked wrecked.
26:17Bloodshot eyes.
26:18Shaky hands.
26:20The kind of desperation that used to stir something in me.
26:23Now it just made me tired.
26:26We're over.
26:27I said flatly.
26:29Why are you here?
26:31His mouth twitched trying to hold.
26:33Something in.
26:35I didn't agree to that.
26:36It was just a fight.
26:39I don't need your permission to leave.
26:41I didn't raise my voice.
26:43The truth was enough.
26:45When I looked past him to the others, I saw them flinch small reactions but they were there.
26:51I heard what you said that day.
26:53I added.
26:54I made my rejection.
26:56My mother looked away.
26:58My father's jaw clenched.
27:00Even Andrew didn't meet my eyes.
27:03Ahern was never meant for me.
27:04I went on.
27:06He loved Bernice from the start.
27:08But his bloodline wasn't good enough for her.
27:10So you gave him me instead.
27:13I was a placeholder.
27:14A distraction.
27:16A Luna decoy.
27:18That's not Dutch.
27:19My mother tried.
27:20But even she didn't sound convinced.
27:22We didn't know Dutch.
27:24Andrew muttered.
27:25I didn't need to hear the rest.
27:26Ahern's voice cracked next.
27:28Yes.
27:29I liked Bernice before but that changed.
27:31We were bonded.
27:32Of course I cared for you.
27:34I nodded once.
27:36And his eyes lit up.
27:38Until I said.
27:39But you didn't show up for our mating ceremony.
27:42That was your last chance.
27:44There won't be another.
27:46There can be another.
27:47I already ordered your new bonding robe stay maker.
27:50Your favorite fabric.
27:51The ceremony can be redone.
27:53It can be better.
27:55He reached for me hands desperate.
27:58Please.
27:59Anastasia.
28:00I never stopped caring.
28:02I just didn't think you'd really leave.
28:05I was stupid.
28:06I was scared.
28:08My mother looked away.
28:11His touch was warm.
28:12Familiar.
28:13Once I would have leaned into it.
28:15Now.
28:16It only reminded me how much colder he'd made me feel.
28:19You say you love me.
28:20I said.
28:21But love doesn't use someone to patch up a broken past.
28:25Love isn't guilt.
28:26It's not obligation.
28:28You leaned on my loyalty like it owed you something.
28:32You knew what I wanted.
28:34I wanted to be chosen.
28:36I wanted someone who would choose me even if no one else did.
28:39I stepped back.
28:40His hands dropped.
28:42His body curled inward like I'd taken something vital.
28:45I didn't reach out.
28:47He wasn't my mate anymore.
28:49And I wasn't his shield.
28:52I turned to go.
28:53Only to be blocked by the rest of them.
28:56Right.
28:57The rest of the story.
28:58I crossed my arms.
28:59He came here for redemption.
29:02What about you three?
29:04My father cleared his throat.
29:06Looked down at the cracked earth.
29:08After reading your journal.
29:09We realized the pain you went through.
29:12He tried to explain.
29:14About Bernice's childhood illness.
29:16About how they'd poured all their care into her.
29:19Out of fear.
29:21He said they didn't know how to love me once I came back.
29:25Said they hadn't seen what Bernice was doing.
29:29My mother spoke next.
29:31Barely above a whisper.
29:33The allergic reaction wasn't your fault.
29:34It was the peanuts.
29:36I accused you.
29:38I hit you.
29:39I'm sorry.
29:40Did it hurt?
29:41Her voice cracked like she was the one who'd been wounded.
29:44Once I would have dreamed of this.
29:46Them admitting it.
29:48Seeing me.
29:48Saying the things I needed to hear.
29:52But now?
29:53It was too late.
29:55I wasn't that girl anymore.
29:56Not the one waiting by the door for someone to pick her.
30:00Their faces fell when I didn't answer.
30:03My mother looked like she might cry.
30:06My father tried again.
30:07Andrew hovered like he didn't know where to stand.
30:11But I was done carrying their shame for him.
30:14Are you done?
30:15Oh yes.
30:17Anna, stay here.
30:18Don't be like this, Dash.
30:19Andrew started.
30:20Don't waste my time.
30:22I couldn't.
30:22I got better things for you than to hand out forgiveness just because you feel guilty now.
30:28This isn't a waste of time.
30:30Andrew snapped.
30:32We came all this way to apologize.
30:34I looked at him.
30:36Really looked.
30:37Andrew.
30:38My golden eyed brother.
30:40Once my favorite person in the world.
30:43He said that was when everything broke.
30:46Finally, my parents wanted to see her for who she really was.
30:51They cut her off.
30:53But Bernice didn't disappear.
30:55She found someone new to feed off.
30:58Ahern.
30:59He took her in.
31:01Despite everything.
31:02Despite what he'd promised me.
31:04But she never told him she'd caught an STD from her reckless flings at Wolfsbane Academy.
31:10And she gave him her disease.
31:13In a fit of rage, Ahern killed her.
31:15Bernice, once the darling of the family, died in blood.
31:18But Andrew was left broken.
31:21And Ahern imprisoned.
31:23A stardust in a misanthrope port.
31:25But I felt nothing.
31:27I closed the file and turned back to my work.
31:30I didn't return to Ashevale pack.
31:33I stayed at the outpost where my strength was earned.
31:36Not inherited.
31:38Here I wasn't just a shadow.
31:40I was Anastasia.
31:41The warrior they respected.
31:44The wolf who didn't need to rely on anyone else.
31:47They gave me the space to grow.
31:50To rise as I always should have.
31:53They respected me not because of my bloodline, but because of what I could do.
31:58When my name appeared in the trade reports, my family came to find me.
32:03They couldn't even get past the gates.
32:05The guards turned them away.
32:07And so they mourned.
32:09The daughter they had tried to silence.
32:12The sister who had once begged for their love.
32:15The wolf they thought they controlled.
32:17They would mourn me forever.
32:19The one who no longer needed their name to rise.
32:22That was when everything broke.
32:24Do I have to accept your apology?
32:26I met Andrew's eyes, my voice low but heavy enough to make him flinch.
32:31The courtyard outside my dorm, usually alive with the chatter of young wolves, had gone eerily quiet.
32:38The tension between us had drawn curious glances.
32:41They couldn't understand our words, but the weight of it.
32:45Was palpable something was breaking.
32:48I hated the idea of being on display.
32:50But there was no hiding this.
32:52All those years of silence, of shrinking away from my own emotions, came rushing out.
32:58You say you redirected your love to Bernice, like that makes everything okay.
33:02But why?
33:03Did she get your protection while I got nothing but your dismissal?
33:07You hated it when I fought her.
33:09Said I was loud.
33:11Too rebellious.
33:12But if I hadn't fought, you wouldn't have even seen me.
33:15You would have let me fade into the background.
33:18I found something better when I left.
33:20I went to the outpost.
33:22At least here, I earned my place.
33:25There, I wasn't just some quiet shadow of the golden child.
33:29There, I had power.
33:31I was seen.
33:33Do I?
33:35I felt my mother flinch beside me.
33:38Her breath hitched and she swallowed down the sobs.
33:41Anastasia, you're our daughter.
33:42You can't just cut yourself off from us.
33:45I didn't meet her eyes.
33:47Then I don't want to be your daughter anymore.
33:49The words cut through the air.
33:52And I could see at the crack in their faces.
33:55But I didn't linger.
33:56I turned and walked away.
33:59They didn't follow.
34:01Maybe it was the finality in my voice that froze them.
34:04Or maybe they didn't know what to say when everything they thought they could rely on crumbled in front of
34:09them.
34:10They gave me space.
34:12For a while.
34:13But eventually the attempt started again.
34:17Sometimes I found packages outside my door venison stew.
34:21Wild berries.
34:22Bundles of herbs wrapped with care.
34:24There were no notes.
34:25Just their scent.
34:26I never took them.
34:27I passed the food to others in the den.
34:30Those who hadn't yet turned their backs on second chances.
34:33I didn't need to give them a chance.
34:36Not anymore.
34:37I felt my mother fling.
34:40A few months passed and then the rumor started.
34:44A scandal had rocked the international werewolf community.
34:48One of my closest allies from the outpost sent me a report.
34:52I opened it without much thought until I saw her name.
34:56Bernice.
34:57She'd gone back to the Wolfsbane Academy for the alpha training.
35:01But she'd spiraled into a wild existence.
35:04Chasing freedom without care for the consequences.
35:07Her time at Wolfsbane Academy had been nothing but a lie.
35:12All those stories about her having the talent to be a great alpha.
35:16About her powerful wolf that could lead a pack.
35:18They were all part of the farce she'd created.
35:21She even faked a sickness to squeeze more money out of our parents.
35:25When they arrived to check on her.
35:27The storm-veiled pack walked into chaos.
35:30You always loved me.
35:31Bernice had shouted at them.
35:34So why did you send all your money to that bitch Anastasia?
35:37Then she grabbed a blade.
35:39She stabbed Andrew.
35:42He survived but his healing was forever damaged.
35:45His wolf form slowed.
35:47His strength built.
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