- 36 minutes ago
A Coleira da Verdade ASM
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Short filmTranscript
00:00I was born not because I actually lied but because of this thing around my mom called me a liar
00:05from
00:05the day I was born not because I actually lied but because of this thing around my neck the
00:10Verity choker mom was Luna of Silvermoon pack and she believed one thing above all lying was the
00:16mark of a weak wolf we were her daughters future alpha heirs weakness was not an option so when
00:22my twin sister Emma and I were born mom clasped these chokers around our throats which had witch
00:27magic to detect lies green light means truth red light means you were lying Emma's choker always
00:34green she could shred mom's ceremonial cloak and blame the cat and gem would glow a steady green
00:39not me green light believed me mom I'm hungry and flash red light the choker choked tight I shifted
00:49on instinct a small white wolf pawing desperately at the gem around my neck claws scraping against it
00:56unable to get it off I'm not lying not lying please but mom's eyes had already gone cold
01:02instant punishment mom's punishment wasn't gentle no food locked in my room no contact with anyone in
01:09the pack the truth necklace doesn't lie Stella starve now study later I'm doing this for your own good
01:16after 10 years of this I started believing it too maybe I really was born wrong new year's eve
01:22everything changed mom was getting ready to take Emma to the packs bonfire celebration and that's
01:27when the pain hit like a knife twisting in my gut I collapsed on the floor my skeletal frame curling
01:33into itself mom please the choker flashed red and choked tight she looked down at me disgusted in her
01:42eyes in your dream Stella faking an illness to ruin our night she grabbed Emma's hand and headed for the
01:49door
01:50I wanted to howl but my wolf was too weak to answer I shifted anyway forced it small white wolf
01:56trembling on the floor ribs heaving maybe in this form the pain would hurt less it didn't I couldn't
02:03even hold the shift I slipped back into myself without meaning to sorry mom I won't lie anymore
02:08but the pain got worse way worse the door handle turned for one second I thought mom's coming back
02:15she came back for me hurry up the bonfire is starting Emma's waiting mom I reached out with
02:23a shaking hand please something's really wrong I feel like I'm dying she glanced at my neck the gem
02:29was flashing red over and over she crouched down grabbed my chin Stella how long are you gonna keep
02:36this up can't you just be honest and stay here and think about what you've done dad appeared in the
02:42doorway honey should we at least leave her some food food she has a stash of snacks she bought with
02:50stolen
02:50money she won't starve lock the door when that gem turns green we'll talk but but what it's because you
03:00spoil her that she turned out this way look at Emma her gem has always been green Stella is a
03:07liar
03:07an alpha heiress who can't tell the truth she needs discipline but my cabinet was empty Emma stole that
03:15money Emma ate those snacks Emma just stood there with her glowing green gem saying not me and mom
03:22believed her I tried to defend myself it wasn't me red light the choker choked tight I tried to shift
03:30nothing happened deep inside my wolf barely stirred mom locked me up for three days with nothing but
03:37water and stale bread mom turned to leave Emma peeked through the door made a face at me bye sis
03:45we're
03:46gonna see the bonfire her gem glowed a steady green so pretty the door locked the house went silent I
03:54called my wolf nothing came back not even a whisper just me alone the pain was unbearable but I kept
04:03thinking mom's right the gem doesn't lie it's red so I must be lying I'm not in pain I'm not
04:12in pain I'm not
04:14in pain I kept repeating it like a prayer eventually I almost believed it the pain dulled or maybe I
04:23was
04:23just going numb I crawled to my desk I had to write that was the rule if the gem glowed
04:30red I had to
04:31pen a thousand word apology or mom would never let me out I am a liar write it down and
04:39maybe mom would
04:40forgive me maybe she'd even let me out I opened my journal pages and pages of apologies I'd written over
04:48the years sorry I lied I won't do it again but this time I wanted to write the truth my
04:55vision blurred
04:56my hand shook as I wrote mom I really love you it really hurts why won't you believe me please
05:05believe
05:05me just once the moment I finished the last word the pain vanished just gone I felt light weightless
05:15I looked down I was floating and there slumped over the desk was my body motionless the gem still
05:24flashing red around a dead girl's neck oh I'm dead and then she came out my wolf stepping out of
05:32my body
05:33like she'd been waiting all along small skinny barely holding together she looked up at me and once soft
05:42and low in the pack's old stories they say when a wolf dies young her spirit doesn't cross over
05:49alone her wolf walks beside her until they find the door together I knelt down she pressed her nose
05:57into my ghostly palm finally we were together now but I never learned how to be honest sorry mom
06:04I heard laughter mom dad Emma coming through the front door tonight's bonfire was beautiful the best
06:13one yet just like our Emma perfect in every way I'd never heard her sound like that when she talked
06:20about me I floated toward them my wolf patting silently at my side moving on instinct I wanted to help
06:27them
06:27take off their cloaks that's what I always did mom my arms passed right through her body like wind
06:34why is it so cold here is the hearthi out I stood there staring at my transparent hands my wolf
06:42pressed
06:42against my leg and looked up at me with sad eyes right dead wolves couldn't hug the living shall we
06:48go and
06:49see Stella she hasn't eaten yet still the good cop I looked at mom hopefully if she found me dead
06:55would
06:56she be sad would she regret it she won't starve she is a werewolf not a human pup this whole
07:05fake
07:05sick for attention thing is out of control I laughed bitterly mom wasn't wrong werewolves heal but I
07:13hadn't been able to in a long time last winter the choker left bruises that stayed for days that hadn't
07:20happened before I reached for my wolf she was still there but the warmth never came she was too
07:26hungry just like me mom never noticed she only ever looked at my neck for one thing the gem and
07:35whether it was red or green mom pushed open my door didn't even turn on the light just for a
07:40second
07:41her eyes flashed gold her wolf might have known mom didn't listen in the dim glow from the hallway she
07:47saw
07:48mommy slumped over my desk I looked like a skeleton hadn't moved still putting on an act you're ten years
07:56old not five grow up mom I'm not playing I'm dead look at me touch me I'm freezing she couldn't
08:06hear me
08:06she only believed what she wanted to see Emma squeezed past her held up her choker with that smug little
08:12grin
08:12look my gem is green Stella's is still red she's lying even in her sleep that's my good girl ignore
08:21the
08:21liar let her stay there maybe she'll learn how to be honest should we at least put her in bed
08:28it's freezing put
08:30her in bed look at that red gem still lying come on leave her we have to visit grandma tomorrow
08:36the door locked
08:39again I floated next to my corpse my wolf curled silently at my feet staring at that single point
08:45of red light in the darkness mom if you just stepped closer if you just touched my hand you'd know
08:52I was
08:52ice cold but you didn't you believed the choker not the daughter you carried for nine months that night
09:00a rat crawled out of my empty cabinet I used to scream whenever I saw rats but now I just
09:05floated by the
09:06ceiling watching it scurry across my dead body the rat bit into my toe I didn't feel anything my wolf
09:13charged at it anyway and passed right through landing on the other side she turned back to look at me
09:20confused lost I pulled her close and buried my face in the fur of her back it's okay you can't
09:27feel it
09:27anymore it'll be over soon she let out one low growl then went still against me finally no more pain
09:36for either of us the
09:37next morning sunlight streamed through the window no warmth reached my body in the kitchen I could hear mom making
09:44breakfast the smell of roasted meat crept under my door my favorite but mom always said liars don't deserve meat
09:52so I only ever got
09:53steamed vegetables she was clanging the pots extra loud on purpose trying to tempt me out trying to make
10:00me give in and apologize for things I never did in the old days I might have caved I might
10:06have confessed
10:06to anything for one bite of roasted meat but I don't need food anymore Stella still hasn't come out yet
10:13dad asked
10:14reading the pack notices she is so stubborn she can eat or not I don't care
10:22Emma walked to my door and made a big show of sniffing the air then she screamed dramatically
10:29mom Stella's room smells like poop did she poop in there I floated by the door watching my sister with
10:36a bitter
10:37smile my wolf sat beside me ears flat eyes low the hearth was burning hot after just one night my
10:46body started to rot
10:47mom stormed over pounding on the door
10:51Stella!
10:52Who does that?
10:54The toilet is right there!
10:56Did you shit on the floor to spite me?
10:58I remembered being six
10:59I had food poisoning
11:01Couldn't make it to the toilet in time
11:03mom didn't help me clean up she made me stand outside pointed at me and told the neighbors
11:09look at this she's such a mess she can't even use the toilet herself
11:14now she thought I was dirty again
11:16leave her let her sit in her own stink
11:20but dad stood up frowning
11:22that smells really bad I should check could it be a dead rat or something
11:27my heart if I still had one leapt
11:30dad please open the door
11:33I'm right here just turn the handle and you'll see I'm not moving
11:38I waved my transparent arms frantically
11:41my wolf ran straight to my bedroom door willing dad to open it
11:46dad's hand touched the door handle
11:48his hand froze
11:49someone was pounding at the front door
11:51a pack elder
11:52urgent business
11:53dad's face went pale
11:54he grabbed his cloak
11:56the border
11:56there's an emergency
11:58he was already out the door
11:59I froze
12:00so close
12:01one second away
12:02if that knock had come one second later I would have been found
12:06maybe then I wouldn't have rotted alone
12:08that afternoon mom took emma to the pack market the house was empty except for my corpse
12:13when they came back that evening loaded down with food and gifts from the market the smell had gotten worse
12:18mom gagged the second she walked in
12:21Stella are you trying to turn this place into a den of inequity
12:24she didn't even open my door just grabbed cloth strips and sealed the gap at the bottom
12:29if you want to stay in there and make disgusting stew zoos don't stink up my house
12:33she patted her hands together satisfied
12:35then went to prepare dinner
12:37I stared at that sealed door
12:39my wolf pressed her nose against it and whimpered once
12:41so that's it
12:42I'm worth less than a venison dinner
12:44by day three even the cloth strips couldn't contain the smell
12:47mom was arranging fresh wild flowers trying to cover it up
12:50but the stench of death is unmistakable sweet rotten oily she cut a rose stem too hard
12:57a thorn pierced her hand she snapped in her mind I was doing this on purpose
13:02not bathing poop on the floor hiding dead rats in my room all to piss her off all to
13:08defy her authority as Luna
13:09Stella!
13:11she grabbed a rolling pin from the kitchen stormed toward my room
13:14I'm done with you you disgusting little brat
13:18time you learned what real pain feels like
13:20I floated in front of her waving my arms desperately
13:23don't come in mom please please
13:28even though she never loved me I didn't want her to see me like that
13:32but she walked right through me ripped the cloth strips off
13:35jammed the spare key into the lock the door flew open
13:38the smell hit her like a wall she stumbled back retching
13:42Stella! what are you doing?
13:44she saw me still slumped over the desk back turned not moving to her this was
13:50the ultimate rebellion I'm talking to you she marched over raised the rolling pin but
13:56stopped she wanted to see my face first wanted to see my
14:00get up she grabbed the back of my shirt grabbed my skin the moment she touched me she froze
14:05through the thin fabric her hand didn't feel warm flesh she felt cold hard dead meat the
14:12kind of cold that seeps into your bones what? but momentum carried her forward she yanked
14:17crash my body stiff as a board toppled backward taking the chair with it and there was my
14:23face blue black eyes bulging features twisted in agony dried foam and blood crusted around my mouth
14:29around my blackened neck the verity choker hung lifeless the gem dark no red no green just silence
14:38my journal slid off the desk fell open at mom's feet the last page stared up at her
14:43mom my stomach really hurts the choker is wrong i'm not lying please don't punish me mom screamed
14:50not a wolf's howl a raw guttural shriek that tore through her throat she stumbled backward slammed
14:58into the bookshelf a clay pot shattered but she didn't seem to feel the pain she just stared at me
15:05eyes wide unblinking no no no no this is not real stella get up stella get up i'm not mad
15:15anymore
15:15stop scaring me her hand reached out trembling to touch my arm the second her skin made contact with
15:24my corpse she recoiled like she'd been burned that cold was too real lisa from next door heard the
15:31screaming and went straight to the pack healer when she saw what was in my room she collapsed in the
15:36gate within the hour heavy boots on the floorboards the pack healer and a handful of pack warriors
15:42crowding the entrance mom sat on the floor a warrior's hand on her shoulder she's speaking it she's always
15:49lying it doesn't lie i'm just teaching her no one responded they all looked at her like she was a
15:58monster the pack healer crouched next to my body he muttered under his breath severe malnutrition
16:04organ failure this puppy has been starved for at least a month he carefully tried to remove the
16:10verity choker but it had fused years of tightening had pressed the leather deep into the skin of my neck
16:17damn it he had to use tools to pry it off even dead my soul flinched my wolf lifted her
16:24head and
16:26long raw desperate the kind of howl that should have shaken the walls no one heard it no one flinched
16:35we were already dead a warrior picked up my journal started reading his face went from neutral to
16:42horrified mom's eyes locked onto that book that's her confession she admits she lied look she wrote it
16:50herself the warrior pushed her back wrapped the journal in cloth and took it we'll report it to
16:58the council that's when dad got home he saw the pack healer and the pack warriors crowding the doorway
17:04saw the body wrap being carried out saw the long cord that sealed away my entire life his legs gave
17:12out
17:13he collapsed on the doorstep emma stood nearby sobbing in confusion she pointed at the discolored
17:20verity choker on the table why does stella have a black collar and i have a green one see she
17:27held up
17:27her neck the gem blinked its steady green it was grotesque the council elders arrived before dawn mom
17:35straightened when she saw them even now even with my body three days cold and rotting her luna instincts
17:42kicked in she lifted her chin squared her shoulders it didn't work today they started questioning mom
17:49in the living room mom grabbed the verity choker off the table like it was a lifeline test it that
17:56choker
17:56proved she was lying red gem means lie i never abused her the choker told me i was just educating
18:07her
18:07the council elders looked at her like she'd lost her mind the pup shows signs of extreme malnutrition
18:14months of starvation aphelion multiple old injuries consistent with prolonged
18:21that's just discipline that's teaching her to be honest then she did something insane
18:28you don't believe me fine i'll wear it watch it'll be green the leather pressed against her skin cold
18:40sticky that was my blood she took a deep breath tried to calm herself she needed to prove she was
18:47innocent needed to prove her way of raising an alpha heir was right she held up the gem eyes wild
18:54listen i'm rachel i'm stella's mother this is the truth the absolute truth the gem flashed red
19:03mom's confident expression shattered
19:07i said truth i am rachel i never abused her i did it for her own good
19:16i love her and suddenly she remembered me ten years old gasping as the choker tightened around
19:25my throat biting my lip so i wouldn't make a sound is this what it felt like why is it
19:32red i am telling
19:34the truth turn green you're broken you're setting me up but the gem kept flashing like it was mocking
19:40her you're a liar you're a liar enough this is just a bloodstone i've seen it before it changes color
19:52with body heat fear pain anything that makes your heart race temperature rises it burns red that's all it
20:01does no witch magic never was think about your daughter ruptured appendix organ failure the pain
20:10must have been unbearable she was terrified and what did you see a red gem so you punished her more
20:18which made her more scared which made her temperature rise which made the stone turn redder
20:28you are luna you are supposed to protect every wolf in this pack you couldn't even protect your own
20:35daughter you ignored her cries for help you starved your daughter to death mom's world collapsed she sat
20:44there staring at the flashing gem on her own net and finally understood for 10 years every red light
20:51wasn't because i was lying it was because i was scared scared of her anger scared of being misunderstood
20:59scared of eating food that made me sick i was in pain pain that made my heart race and cold
21:06sweat pour
21:06down my face i was desperate desperate for a hug for her to hold me the way she held emma
21:13every signal
21:14from my frightened heart she had interpreted as proof of my lies
21:26she tried to shift fur rippling across her skin bones cracking but the leather cinched harder around
21:33her throat the moment her neck didn't change she snapped back into human form gasping
21:39i can't get it off stella take it back i'm sorry it's all my fault this little bit of choking
21:48and she
21:49was already breaking mom i suffered for 10 years the council elders needed evidence for judgment
21:57so they opened my journal in front of my parents february 14th sunny mom put celery on my plate
22:05i'm allergic my throat swells i can't breathe i said i can't eat it but because i was scared of
22:12making her angry my body ran hot the gem flashed red the choker tightened mom said i was picky
22:20lying made me eat the whole plate that night i threw up blood my throat felt like it was on
22:28fire
22:28i shifted to ease my pain mom saw it and said i'd snuck berry juice that i was faking
22:35the choker tightened for 10 more minutes mom's hand flew to her mouth she was shaking violently
22:43she remembered that she really did think it was berry juice she didn't even look closely
22:49just turned away to read emma a bedtime story that was blood from a swollen torn throat
22:57june 1st pups day emma shredded mom's ceremonial cloak emma's heart is always calm
23:04her gem stays green i tried to explain but i was scared of being hit my body ran hot
23:11red gem choker tightened for 10 minutes it hurt so bad but i didn't cry because crying makes your
23:20body run hotter and mom thinks that means you're not sorry so i held my breath pretended it didn't
23:27hurt mom said see she doesn't even blink she's definitely faking it dad couldn't take it anymore
23:35this man who had always put the pack before his own family chose duty over his daughter for 10 years
23:41you monster what did you do that was your daughter you treated her like a stray blood at the corner
23:50of
23:51her mouth not my fault not my fault it's her it's emma and this gem was always green emma was
23:59the good
23:59one if it wasn't for that green light making me trust her i wouldn't have believed the red light
24:04so much this is emma's thoughts that little princess everyone who protected one of the council elders
24:11walked over gently removed the green verity choker from her neck took out a blade pried the gem loose
24:17right there it rolled onto the table still glowing green steady unchanged the elder picked up the stone
24:26a glowstone that is all your younger daughter's choker was always going to shine green no matter
24:34what she said did or lied about it would never change your so-called verity choker was a fraud
24:43that was her truth for 10 years that was the evidence she used to convict me a common glowstone
24:50that put me in hell while emma lived in paradise so i wasn't a liar i i laughed laughed until
24:58i cried
24:59turns out ghosts could cry too the elder turned to the last page of the journal his voice broke the
25:05handwriting was a mess clearly written while dying mom if i die will the choker stop glowing red or if
25:12it
25:12turns green will you hug me then i'm not lying i couldn't heal myself anymore my stomach hurts so
25:19much like knives next life please don't make me wear the choker please i just want to be a normal
25:27pup
25:27i want to eat mom's roasted meat mom stared at the broken glowstone on the table that truth magic she
25:34trusted without question a worthless stone because of that stone she spoiled emma for 10 years because of
25:41that cursed red light she tortured me for 10 years
25:48mom started laughing her voice cracking in every sound worse than crying fake all fake
25:59i killed my most honest pup and i worshipped a liar she'd lost her mind for real this time
26:08my death became the talk of the entire pack lisa the neighbor who had sent for the pack healer told
26:14everyone what she'd seen every wolf knew by morning luna had starved her own daughter to death monster
26:23murderer she doesn't deserve to be luna stones flew at our door the word killer carved into the wall
26:31the council convened within the day the verdict was swift dad lost his alpha title no wolf would
26:39follow him now my grandfather the former alpha read out the judgment himself he didn't look at his son
26:45once dad walked out of the council hall and never looked back he took emma and left the pack that
26:52same
26:52night emma was a bad seed sure but she was still his blood before they left emma tried to take
26:59her green
26:59choker dad stomped on it why the hell would you want that piece of trash emma cried as he dragged
27:06her
27:06away mom got out of the dungeon the healer said she had lost her mind the council locked her in
27:13the home
27:13instead the one that still smelled like death her mental state deteriorated fast she refused to take
27:20off the red choker she would tighten it herself whenever the guilt got too heavy she said choking was
27:26the only thing that eased it it was her self-imposed punishment i floated in the darkness my wolf curled
27:32beside me watching her unravel day after day she'd talk to the empty corner where i used to stand stella
27:39i brought you some food no celery today it's all roast just how you like it but there was no
27:46food
27:46there was nothing just her hands cupped around air she'd pretend to set a plate down her hands shook
27:53the gem flashed red she was anxious guilty falling apart she smiled but her eyes were empty the gem is
28:02red mom is lying liars don't deserve food she pulled the choker tight with her own hands let it choke
28:10her
28:10her body convulsed against the cold floor it hurts so much is this how stella felt i'm sorry mom started
28:20reenacting my diary entries i couldn't eat celery because of my allergy so she forced herself to eat
28:27spoiled food until she vomited blood then swallowed it back down i was locked in isolation so she locked
28:35herself in my old room lights off and bowed to my portrait until her forehead bled over and over blood
28:43on
28:44the floor late at night she'd see the red glow of the bloodstone reflected on the wall to her it
28:51looked
28:51like my bloody eyes were watching she kept punishing herself the wounds healed slower and slower her wolf
28:59exhausted by months of self-torture slowly fell into a deep sleep mom didn't care she scrawled on the back
29:06of
29:06my journal i'm sorry i was wrong red means pain red means love please come back and say it hurts
29:14hurts
29:14one more time i'll save you i promise too bad i'm dead dead wolves can't cry for help eventually the
29:23new
29:23alpha intervened mom's self-harm had gone too far she'd nearly choked herself to death with her own hands
29:30he ordered her to move to a small hut at the far edge of the village locked from the outside
29:35someone
29:36posted to watch her day and night she was the strangest woman they'd ever seen nobody knew where
29:42she'd found it a frayed red cord tied around her own neck her homemade choker if anyone tried to remove
29:50it she'd snap at them teeth bared snarling wild-eyed don't touch me stella's watching she'll be angry if
29:59you take it every time the guard called her name and brought her food mom would grab the red cord
30:05and
30:06pull it tight against her own throat convulsing screaming red light red light don't punish punish
30:14me i'll eat i'll eat even if the food was scalding hot she'd gulp it down burning her throat wouldn't
30:22spit it out she was reenacting my final moments living my hell on repeat years later emma grew up
30:29without guidance and with a trail of shame behind her she drifted from pack to pack stealing to
30:36survive no one would take her in when she ran out of options she remembered mom was still alive she
30:44slipped back into the silverman pack under the cover of night not for love for money hey crazy lady dad's
30:52dead give me whatever you've been hiding emma stood there face hard eyes full of contempt she looked at
30:59mom's hollow broken form and spat on the floor it's disgusting give me what i want or i'll send you
31:08to
31:08meet your daughter for a moment mom's cloudy eyes cleared she looked at emma and suddenly remembered
31:15that choker that always green glowstone that decade of deception it's you you lie you're the green light that
31:25wasn't there you killed stella give her back to me give her back to me the last shred of maternal
31:33love
31:33twisted into something feral mom lunged grabbed emma by the throat should have died not her you
31:44emma thrashed but couldn't break free from a mad woman's grip the guards rushed in pulled her off emma
31:51stumbled out of the hut terrified she bolted into the forest she didn't get far rogues the kind that
32:01haunted the borderlands preying on anyone foolish enough to run through the trees alone at night emma
32:07never saw them coming by the time she did it was too late she survived barely both legs shattered beyond
32:15repair she'd never walk again meanwhile mom was strapped to her cot staring at the ceiling tears
32:22streaming in her dreams she finally saw me i was 10 again no choker white dress smiling mom she reached
32:32for me crying with joy stella but the moment her hands touched me i burst into ash no she woke
32:41up
32:41screaming if she'd been wearing that choker it would have been blood red eternal torment i stood in the
32:49void watching it all mom strapped to her bed emma in a wheelchair begging on the market dad drunk and
32:56dead in some gutter i felt nothing no satisfaction just a flat dead calm my wolf padded over quietly
33:05she didn't howl didn't nudge just pressed her head against my hand and held it there
33:10in the distance a door of light appeared soft steady waiting i looked at my wolf she looked
33:18at me yeah time to leave this life was too bitter nothing worth holding on to i floated to mom's
33:25hut
33:25one final time she looked ancient hair completely white frail as paper she sent something her cloudy
33:32eyes focused on a point in the air right where i stood stella is that you her trembling hand reached
33:38into the emptiness mom destroyed the choker i don't believe in it anymore come back please i'll cook
33:44for you no salary i'll buy you new dresses not emma tears rolled down her face i looked at the
33:50red marks
33:51on her neck from the frayed cord i i reached out my cold ghostly finger touched her forehead this
33:57was my final mercy sleep mom in sleep there's no pain her eyes fluttered shut she slumped into a deep
34:04dreamless rest a breeze blew through the hut the old journal on her cot flipped open the last page
34:11my dying words stared up at the ceiling but below it in shaky handwriting were new lines written by mom
34:18during a lucid moment next life let me wear the choker let me be the liar punish me however you
34:24want
34:24just don't leave me i stared at those words felt nothing too late repentance means nothing to the dead
34:31mom i don't hate you anymore but i don't love you either let's not meet again i turned away my
34:37wolf
34:38was waiting in the distance the door of light still glowed soft steady patient i looked at my neck the
34:44phantom verity choker still there even in spirit form the nightmare that had changed me for a lifetime
34:50i grabbed it it shattered into nothing i felt weightless free no red light no hunger no lies just freedom
34:58my wolf pressed against my side together we walked toward the light i didn't look back morning came
35:05a guard pushed open the door rachel time to eat no response she walked closer mom's hand clutched the
35:11torn journal a single tear crystallized at the corner of her eye she crouched beside her held two
35:16fingers beneath her nose nothing she was gone passing through the door wasn't violent no spinning
35:22no chaos just warmth like sinking into a spring stream i looked to my side my wolf was gone i
35:29didn't panic i pressed my hand to my chest and there she was steady warm then i heard her voice
35:35not a
35:36whimper not a whine clear and bright and full of life like the first time we met run i shifted
35:42four paws
35:43hit the ground and i ran through forests that smelled of pine and rain through cold shallow streams that
35:50splashed silver around my legs through meadows i had never seen but somehow knew my white fur caught
35:55the light my paws were sure my lungs were full my body was strong no choker around my throat no
36:03red light
36:03no hunger the lingering ache in my soul the phantom pain of 10 years started to fade with every step
36:10i ran
36:11toward brightness behind me old life dissolved like a worn photograph left out in the rain mom's final tear
36:18the red glow of the choker blood on the journal pages gone i didn't look back that 10-year nightmare
36:25was finally truly over when i opened my eyes again i was tiny wrapped in soft blankets someone was humming
36:36a woman's voice gentle off key but full of love her fingers brushed my cheek the scent of wildflowers
36:44not the cold clinical distance of my old mother not the silence of someone who only touched me to
36:50punish i blinked up at her she had kind eyes a soft smile she cradled me like i was made
36:57of glass
36:58grace is awake honey come quick our daughter just opened her eyes a man appeared tall a little awkward
37:07but his face lit up when he saw me he touched my tiny hand with one finger his voice was
37:13deep warm
37:15hey grace i'm your dad
37:19grace not stella no weight no chains no red light just grace a name that meant something light
37:27something cherished this house was small but warm full of light cartoon painting on the walls flowers by
37:36the window sunlight pouring through the windows warm on the floor i realized fast this family was nothing
37:43like the last one they never forced me to do anything there were no chokers no red lights no punishments
37:50for things i hadn't done i grew learned to crawl to talk and when i was three mom made a
37:58stew with celery
37:59the green stalks in the bowl triggered me i flashed back to choking throat swelling vomiting blood i
38:06stumbled backwards shaking tears came without permission mom immediately put down her spoon crouched
38:13pulled me into a hug grace what's wrong you don't like celery i couldn't speak just shook my
38:20head sobbing dad knelt too rubbed my back hey it's okay you don't have to eat it can you tell
38:28us why
38:28their eyes were patient gentle finally i choked out it hurts my throat makes me bleed they didn't say
38:38the verity choker doesn't lie they didn't accuse me of faking they took me to the pack healer immediately
38:45turns out i really do have a celery allergy after that celery never appeared in the house again
38:51mom added it to her market list grace's allergies celery she checked every time she shopped i lay
38:59in her arms that night smelling wild flowers and realized this is what it feels like to be believed
39:05love isn't measured by a stone it's listening even when the story sounds impossible when i was four
39:13dad took me to the pack healer for my first health check there was a blood draw i saw the
39:18needle and
39:18lost it flashes of the choker tightening around my throat flashes of starvation i screamed clung to
39:26dad's leg the healer sighed i couldn't stop shaking don't punish me i'm not lying dad immediately scooped me
39:35up sorry she's not ready we'll come back another time on the walk home dad didn't scold me for being
39:40weak he just asked gently grace did someone hurt you before i buried my face in his shoulder tears
39:49soaking his shirt mom joker red light i couldn't explain it clearly but he listened nodded it's okay
39:59dad's here now no one's ever hurting you again from then on they took me to the pack healer regularly
40:06not for blood draws just to talk she has been hurt be patient with her my parents never complained
40:13never made me feel like a burden they bought me a colorful necklace but never forced me to wear it
40:19this is just a pretty thing grace wear it if you want take it off if you don't we'll love
40:24you either
40:25way slowly i started to heal i could say i don't like this without fear i could say i'm scared
40:33i could
40:34say i want that i didn't have to worry about my heart racing being proof of a lie i started
40:40sharing my
40:40stories with them i cried when i didn't get a toy i laughed when i got praise i was finally
40:47just a pup
40:47a normal loved pup
40:53when i turned seven i started at the pack school there was a girl in my class annie sullivan she
40:59looked
40:59exactly like emma same eyes but her hair was shorter and she was timid scared the first time
41:08i saw her my heart clenched flashbacks emma's smug grin the green light mocking me i stepped back
41:16instinctively annie noticed she looked down voice barely a whisper i'm annie do you want to be friends
41:26her tone was so careful so desperate to please just like i used to be i glanced at her neck
41:32she wore a
41:33simple choker with green gem my stomach turned later i found out annie's mom was strict too
41:41demanded honesty locked her in her room without food when she made mistakes one day annie accidentally
41:48knocked over the teacher's ink pot she was trembling too scared to admit it i saw her face red rimmed
41:55eyes
41:55barely holding back tears i remembered myself at that desk writing i am a liar over and over i walked
42:03over took her hand annie it's okay accidents happen let's tell the teacher together she won't be mad
42:13annie looked at me shocked but mom says liars are bad wolves being honest isn't about never making mistakes
42:20it's about owning up when you do and even if you tell the truth you shouldn't be punished for it
42:26if the teacher gets angry i'll stand with you if your mom gets angry come to my house my parents
42:32will
42:32help i gave her the courage i never had she confessed the teacher forgave her told her to be more
42:38careful
42:39next time from that day on we have been best friends i brought annie home to meet my parents she
42:45saw how
42:45warm they were how they didn't yell didn't punish little things i told her you don't have to make
42:52everyone happy you're allowed to feel things say things one day annie's mom came to pick her up from
43:00school she saw us together and her face twisted she grabbed annie's hand did you mess up again
43:08is grace covering for you annie immediately looked down silent i stepped in front of her looked at the
43:14mom in the eye ma'am annie didn't do anything wrong she's a good pup you shouldn't always assume the
43:22worst she's scared of you the mom froze looked at me then at annie's tear-filled eyes her expression
43:32softened that night she called my mom thanked her said i'd opened her eyes over time annie's mom got
43:39gentle started listening instead of yelling and annie she blossomed confident happy i watched her
43:47laugh freely one day and felt this warmth in my chest i didn't get saved in my last life i
43:53suffered
43:54alone in the dark but this time i could save someone else i could stop another stella from happening
44:00maybe that's the gift my past life gave me the ability to see pain and to heal it when i
44:07was 10
44:07my parents took me to visit grandma there was an old oak tree in her yard its branches spread wide
44:13casting shade over the whole garden i sat beneath it watching sunlight filter through the leaves
44:18my wolf dozed inside me warm and content then i saw her an old woman white hair hunched over a
44:25walking
44:25stick wearing a faded blue dress the second i saw her face i froze she looked exactly like rachel
44:33my old mother grandma noticed me too walked over slowly her eyes were hazy but there was something
44:39familiar in them something heavy what's your name child grace she repeated it softly grace that's a
44:45beautiful name she reached out like she wanted to touch my hair then hesitated pulled back like she was
44:51afraid of disturbing something sacred my mom came over steadied her mom this is our daughter grace so she
44:58was my grandma in this life too over the next few days grandma watched me constantly her expression
45:04was unreadable one morning she brought me a bowl of roasted meat grace eat up this used to be your
45:09favorite i stared at the bowl in my last life i wrote in my dying breath i want to eat
45:15mom's roasted
45:16meat and here was grandma saying those exact words tears blurred my vision this wasn't some distant wish
45:22anymore it was real right in front of me i picked up a piece bit into it tender sweet perfect
45:29grandma
45:30smiled a tired guilty smile that night lying in bed with my wolf curled warm inside my chest i thought
45:37about rachel's last words next life let me wear the choker let me be the liar punish me however you
45:43want
45:44just don't leave me i thought about her final tear the torn journal i didn't hate her anymore
45:49hating someone is like locking yourself in the past chewing on pain forever this life's warmth had
45:55already washed away the bitterness i just felt sad sad that she only understood too late real love was
46:02never about stones or punishment we stayed for a month then went back home before i left she held my
46:08hand grace live well be happy her voice was soft but heavy with meaning i nodded you too grandma i
46:15watched
46:15her walk away and i felt nothing no anger no grief the grudges of my past life were like fallen
46:22leaves
46:22blown away by the wind i wasn't stella anymore the girl locked in the dark choking on a lie i
46:28was grace
46:29sterling surrounded by love free at 13 i graduated from pack school got into the best academy in the
46:36region my parents took me to the lake for a picnic to celebrate i stood at the edge of the
46:40water wind in
46:41my hair the scent of pine and cold water on my skin i stretched out my arms feeling the freedom
46:48for a
46:48moment i saw her my ghost self floating desperate to hug someone but passing right through grace what
46:56are you thinking dad handed me a drink i smiled just i'm grateful to be alive to be with you
47:02both mom
47:02pulled me into a hug silly girl we're the lucky ones no one said anything we all just shifted at
47:09the same
47:10time like we'd done it a hundred times before we ran together through the trees through the shallow edge
47:15of the lake water spraying silver around our paws eventually i slowed down turned and threw myself at
47:22them we tumbled into the grass together mom nuzzled her head against mine dad licked the top of my head
47:28with lazy affection i pressed into them both and stayed there breathing hard warm all the way through
47:35i looked up at the sky through the canopy of trees i didn't need to prove i wasn't a liar
47:40anymore
47:40i didn't need to fear a red light i could laugh cry speak freely i had parents who loved me
47:47a best
47:47friend a healthy body a bright future this was the life i died wishing for that night i wrote in
47:55my journal
47:55not the blood-stained confessions of my old life this one was full of happiness growth love i wrote
48:02today we ran by the lake mom and dad shifted with me without saying a word we tumbled in the
48:08grass like
48:09pups i thought about my past self that little girl locked in a room choking in the dark desperate to
48:15be loved she'd never believe that i could be this happy mom and dad love me they taught me that
48:21honesty
48:21isn't something you punish out of someone it's something you grow with patience and warmth annie is my
48:27best friend now she laughs freely she speaks without flinching grandma is getting older but her eyes
48:34are warm when she looks at me my wolf grows stronger every day with her beside me i feel at
48:40ease i don't
48:41hate anyone anymore i don't cling to the past those painful memories are like paw prints in the mud
48:47washed away by rain but they taught me to cherish every step forward i know my old mom sister and
48:54dad
48:54got what they deserved and i finally broke free i found real freedom i don't want to see them again
49:01i don't want to relive that life i just want to be gray simple happy loved the lake was beautiful
49:08life
49:08was beautiful i closed my journal looked out the window moonlight shimmered on the water through the
49:13trees my wolf stirred softly inside my chest warm steady i smiled this life i finally became who i wanted
49:21to
49:22be no red light no starvation no lies just love freedom happiness and those scars from my past they
49:30became part of me proof that i had survived proof that darkness no matter how long it lasts cannot
49:35swallow you whole not if you keep moving toward the light the road ahead is long but i will walk
49:41it
49:41with courage with joy towards something even brighter
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