CHAPTER 56
ANNA’S POV
“I can’t believe this,” Mom whispered, shaking her head slowly before she turned and walked straight out
of the room. Her footsteps were quick, her shoulders stiff with anger and grief, and the sound of the door
closing behind her was making it seem as if it was a death sentence.
“Mom!” I screamed, panic tearing out of me as I tried to stand, but my legs wobbled. Ryan caught me
almost immediately and pushed me gently but firmly back down.
“Anna, wait-” he said quickly, his voice tight but trying to stay calm. His hands were firm on my arms,
steadying me. “Mom just needs time. She’ll learn to accept it.”
“No!” I shaook my head furiously, my tears falling so fast they blurred my vision. “Don’t say that, Ryan, don’t you see? She’s disappointed, Ryan, so disappointed. In us… in me most of all!” My voice cracked, and I pressed my hands against my face, sobbing. “I swore I would never disappoint her. She took me in, Ryan, she raised me like I was hers, she loved me like I was her real daughter… and now I’ve thrown it all
back in her face. I’ve broken her heart!”
Ryan reached up, cupped my face with both hands, forcing me to look at him. “Anna, stop. Don’t put all of this on yourself. This isn’t just you, it’s me too. We both did this. If Mom’s angry, she’s angry at both of us, not only you. You’re not alone in this, baby. I promise, she’ll come around sooner or later.”
That word, both of us‘, was making something inside me twist. For him it sounded simple, like we were equal in this, like Mom would carry her disappointment the same way for both of us. But I knew better. I felt it in my bones, in the way she looked at me now… in the way her tears weren’t just about anger but
betryaal…
“You’re wrong, Ryan… not the both of us. But Me.”
He frowned, his thumb brushing over my cheek. “Anna, what are you talking about?”
“She’ll forgive you,” I said, my voice trembling, my tears choking me. “You’re her real son, Ryan. Her blood. But me? I’m not her real daughter, I’m adopted. She gave me everything, treated me like her own, and this is how I repay her? By betryaying her with her son?” My voice broke into a sob. “She’ll never forgive me. Never. She’ll hate me forever.”
Ryan shaook his head quickly. “No, Anna, stop saying that. Don’t think like that. You mean as much to
her as I do. You’re-”
“No, Ryan!” I snapped, my body shaking as the words exploded out of me. “Don’t lie to me! You’ll always be her blood, her son. She’ll forgive you no matter what you do. But me? I’ll always be the mistake she regrets taking in, the adopted daughter who ruined her life. That’s what I am to her now!”
1/3
56
+15 BONUS
The silence that followed was making it worse. Ryan’s lips parted, but nothing came out. He just stared at me like he didn’t know how to fight what I was saying. That silence ripped something wide open in
- me.
“And it’s your fault!” I screamed suddenly, my voice raw and burning as the tears poured harder.” Everything is your fault! Why did you do it? Why did you pour your seed inside me? Why did you make me pregnant, Ryan? You ruined me! You ruined everything!” My fists hit against his chest weakly as I sobbed. “If you hadn’t done it, I wouldn’t be here, I wouldn’t be breaking, I wouldn’t have to see Mom look at me like I was nothing but shame to her! You caused this!”
He flinched at my words as if I had struck him, his face pale, his eyes wide. “Anna… please-”
“You don’t get it!” I cut him off, my voice breaking, my chest heaving so hard it hurt. “You don’t know what you’ve done to me. I don’t even know who I am anymore. Kellan said wolf blood–wolf blood, Ryan! What does that even mean? My whole life I thought I was human, I thought I was normal, and now I don’t even know what I am anymore. And it all started with you. It all started with your mark, with what you did. You broke me, Ryan, and now Mom will never see me the same again.”
He looked devastated, his face tight with shock, his eyes flickering with panic, but I wasn’t finished.
“You know what hurts the most?” My voice shook as I whispered, and then I looked him in the eye. “That Mom will forgive you because you’re her real son. But me? I’m nothing to her now. She’ll hate me forever.
And it’s all because of you!”
Ryan’s face drained of color, his body stiff, his lips parting as if he wanted to say something but the words never came. His silence felt like proof, like confirmation of my worst fears. It destroyed me.
I wiped my face roughly, my hands shaking. “I can’t do this. I can’t even look at you right now. I can’t
breathe.”
“Anna-” he begged, reaching for my arm.
I yanked away violently. “Don’t touch me!” My scream tore out of me, raw, desperate. “Just don’t!”
I stumbled to my feet and bolted out of the room, my legs barely keeping me upright, my vision blurred with tears. “Mom!” I cried down the hall, my voice echoing, breaking. “Mom, please!” But the hallway was
empty. She was gone.
The emptiness was crushing me. My knees buckled, and I slid down against the wall, collapsing on the cold floor, my sobs uncontrollable. I buried my face in my hands, crying so hard I could barely breathe.
“Mom,” I choked out, my voice breaking apart. “I’m sorry… I’m so sorry… please don’t hate me… please forgive me… I didn’t mean to… I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…”
