The Lightning Wolf Chronicles Novel

Chapter 22: I'm Used to It Evelyn's POV : 80 Hot water poured down, washing away dirt and the mess of last night. I closed my eyes, letting the steam fill the bathroom like a warm barrier between me and everything waiting outside. You should give them a chance, my wolf said quietly. Why now? I shot back. After all this time? Because they finally see you. Really see you. I opened my eyes, watching water drip from my fingertips. Maybe she was right, but accepting help felt scarier than enduring pain. At least pain was familiar. Damage can heal, she added. Like the scars on your back.

I sighed and turned off the water. Maybe she was right, but accepting change felt harder than enduring pain. At least pain was familiar. Being cared for? That was foreign territory. After drying off and changing into clean clothes, I stared at myself in the mirror. Still pale, but at least my eyes weren't red and swollen anymore. Time to face whatever was waiting downstairs. Elliot was probably gone by now, right? I'd been in the bathroom forever. Maybe he'd given up and left to do his own thing.

But when I reached the kitchen, there he was sitting at the dining table with a book spread out in front of him, obviously waiting. The second he heard my footsteps, he looked up with this complex expression - hope, nervousness, and barely hidden guilt. I wanted to turn around and bolt, but my feet wouldn't move. "Don't go," Elliot stood up, moving carefully like I might spook. "Please, Evie. Just talk to me, okay?" He walked over and gently took my hand. His was warm, carrying that familiar sense of safety I remembered from when we were kids.

How long had it been since we'd touched like this? After a few seconds of hesitation, I nodded and let him lead me to the table. My eyes automatically scanned the room. Elliot caught my movement and smiled. "Relax. Dad's at the pack house- emergency meeting." He headed to the kitchen. "You must be starving. I made breakfast." I watched him move around like he actually knew what he was doing. Soon he set down a simple but perfect breakfast - fried eggs, bacon, 1/4 11:36 Thu, Jan 8 M... Chapter 22: I'm Used to It toast, and hot cocoa. All my favorites.

80 "Thanks," I said quietly, picking up my fork. Elliot sat across from me with a coffee cup, but I noticed he wasn't drinking. Just watching me with this intense focus that made my skin crawl. "This morning..." he finally spoke, voice soft. "How come you overslept?" My hand paused for a split second before I kept eating. I knew what he was fishing for. "I was wiped out last night," I said, not meeting his eyes. "And I cried myself sick, so I didn't hear my alarm." Not exactly a lie. I had cried hard and I was exhausted. I just left out some details.

Elliot stared at me for what felt like forever. I could feel the weight of his gaze, but I refused to look up. Finally, he sighed and dropped it. "Evie," his voice got gentler, heavy with regret. "I'm so sorry. Really, truly sorry." I kept eating and waited for him to continue. "I've been a shit brother all these years," he said, gripping his coffee cup so tight his knuckles went white. "I watched you suffer, watched you handle everything alone, and I just... I looked the other way. Told myself it was better that way, that it would keep Dad from getting worse with you. But really?

I was just being a coward." - His voice shook. "I should've protected you. Should've had your back. But I didn't. I took the easy way out pretending I didn't see anything, pretending you didn't need me." "Things are gonna be different now," he looked up, eyes full of determination. "I'll protect you. I'll stand with you. I don't care what Dad says or what it costs me. You're my sister, my only real family." I finally put down my fork and looked at him. His expression was so sincere, so pained, it almost made me believe him. Almost. "You don't need to," I said calmly.

Elliot blinked, "What?" "I said you don't need to," I repeated, keeping my voice steady. "I'm used to it." "Evie..." "You've never paid attention to this stuff happening around you," I cut him off. "I don't blame you for that. You're future leaders you've got bigger things to worry about. The pack's future, power transitions. That's what matters to you guys." 2/4 11:36 Thu, Jan 8 M Chapter 22: I'm Used to It I paused, organizing my thoughts, "If you only want to protect me now because I'm suddenly part of your group, then forget it.

I don't need that kind of protection." "It's not like that," Elliot said urgently. "We really..." "Nadia figured out I was hurt within a week of getting here," I continued, looking straight at him. 'Delta Griffin and Luna Isabella have been secretly taking care of me for years. They saw it, they cared, they helped. All of that happened before any of you noticed I existed. Elliot's face went pale, but I wasn't done. "So you see, I can handle it. Not because I'm tough, but because there are always people who help when I need it most.

Those people just weren't you." "We want to change that now..." Elliot's voice was almost begging. "Change what?" I asked. "Those rules you guys live by? Or just how you treat me specifically?" He went quiet. "See, that's the problem," my voice got softer, like I was talking to myself. "I'm no different from all those other bullied kids. We all live in this pack that worships strength and ignores weakness. If I get special treatment because I'm related to you, what about everyone else?" I met his eyes.

"If weak people suffering is just considered natural, then I'd rather keep suffering with them. At least that way, maybe they'll hurt a little less." "Evie..." Elliot's voice cracked. - "So let's just pretend last night never happened," I stood up. "You go back to your perfect lives training, parties, preparing to be great leaders. I'll go back to mine, protecting whoever needs it, doing what I can from the shadows." I turned to leave but stopped at the doorway.

Maybe it was the morning sunlight being too warm, or the pain in his eyes being too real, but I heard myself add: "Until I leave," Behind me, a chair scraped violently against the floor, but I didn't turn around. If I looked back and saw his face, I might cave. And caving was the last thing I needed right now. Are you really gonna leave? my wolf asked. Yeah. When I'm strong enough. When those kids have someone else looking out for them. A life without them? 3/4 11:36 Thu, Jan 8 01 Chapter 22: I'm Used to It A life without all this baggage. "Leave?" Elliot's voice cracked. "Where?

Why?" : I turned back, leaning against the doorframe. "Leave this pack. Go somewhere I'm actually needed." "This is your home! This place needs you!" I laughed, but there was no humor in it. "Here? This place that treats me like I'm invisible? This place that thinks I'm a walking reminder of tragedy? Elliot, you really think anyone here needs me?" Comments 5 Write Comments SHARE 11:36 Thu, Jan 8 M... The Lightning Wolf Chronicles admin