Not Giving In

"No, I won't" Ethel shook her head firmly in front of her parents. 

Her mother reached forward and grabbed her both hands. 

"You have to, Ethel, you have to help us with this, for your sister, for your family, for us and for you" Her mother said softly, trying hard to convince Ethel. 

"No, I can't mum. You just have to tell Alpha Carl that his mate had an accident and is in a coma right now. He would have Lucy when she wakes up. How... How can I act as a substitute mate? I... I can't" She shook her head.

"You are going to be doing it. There is no other way out of this. You have to!" Her father's tone was completely different from her mother's tone. 

It held not even a single bit of softness or emotions for her in it. 

"It's not like you have a wolf side or a mate anyways and you getting any of the two is almost an impossibility. You should be grateful to get this chance"

Ethel lowered her face and bit hard on her lower lips, trying to convince herself that her father's words did not matter to her and she was unaffected by it but she knew it was all a lie. She was affected by those words the most after all the words were true, no wolf side, no mate and she was freaking 25 already!

"Don't talk to her that way, Matthew" Ethel's mother smacked his right shoulder lightly. 

"I am only telling the truth. She most probably would live in our house till the end of her life anyways, so she would better be grateful and do something to repay the favor we have been doing for her" he snorted and walked towards the pile of books on Ethel's table. 

"Books?" He scoffed and grabbed one of the books, tearing them into pieces. 

"We are wolves! We fight! We believe in our strength! Not these stupid, silly books you engage yourself in everyday of your life!" He spat and tore another book apart. 

Ethel could feel her heart crumbling. Her father did not used to be like this. Even though it was clear he didn't like her that much, he didn't hate her either but when her 18th birthday had come and she could not shift, his hatred had started to build for her and his love for her twin sister had started to increase.

"You are useless!" He spat.

"Matthew!" Her mother called his name loud, making her father stop for a moment with a heavy breath. 

"Ethel, this is your only chance to do something for the family, your only chance to actually be useful! And you are not wasting that chance!" He spat and walked towards the door.

He held onto the door knob and stopped. 

"I really do regret that I ever had you"

Those words made Ethel break into fresh tears. How could her father hate her this much for something she could not control? Was it her fault that the moon goddess never for once listened to her pleas to let her shift? If only she had her shift, even if she was an omega, Ethel was sure that her father would not hate her this much but she was completely, totally useless. 

Her shoulders shook with quiet sobs like she was used to. She was not allowed to cry out loud as she would only be laughed at by her father and by her twin sister. 

"Ethel" her mother called in that same soft tone and pulled Ethel up from the chair that she was seated on. 

She raised Ethel's face up and gently wiped the tears off her face. 

"Your father doesn't hate you" she said to her but Ethel knew that was a lie. 

The only person who loved her a bit in the world was her mother and that love was one she could not tell if it was out of pity for her poor, wolfless daughter or if it was really a true love. 

"He is just mad and annoyed because Lucy is in a coma"

"But... But it is not my fault that Lucy is in a coma" Ethel cried. 

"I know, I know that but it doesn't change that he is sad that his daughter is in coma"

"If... If I was the one in coma, I am sure he would be glad"

"Don't say that, Ethel. He does not want any of you hurt or in danger"

"He blames me for everything, doesn't he? I am sure he thinks my bad luck made Lucy get into that accident. I am sure he hates me more than anything. I am sure if I was on life support, he would be pulling out the plug from the socket"

Ethel's mother sighed and pulled Ethel close, into her arms to comfort her.

"He does not hate you" she whispered, patting Ethel's back. 

Ethel didn't argue anymore but she knew it herself that he hated her. For the past three years, her father would not hesitate to tell her how much he hated her when she made the slightest mistake and would not hesitate telling her about the glories of Lucy, her twin sister and nobody outside their house walls seemed to remember that Ethel existed. 

As Ethel rested into the arms of her mother, enjoying the motherly warmth that she could only get occasionally, she thought back to two weeks ago when Lucy had finally found her mate and it had turned out to be the Alpha, everyone was happy about it and Ethel was too. 

She was really happy for her sister but her father wouldn't let her happiness last, he had taunted her with her inability to do a thing while her sister had even got an Alpha as her mate!

Now just two days ago, Lucy had gone out with her friends to have fun and celebrate the last few days before she would move into the home of her mate but while coming back, she had met with an accident, one so fatal that even a strong wolf like Lucy had fallen into coma, one that would take at least three months before she would wake up from. 

They were all saddened by the news but her father had asked it to be kept a secret in their family and the accident to be regarded as a minor accident. 

While they all wondered what potions he was going to use to wake Lucy up, he actually had no plans to wake Lucy up, he only had plans to make Ethel turn into Lucy and that was the last thing Ethel wanted to do. Pretending to be someone else, in front of Alpha Carl! It was the same thing as digging her grave once he found it out but her father wouldn't care to listen, he wanted to be the father of the Luna and he wanted that as soon as possible.

Finally regaining her composure, Ethel pulled away from her mother's embrace and wiped her teary cheek with her hands. 

"Tell father that I would not succumb to his wishes this time around. He has labelled me useless and... And I would just stay useless then."

"Ethel...." Her mother tried to speak and make her see reasons with them but Ethel was no longer interested in listening. 

"Not anymore, mum. Just a moment of peace, please"

Her mother sighed and slowly walked out of the room, hoping that Ethel would give in soon because she was sure that her husband would not let go until Ethel had given in.