Chapter 156
The day started like any other. The twins woke me up before the sun had fully risen, their excited chatter filling the room as they begged for pancakes. Logan tugged at my hand, his bright eyes wide with anticipation, while Lily clutched her stuffed wolf, nodding along silently.
“Alright, alright,” I said, feigning exhaustion as I got out of bed. “Let’s get those pancakes going.”
By the time we made it to the kitchen, Sophie was already there, sipping coffee and scrolling through her tablet. She raised an eyebrow at my disheveled state but said nothing, smirking as I attempted to wrangle the twins into sitting still while I cooked.
“You’ve got syrup in your hair,” she commented casually, sipping her coffee.
I groaned, swiping at my hair with a dish towel as Logan giggled. “This is what I get for trying to be nice,” I muttered, glaring at the sticky twins.
The morning passed peacefully, the kitchen alive with laughter and the occasional crash as the twins’ enthusiasm got the better of them. For a moment, everything felt normal—simple, even.
It wasn’t until mid-morning that I saw Tammy. She was sitting on the bench in the garden, staring off into the distance. Her usual haughty air was gone, replaced by a heavy, almost defeated posture. Her hands were clasped tightly in her lap, and there was a faraway look in her eyes.
I hesitated, unsure whether to approach her. Tammy wasn’t exactly known for being approachable, but something about her demeanor tugged at me.
“Hey,” Sophie said, appearing at my side. “What are you staring at?”
I gestured toward Tammy. “She looks... off.”
Sophie followed my gaze, her expression softening slightly. “She does. You think we should talk to her?”
I nodded. “I think we should try.”
We walked over together, our footsteps crunching softly on the gravel path. Tammy didn’t look up as we approached, her gaze fixed on the horizon.
“Hey, Tammy,” I said gently.
She blinked, startled, and quickly wiped at her face as if she’d been crying. “What do you want?”
Her tone wasn’t as sharp as usual, and that alone set off alarm bells in my head.
“We just wanted to check on you,” Sophie said, her voice unusually soft. “You’ve been... quiet lately.”
Tammy let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. “Quiet? That’s a new one.”
Sophie and I exchanged a glance before sitting down on either side of her.
“Seriously, Tammy,” I said. “Are you okay? You can talk to us.”
She hesitated, her hands fidgeting in her lap. For a moment, I thought she might actually open up, but then she shook her head again.
“It’s nothing,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
“It doesn’t look like nothing,” Sophie pressed.
Tammy looked down, her shoulders slumping. “I just... I don’t belong here,” she said finally. “I don’t know why I even bother trying.”
Her words were quiet, but they carried a weight that made my chest ache.
“Of course you belong here,” I said quickly. “You’re part of the pack now.”
She let out another bitter laugh. “Am I? Because it doesn’t feel like it. Everyone hates me. You hate me.”
“I don’t hate you,” I said, surprised by how much I meant it. “I just... I didn’t understand you before.”
Tammy looked at me then, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “You don’t understand anything.”
Her words stung, but I didn’t back down. “Then help me understand,” I said. “Tell me what’s going on.”
She opened her mouth to respond but quickly shut it again, her gaze darting to the ground. “I can’t,” she said, her voice trembling. “You wouldn’t get it.”
“Try us,” Sophie said gently.
Tammy shook her head, standing abruptly. “Just... leave me alone, okay?”
She walked away before we could say anything else, her shoulders hunched as if carrying an invisible weight.
The rest of the day felt heavy. Sophie and I couldn’t stop thinking about Tammy’s words, and the look in her eyes haunted me.
“She’s hiding something,” Sophie said later, as we sat in the kitchen sipping tea.
“I know,” I said, staring into my cup. “But what? And why won’t she talk to us?”
Sophie shrugged. “Maybe she’s scared. Maybe it’s her father.”
The mention of Joseph made my stomach churn. “I wouldn’t be surprised,” I muttered.
We sat in silence for a while, the weight of the conversation pressing down on us.
That evening, I saw Tammy again. She was standing near the training grounds, watching a group of warriors spar. Her expression was unreadable, but there was a tension in her posture that hadn’t been there before.
I considered approaching her again but decided against it. She’d made it clear she didn’t want to talk, and I didn’t want to push her further away.
As I turned to leave, I caught sight of Joseph walking toward her. My heart sank. His presence was always unsettling, but the way Tammy stiffened when she saw him made my chest tighten.
I stayed back, watching as they exchanged words. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but Joseph’s expression was hard, and Tammy’s shoulders slumped even further.
When Joseph walked away, Tammy didn’t move. She stood there for a long time, staring at the ground.
I wanted to go to her, to offer some kind of comfort, but I knew she wouldn’t accept it.
The day ended quietly, but the unease lingered. Tammy’s sadness, her reluctance to open up, and Joseph’s looming presence—it all felt like pieces of a puzzle I couldn’t quite put together.
As I lay in bed that night, staring at the ceiling, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to break. Tammy was teetering on the edge of something, and I wasn’t sure if I could pull her back.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
