My wolf instinct pushes me to tighten my grip around Cara's neck and slam her against the wall.

The gasp that emits from her makes me smile even as I trembled one anger.

Frustrated tears fill my eyes and blur my eyesight. I grit my teeth together in an attempt to keep my emotions in check before my wolf takes complete control.

"You know," I seethe as she choked against my hold. "You're a fucking bitch."

I soften my grip, willing to hear her response. The only response I hear was a laugh that immediately turned into a fits of coughing.

"How do you think Theo will react if I tell him about what you've done?" I question. Then, I release her neck and drop my hands to my side in a form of a fist.

Her lips curve into a mocking smile and it feeds my bitterness.

Someone must really want to die.

"Who do you think Theo will believe more?" She instigates. "His soft and innocent little sister or some overbearing stranger who can't keep her temper in check.?"

"Soft and innocent my ass," I dryly laugh out.

She ignores me and continues with a smug expression, stating, "Do you really think Theo will ever believe you? You were a rogue, for God's sake! Do you even know anything about this pack? Anything about any of us? Anything about Theo?!

Ask yourself, when has anyone ever trusted you with anything?"

I clench my jaw as her words sent a stab to my heart. The headache in my head that's been showing it's presence since earlier pulsed more painfully than the one before. All this was contributing to my growing frustration. I hiss out as I force myself to keep my tears in.

When she didn't hear a response from me, she proceeds, "Reality check, Alexandria, you'll never be good enough. But it's not like you try to be good enough anyways. Ian says you were an arrogant little girl, by the way."

I scoff and breath out, "How would you know?"

"Oh trust me, I know everything," she mocks. "I know how you're always the second choice. Second choice to your parents. Second choice to Ian. And now, second choice to Theo. What a sad fucking life."

I fought hard not to blink and my eyesight blurs even more. I dig my fingers on the palm of my hands hard enough that I feel the stinging of a cut on my skin as as a way to keep myself together. It healed as fast as I inflicted it.

Unfortunately, Cara was trying her hardest to destroy my plan of stopping myself from killing her.

"The only time you were ever a first option was the moment your parents gave you to the rogues as a guinea pig instead of their beloved son," she cackled.

That did it. I felt hurt, embarrassed, and powerless.

Second choice.

My muscles were tense and I was shaking from anger. My jaw was clenched and my mouth felt as dry as a desert.

I bare my teeth as my surrounding seem to fade. My mind forced me to mute out everything and I was trying my best not to lash out of anger. I felt pained emotionally and physically from the throbbing in my head.

Not good enough.

But that did it. I was done keeping myself in check and keeping this talking bitch alive. I was ready to end her life.

I meet her eyes and for the first time, she shows pure fright.

"FELI—," She screams, only to be stopped by my hands on her bruised neck once again. Only this time my grip was tighter and my wolf's claws left a scar on her neck.

Cara struggles for air and she brings up her hands to mine, trying so hard to pull them off her.

"Who's laughing now?" I taunt her.

Her eyes moisten and she results to kicking me with her legs in an attempt to save her life. She's taking too long to die.

Suddenly, she stops and her eyes turn into a bright shade of green. Heavy footsteps enters my ears and the door slams open.

A concerned Felix stares at me with wide eyes. Still, he doesn't stop and only gives me a pitiful look.

What is it that I don't know?

Rushed footsteps follow Felix and Theo's scent overcomes my senses before he enters the door. He charges towards me and pulls me away from Cara, making me stumble but not enough to make me fall to the floor.

I watch in silence as Theo held a sobbing Cara to his chest. He pelts her with comforting words and places his lips on the top of her head.

"Second," Cara's mocking voice enters my mind and voids out all other thoughts. An embarrassing tear drops and falls down my cheek. I didn't wipe it off and merely look down on the ground in shame.

Then, I notice Emilio and Scarlett's presence join them. Emilio's eyes dart towards the siblings and I while Scarlett immediately stormed towards Cara. She pulls in Cara for a hug, causing Theo to return to reality—me.

Realization dawns Emilio and he blurts out, "Oh shit."

Him and Felix remain by the open doorway as they look at me with what seemed like pity.

Theo refuses to look back where I was and analyzes Cara's bruising neck, his thumb caressing her bright red skin. Scarlett holds her hands and comforts her. Soon enough, her sobs started to die down, but still existent.

How beautiful.

Abruptly, Scarlett snaps her head and meets my gaze with hatred. When she hears another sob from Cara, her eyes soften and she coos, "It's okay, it's okay. I'm here."

I almost cackled as I taste the saltiness from my tears.

"What did she do?" Scarlett demands from Cara. She spits her words with clear bitterness.

I eye Theo as his back tenses and it was almost enough to make me break down.

"She—she—," she slurs. I almost gasp in disbelief. "All I said was that her mother wishes her well then she lost her temper and starting choking me. What did I do wrong?! Any mother would wish her child well if she misses them."

Lies. Lies. Lies.

She fully knows what that simple statement would do to me and she's making herself sound like some saint.

Everyone looks at me for a response and for the first time, Theo turns to me. It made me wish that he didn't.

He watches my tear stained face with an emotionless expression—so void of emotion that it scared me.

"Is it true?" Theo asks, painfully waiting for my response as he held his trust for me with a thin strong.

"Yes," I say shortly and search for any signs of faith in his eyes. When I didn't see any, another tear falls down my cheek.

"Then why?" he questions me with so much hopelessness and disapproval that it sent an aching pang to my heart.

"She was mocking me Theo—she was making fun of me. Of everything about me. She was ridiculing me, Theo—," I try to explain in a fit of tears that I didn't try to keep in anymore.

"She was harmless Alexandria!" Scarlett disrupts me. "She didn't do anything wrong, you disgusting rogue!"

Theo doesn't say anything and I look at him pleadingly with tear-filled eyes.

"To you, it might not mean anything, but to me it did, okay?!" I exasperate stopping in between to control a sob.

Scarlett scoffs and spat, "You should be glad you have a mother alive and wishing you well!"

That broke me. Suddenly, my mouth felt drier than it was prior. I look down on my feet, wishing so much for this to end and the desire to be alone. I control the urge to laugh as a form of coping.

I hear Theo sigh and feel his finger on my chin, lifting it up so that my eyes meet his once passionate grey eyes.

"Tell me, Alexandria. Tell me why you're acting like this," he almost pleads.

I look at him, analyzing his uncertainty and worn out expression.

"Why should I? It's not like you tell me anything either?" I spat. I explained myself once and I refuse to beg for someone's approval.

Hurt flashes through his eyes before a stoic expression returns. His hands curl into fists.

"Felix, have her patrol the borders starting tonight and for the rest of the month as her punishment," he commands.

Felix nods in response and I refused to say anything, not sure of what I was really feeling. I was tired of these people—of anyone.

Then, he turns to Cara, his tone softening. Jerk. "Get dressed Cara. We haven't done a sibling day in a while."

A disbelieving laugh from me disrupts them. Really Theo?

"Anything wrong?" Scarlett sneers.

"Do you all want to know the real difference between rogue packs and werewolf packs?" I ask. When the only reply was silence I continue, "It's that in rogue packs, everyone is treated and punished accordingly."

"What are you trying to say?" She says, her brows furrowed in anger as she eyes me up and down.

"Apparently, in this pack, words don't hurt as much as punches."

I made sure to shove Theo as I leave his room and all the gaping stares.

I rush out of the pack house ready to shift into my relentless furious wolf—hurt stir in my stomach and my chest.