Rylan returned home after the graduation party, each step heavy with humiliation and heartache. Even the walls of his own room felt suffocating. His wolf prowled restlessly inside him, snarling low, growling in grief. He collapsed onto his bed, head in his hands, trying to silence the storm in his chest.
But the house wasn't quiet.
From the living room came laughter, sharp and mocking. Seth and his friends were gathered, voices loud enough to cut through Rylan's pain.
"Did you see Rylan at the party?" one of Seth's friends called out. "Poor guy. Kia looked perfect with Seth. Totally out of his league!"
Rylan flinched but stayed silent. His hands tightened around the blanket.
Seth's voice, smooth and deliberate, followed. "Yeah… Kai is mine now. Guess Rylan didn't stand a chance. Honestly, it's better this way."
Rylan's chest burned. His wolf growled louder, low and furious. But he couldn't speak. Any move could draw attention. Any word could spark disaster.
And then came the subtle reminder he hated the most: the way his parents looked at him. His father, cold and calculating, gave him a sharp glance that carried no warmth. His mother's eyes lingered just a second too long, and he knew she had already decided he would never be "the favorite."
His parents never liked him. Never supported him. Seth had always been the golden child—the obedient one, the one who could do no wrong. Rylan's existence had always been a shadow in comparison.
"Go to your room, Rylan," his father said quietly, but with steel in his voice. "Stay out of things that don't concern you."
Rylan's hands shook. He wanted to yell. To fight. To tell them all to leave him alone. But he didn't. He couldn't. His wolf growled, a warning in the back of his mind. He bent his head and walked away silently, every step feeling heavier than the last.
Once inside his room, he sank to the floor. His heart ached—not just for Kia, but for the life he was trapped in. A life where even his own family was against him. Where love seemed like a cruel joke.
And yet… even in his despair, a tiny spark remained. His wolf whimpered softly, restless but protective. Somewhere deep inside, Rylan promised himself: he would survive. Somehow.
Even if it meant facing the world alone.