Camilla
“Mom! Where’s the shirt Aunt Jen bought me yesterday?”
I looked up from the living room window I was cleaning. Gabriella’s voice echoed from upstairs, followed by the sound of frantic footsteps thudding up and down the stairs like a miniature storm.
“I put it in your closet after I ironed it, Gabbe,” I answered, trying to keep my voice calm.
But she didn’t hear me—or didn’t bother listening. She kept running around, yanking drawers open, slamming closet doors, and muttering dramatically until finally, she stormed downstairs again.
“I knew it! You didn’t iron it! It’s not even here!” she shouted, jabbing a finger at me like I was on trial for murder. “You always ruin everything! I wish I didn’t have a mom like you! You’re a disaster! I’m calling Aunt Jen!”
Her words hit harder than I expected. Not because she was yelling—but because of what she said.
Before I could respond, Santiago’s voice chimed in. He came out of our bedroom, still groggy from his nap, face creased in annoyance.
“What the hell is going on out here?”
“Gabriella can’t find the dress from yesterday,” I said quietly, still holding the rag in my hand.
“Oh, for Moon Goddess’s sake...” He shook his head and walked past me toward Gabbe. “Camilla, seriously? How do you screw up something this simple? It’s a shirt. A physical object. It doesn’t just disappear—unless you forgot or never put it away in the first place.”
“But I did iron it—”
“Don’t lie,” he snapped, eyes sharp. “You’re always like this. Acting like you’re in control, when really, you can’t even manage this house properly.”
“I’m not lying.”
Gabriella crossed her arms and stood beside her father, her face set with stubborn resolve. “I don’t want a mom like you,” she repeated coldly. “You’re a curse on this house.”
She stomped back upstairs, leaving me frozen in place. Not out of shock—just disbelief. My own daughter had just cursed me.
“I gave up everything for this family,” I muttered under my breath.
“Don’t start with your melodrama,” Santiago replied flatly. “Gabriella has a birthday party to get to—Penny’s party. And because of your screw-up, she almost couldn’t go. What kind of mom are you?”
“I didn’t misplace the damn dress—”
But the doorbell rang before I could finish. Gabriella rushed to the front door, and like a perfectly timed fairytale, Jennifer showed up—holding the dress.
“Oops! Looks like I accidentally took it home yesterday after helping Santiago clean up,” she said cheerfully, holding up the pastel midi dress. “Sorry, Cam, didn’t mean to cause a panic!”
I stared at her. Every instinct in me flared up. She was playing the hero. Again.
Santiago took the dress and handed it to Gabrielle like it was a treasure. “There you go, sweetheart. Thanks to Aunt Jen, you’re good to go.”
Jennifer glanced at me with fake sympathy. “Don’t blame Camilla too much, okay? It’s not always her fault.”
And just like that—she made me look even more pathetic.
Gabriella threw her arms around her. “Thank you, Aunt Jen. You always save me.”
Then they left. Jennifer took her to the party, promising to drop her off afterward.
I stood in the hallway, listening to the sound of their laughter fade.
I still had dishes to do. So I forced myself to move. Dirty plates, greasy pans, dried sauce on the stove. For thirty minutes, the only sound was water running and utensils clattering.
Then I noticed Santiago standing in the kitchen doorway. Arms crossed. Face cold.
“You really don’t see it, do you?” he finally said.
“See what?” I asked without looking at him.
“You’re not even here anymore. Sure, your body’s here. But your spirit? Gone. You just clean, sweep, do laundry—you’re more like an omega than a mate. Not a mother. Not really.”
“That’s because you’ve made me into this,” I shot back. “You treat me like a servant. You let Gabriella talk to me like I’m trash. And you let Jennifer… fill a space that’s not hers to fill.”
“Because she deserves to fill it more than you do!” he snapped—and instantly fell silent.
It felt like someone crushed my heart in their fist.
“You really just said that to me?”
Silence. Then a heavy exhale.
“You’re not the woman I fell in love with, Camilla. Back then, you were strong. Respected. Now… you’re just a shadow of who you used to be.”
I stepped forward, voice trembling but clear. “Do you still love me, Santiago?”
He didn’t answer. My question caught him off guard.
“Do you still love me?” I repeated. “After everything I gave up—my pack, my position, my future—do you still love me?”
His mouth opened. Then closed. No words.
And right on cue, Jennifer came back. “Gabriella fell asleep in the car. I figured I’d just tuck her in so she doesn’t have to wake up again.”
Santiago turned to her like she was a blessing. I saw it. He was glad she showed up.
Jennifer glanced at both of us, a slight smile on her lips. “Am I interrupting something?”
“No,” Santiago said quickly. “Just talking.”
Talking? That wasn’t talking. That was years of pain finally erupting.
I exhaled slowly. Wiped my wet hands on a towel. “I’m going out for a bit.”
No one stopped me. No one called my name.
I stepped outside to the backyard. The night air bit into my skin. I could feel my wolf stir inside me, uneasy.
[Santiago doesn’t deserve to treat you like this, Camilla,] Vivian-my wolf, whispered gently, concern in her voice.
“I’m ending this. It’s almost over, Viv.”
It’s been years since I shifted. It always hurt too much. Too raw. Every time I shifted, I was reminded of who I used to be—and who I am now.
But tonight, with bare feet on the cold grass, I closed my eyes and tilted my head to the sky. I needed to feel something that was mine. Something Santiago couldn’t touch. Something Jennifer couldn’t steal.
In that silence, I remembered Antoine’s message. The offer from LUPA.
I’ll connect you to the admin team for confirmation in two days. Wishing you all the best.
Just as I was about to close my eyes, Santiago walked into the bedroom and laid down beside me. Without missing a beat, he started talking about his upcoming trip to Shanghai.
“Camilla, Gabrielle and I are leaving for Shanghai in three days. I already booked the tickets. I used the money you lent me. Once Gabrielle wins the competition, I’ll pay you back. Just hang in there a little longer, okay? You trust me, don’t you?”
His manipulative words shredded the last bit of peace I was trying to cling to before sleep. I kept my face calm, pretending I didn’t already know about the trip.
“Is Jennifer going with you guys too?” I asked, my voice light.
“Yeah, but she’s paying her own way. She doesn’t want to be a burden to you. Camilla, you’ll always be the backbone of this family. The obedient mate, the supportive mother, the heart of this home. You just stay here, alright?”
“Whatever you say. You already said I’m the obedient one.”
“Good,” he said, like everything was perfectly in place.
Typical Santiago—acting like everything was fine, pretending I was still blissfully unaware of what was really happening.
But in three days, Santiago was going to find out exactly what his so-called useless mate was capable of.
