Her Second Chance✔ (Completed under edit)

3 (Edited)

"Thank you." She said in a rough and timid voice, so unlike who she had been when she'd known this woman.

Tears once more welled into the woman's eyes and she sniffed avoiding Cari's gaze. Her hand brushed through Cari's now dull locks as a mother would to comfort a hurt child then she straightened and squared her shoulders.

"Now drink your juice first. It has spices meant to perk up that appetite of yours, okay."

"Yes." Cari agreed and dutifully took a sip.

It was tangy, spicy but still refreshing. It coated her tongue and seemed to revive her taste so that she craved more. "Good." The woman approved as Cari drank it all down.

As she looked at her overly full plate, Cari found she actually had an appetite. Was the juice something given to people in her circumstances? While the cook watched her she found herself wolfing down the food. She might have finished the whole plate if it weren't for the voice that intruded.

"Leave us." Her visitor commanded of the cook whose features when Cari looked at her were now turned to stone with disapproval. Her lips pressed together as if to stop her bitter words as she complied.

"I'm sorry Cari," her sister said as she threw herself onto the stool next to her. Even that action was graceful.

Her pleading sky-blue eyes had a hint of tears that she masterfully kept at bay and so much pain was in them. Even her lip trembled pitifully. "I never meant to hurt you." She stated. "Grandpa and the Alpha came to me and told me I'd be a better luna. And since we're twins my mate would be coming soon after you met yours and you could have him since twins can exchange mates. But he never came."

Cari had thought she knew pain and betrayal. After all, her own grandparents had been the ones to tell her how worthless she was and how she didn't deserve her mate. Well, her paternal ones, but those were the ones she lived with. Now, knowing that her own sister, the person who had always been her best friend, had done this to her. Had cut her so deep and believed her so inadequate was more pain than she'd ever endured.

Claire had to know how painful it would be to Cari when she made love with Xander. Every werewolf knew about that. Yet few nights had gone by that she hadn't caused Cari pain. Which meant she hadn't cared.

"Why?" was all she could say, in a tone that was lifeless though she wanted to scream her anguish to her twin.

With admirable grace, a single tear ran down her twin's fashionably hollow cheek. Her wide sorrowful eyes begged for understanding. The quiver of her lip was also designed to garner sympathy. At least now Cari thought so. Her sister had to be a great actress.

Since Cari had always lacked the were senses, she wouldn't have known how much her twin lied to her. Or maybe Claire really believed in her lies to the extent her scent wouldn't show. Which would make her a sociopath.

"Get away from her." their mother demanded in a harsh absolute tone Cari had never heard from her.

Blood drained from her face, bitterness pooled at her throat that she had to swallow before she threw up. Her hands shook as the tears she'd thought dried up clogged her throat and welled up her eyes. One blink would be all it'd take for them to flow. Keeping them open so they'd dry Cari lowered her head in shame.

"Mum," Claire said in her soothing voice the crack of tears gone, Cari realized "there's no need to talk to Cari like that."

"I meant you." their mother's still harsh voice corrected.

"Wha.a.a..?" The pure shock in her sister's tone mirrored hers.

Cari had gotten used to her mum being proud of Claire and thinking the worst of her. True, whilst they were growing up she'd never played favourites but her joy at having Claire as a luna and thinking Cari was jealous had soured their relationship.