Fire And Ice

Chapter 46 - Behind the Sunshine

"Mom, I'm fine! I've told you a thousand times, I'm just staying with a friend, and Keily knows this."

The click of her tongue was piercing, "Keily says this friend of yours is an utter hussy. Besides, you know what you are, Hailey."

She didn't say it, but I couldn't help but hear her unspoken words scream "you disgusting burden of a child!" in my brain.

Mom completely distrusted werewolves. Like racism, but supernatural. But having one in my life was good for me, and she knew it, "Mom, Keily doesn't know this, but the friend I'm staying with is a werewolf too."

She was silent for a good minute.

"Hello? Mom?"

"And what happens when you inconvenience this werewolf friend of yours one too many times? Huh? What happens when she gets fed up with you and kicks you out? Or worse, attacks you with her dirty claws? Then you'll come home crying to us."

My grip on my phone dangerously tightened and tears rimmed my eyes.

I fought hard not to let my voice crack, "In the week I've known Ari, she's been more of a sister to me than your precious Keily ever has in all our seventeen miserable years of being twins!" I had to stop and take a shaky breath, then added, "And, I found out that she's actually my sister, so I doubt that'll be happening anytime soon."

"Young lady, watch your tone with me! And what on Earth do you mean by this hussy actually being your sister?"

"I mean, Mother, that we were talking and found out that Clark Lightwood, you know, the jackass that you only talk about when you're black out drunk? The one that you say knocked you up and refused to take responsibility for us, or at least refused to take his werewolf daughter off your hands. That one? Turns out that he was a bigger asshole to someone else and fucking raped her mom. So that makes us half sisters."

She let out a choked sound, then said nothing.

I refused to be the one to break the silence.

"Don't you ever say that name to me again."

"He's an ass, Mom, but I deserve to know about-"

She cut me off, "Do not mention his name to me, are we clear!?"

I said nothing.

She took a breath before speaking again, "Well... if she was raised by that beast, this Ari girl obviously can't be trusted. Get home, now."

"Mom! She was not raised by that asshole! He abused and beat her and she had to run away. I'm as much her sister as she is mine, and she's nothing like him. Despite everything he and the pack did to her, she's kind and generous and compassionate and I love her, Mom. You should understand, he treated you horribly. And, he treated her worse."

She didn't even miss a beat, "Anyone treated like that their whole life must be one damaged person. You can play nurse to her issues all you want, but when she eventually gets tired and pushes you away, you'll come back home. So, you can stay and enjoy your bonding time with your new, broken sister, but your real family will be here, waiting for you."

She hung up.

I threw my phone to a corner. Then I screamed till my lungs wanted to burst out of my chest, the tears that I'd tried to hold off streaming down my face.