Leanne White was a twin sister who never cared for me. When we were pups I always tried to be a good sister, I would share my toys and my snacks, I would always let her take the lead when we played. She would always be the beautiful princess and I would be a dragon or a witch who was the antagonist in the story.
As we got older, I saw my sister and mother bond. It was unbreakable, anything she said to my mother was like the gospel's word. Anything I ever tried to say would have been ridiculed by my mother. If Leanne said I broke or stole her toy, my mother wouldn't hesitate in blaming me, even if it was my toy. My mother would spend hours dressing my sister in pretty dresses while I stood on the sidelines.
This was one of the many reasons I started to spend time with my father, I would often follow him to training, watching him instruct the warriors while I slung to his leg or he held me in his arms while I sat comfortably on his hip. My father made me feel less lonely with a mother who barely looked at me and a sister who despised my presence. Leanne loved the spotlight, while I was happy to sit in the background.
When we went to school, I started to make friends and it was the first time I felt happy, but Leanne struggled to see me flourish, she would spread rumours or say hurtful things and tell my classmates that it was me who said it. I would spend time in the playground, feeling sad and alone. It was then that I took an interest in reading. I would spend my time sitting under a large oak tree reading and learning. My grades soared and my father would shower me with praise, it was those moments that I saw Leanne slowly stewing in the corner.
As we hit high school, I didn't bother making friends for the pure fact that I knew Leanne would ruin it and make my life difficult. So I continued to focus on my studies, while my sister started making friends and connections within the pack. Teachers would praise my grades, while students would bully me because of some rumour that my sister had started. At this point in my life I had built up a resilience and ignored it.
To seek refuge from my sister's ploys I spent time at the pack hospital helping with the sick or playing with the pups at the daycare centre or orphanage. It was there that I made friends with adults but not with my peers. They were never people who held prestige or power but they supported the vulnerable. They never knew that my sister would take credit for my actions with my parents, for my parents never asked.
When we turned fourteen it was then that the change in my sister was more noticeable, she slyly manipulated my parents by having sex in my bedroom or using my name when she was in trouble. The once unspoiled reputation I had with teachers at school became sullied because of my sister's inability to take responsibility.
When I killed the rouge Kieran, my only thought was protecting the child he was trying to kidnap, she was crying hysterically. She was so young, scared and shaken by what had happened. I didn't mean to kill him but when he attacked it was a reflex. Guilt flooded me at the time for I had become a murderer. However, hearing what Mary had to say and what Xavier revealed about his brother, I no longer held guilt but felt proud that I had rid the world of someone who brought nothing but a bad name to werewolves.
My sister had caused so much pain and even though my mother was part of the problem, I could see how she had manipulated that relationship. For years I had allowed my sister to sully my name and reputation and to a certain point it was my fault as well because I should have spoken up. My sister was happy to abuse my kind nature, I had allowed her to take my mate, my family and my pack. I didn't put up a fight, but I was weak at the time and I wasn't afraid to admit it.
The woman who I was now, wouldn't have allowed Leanne to get away with half of what she did when we were growing up. I would not have cowered away from my mother and father's abuse. I wouldn't have allowed her to steal my mate but equally I wouldn't have been heartbroken by someone who was too naive to believe pack gossip. Jacob had never even given me a chance to defend myself.
As I look at my sister on the floor, the once proud and unwavering woman looked nothing but sick and weak. Her sick was now a deathly pale colour. I could see her body shake and contort as I watched her wolf leave her powerless. I didn't feel pity for her, she didn't deserve it. However, her wolf Mary is the one that I felt for. Mary had lost her mate and pup, something my sister didn't appreciate it.
"No. No. No." Leanne started muttering with her head gazing at the floor. She was gasping for air. "Where is she? Why is the silver not paining anymore?" She lifted her eyes from the floor, frantically looking around, shouting at the crowd for answers. "Mary? MARY?" She started screaming.
The Elders looked at Leanne on the floor with disgust, both of them shaking her head. My mother was sat in her chair with her face in her hands as she sobbed erratically. My father's face showed a triage of emotions, pain, anger and betrayal. I noticed that his body was shifted away from my mother, I could sense that he was refusing to comfort the woman who had contributed to the divide in our family.
My mother should have never favoured Leanne, my father should have never just listened to one of us, the pack should have investigated the rumours and not fuelled them. There were so many failings that were started by the woman who was falling a part in front of me. Pack members no longer looked at her with respect but their faces were filled with disgust.
Elder Reece coughed into his hand. "Leanne White your wolf has left you. You are now human."
"NO!" Leanne screamed. "I don't deserve to be human, it's a lie. I am Luna! I am Luna!" She started chanting. "She had no reason to leave me." She spat at the floor.
Benji scoffed as he sat next to me. I quickly shoved an elbow into his side, silently telling him to be quiet. My mother's sobs were the only sound other than Leanne's erratic chants that could be heard. I still had no idea why she was crying. Was she crying for the daughter who she loved more than anything or was she crying for the sins that she had committed against our family?
"QUIET GIRL!" Elder Robert commanded. I could see he lacked sympathy for the woman who had played with so many lives. Leanne's gaze lifted and her cold stare hit me, the same eyes that I stared at me in the mirror was now looking at me in contempt and hate.
"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT! YOU ALWAYS HAD TO BE BETTER THAN ME. YOU COULDN'T JUST STAY AWAY. NO ONE WANTED YOU HERE. OUR PARENTS HATE YOU." She spat menacingly.
"LEANNE." My father bellowed out. My eyes widened in shock at his intervention. "You will not speak such lies to your sister! I love my daughter and it is my fault for allowing you to get away with such despicable crimes. If I hate anyone, it is you!" My father's voice held nothing but anger.
"John what are you saying, that's our daughter!" My mother interjected. My father turned his cold and harden gaze to my mother. Never once had I seen him look at her how he was now. The disappointment, the disgust, the anger, it sent a shiver down my spine. While Leanne's eyes widened at what our father had just said.
"You... You are just a bad and spoiled as she is. You knew what she was doing, you knew what was happening under our nose." My father shook his head in disbelief. "You let me watch as you whipped our daughter who was innocent! How could you look me in the eye! You knew I had nightmares for years after that night and you said nothing. You did nothing. You disgust me as much as that woman does." My father says as he points at my sister on the floor.
"No parents love me more. Parents have to love me more. You are lying father, you love me, I am the better sister, the better twin. I am worthy. I am more beautiful." She starts chanting to herself with a crazed look in her eye.
Elder Reece lets out a frustrating sigh and pinches the bridge of his nose. "Enough White family. I have never seen such a dysfunctional family in all my years. I don't think Leanne has anything else to say at this time. Beta Lewis and Gamma Tyler do you mind guarding the prisoner at the back and make sure she is silent for the rest of the trial." He shakes his head.
Both Tyler and Lewis give the Elders a tight nod and make their way to Leanne. They lift her from under her armpits and carry her away. Before she had the strength of her wolf, which allowed her to fight back and use what strength she had. Now her body is nothing but weak and thimble. She allows them to drag her away with ease to the other side of the room. I see Lewis give me a tight nod, indicating that he wanted her away from me.
I let out a long sigh and run my hand up and down my face. My emotions are all over the place and I can feel my wolf wanting to claw to the surface and rip my sister's throat out. Just as I think it is over and it is the end of this trial. Elder Reece bellows through the crowd.
"We would like to call Louise White, daughter of Retired Beta John and Margaret White to give her statement."
With those words, a sinking feeling in my stomach arises. Benji squeezes my hand tightly and I give him a reassuring smile and stand tall and proud. For this time I will not cover away.