My Family Pretend Death For a Substitute She-wolf

Five years ago, I, Evelyn Whitman, got into a car wreck to save my family. Ended up a vegetable, trapped in my own body. Five years later, I finally woke up, but the world I knew was gone.

My parents, George and Marianne, and my brother Ryan had a new she-wolf in their lives-Nina Whitman, their adopted pup. They doted on her like she was the moon itself. Even Elliot Graves, my childhood mate, the wolf who swore we'd be eternally bound, couldn't take his eyes off her. They said they took her in because they missed me so much. But I couldn't stomach it. I demanded they send Nina away.

Big mistake. On the way to drop her off, a crash happened. My parents and Nina died on the spot-or so I thought. From that moment, Ryan and Elliot turned on me, their love curdling into hate. They blamed me, said if I hadn't forced Nina out, three lives wouldn't have been lost. They tormented me, punished me, and I let them. I thought I deserved it.

Three years later, I was a battered shell, my body broken and my spirit shattered. Then the healer dropped the bomb: late-stage cancer. One month left to live, tops.

But then, stumbling past a hotel, half out of my mind, I saw something that stopped me cold. There they were-my "dead" parents, Ryan, Elliot-all gathered around a table, laughing, celebrating Nina's birthday. She was glowing, a crown on her head, looking every bit the princess. I stood outside, frozen, like lightning had struck me.

Before I could process it, I overheard Elliot ask Ryan, "Evelyn's learned her lesson. How long are we keeping up this charade?"

Ryan smirked. "Let's tell her the truth on her birthday next month. Let her stew in pain a bit longer. Teach her not to mess with Nina again."

My mother sighed. "Evelyn's too stubborn. She needed this lesson to accept Nina."

My father nodded. "After this fake death, she won't dare cross Nina again."

My blood ran cold. It was all a lie. They weren't dead-they'd faked it to force me to accept Nina, to drown me in guilt and suffering. My parents, my brother, my mate-the wolves I loved most-had played me for a fool. All for her.

The kicker? I wouldn't live long enough to see their so-called mercy.

Inside, they were all smiles, but I couldn't watch anymore. I stumbled out of the hotel, my head spinning with the nightmare of the past three years. Every day, I'd drowned in guilt. I dreamed of that burning car, my parents screaming, Nina's terrified eyes haunting me. I took every punishment Elliot and Ryan dished out. I let Elliot choke me while snarling, "You killed them." I knelt in the memorial hall for three days and nights at Ryan's command. I wrote "I'm sorry" until my fingers bled.

But it was all fake.

I ran home, collapsing as I stumbled through the door, blood spilling