The summer after I graduated high school, my parents promised to take me on vacation to Tide Coast.
Every summer, during the full moon, a stretch of the coast was opened for a night run. It was a rite of passage. The first time a young werewolf joined the run as an adult, their family would add their name to the public roster.
It wasn’t just a trip. It was a declaration to the entire pack of who the family acknowledged as one of their own.
I packed a month in advance.
Swimsuits, sunscreen, my camera, and the detailed itinerary I’d made for everyone.
The night before we were supposed to leave, my sister, Bella, announced she wanted Stefan to come with us.
Bella’s shift had always been unstable. Stefan was a trainee warrior from Cedar Ridge and her safety partner in youth training.
My father looked over the flight tickets and hotel reservations, his brow furrowed.
“We don’t have enough rooms.”
I thought they would just book another one.
A second later, Mom plucked my territory ID from my hand. Without it, I couldn’t get through the airport’s border check.
“Paloma, you’re staying home.”
“Bella just agreed to resume her training,” she continued. “This is her first full moon run at the coast, and Stefan needs to be there with her.”
My brother, Tony, picked up my suitcase and shoved it toward Bella’s feet.
“She’s already packed. You can use her things.”
I looked at Stefan.
He’d once promised to take me to see the ocean after graduation, to run my first adult moonlit race beside me.
But now, all he did was take the suitcase from Bella.
“Bella’s wolf still isn’t stable.”
“She could lose control and shift if she gets anxious,” he said, avoiding my eyes. “You being there will only make her more tense.”
“Just let her relax this time.”
Bella’s eyes were red, her voice trembling as she played her part.
“Paloma, for once I just want a real family trip for the full moon.”
By real, she meant one without me.
My phone kept lighting up with airline reminders.
Three hours until boarding.
I stood in the foyer, watching my suitcase get pushed farther away. The muscles in the back of my neck coiled, but the wolf inside me didn’t stir, didn’t urge me to fight.
They would put Bella and Stefan’s names on the roster.
My place would be erased.
In that moment, I understood with perfect, chilling clarity. In the Lombardi family, in the hierarchy of the Cedar Ridge pack, I was always the one who could be cut.
I hadn’t even left for the airport, and suddenly, I never wanted to see Tide Coast.
My Family Stole My Run I Returned A Leader Chapter 04 At eight that evening, the Lombardi family’s front door opened. Tony dragged in two large suitcases. “Finally home. I’m exhausted.” He dropped the suitcases in the entryway, kicked off his shoes, and walked into the living room. My parents came in behind him, helping
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My Family Stole My Run I Returned A Leader Chapter 03 On the last day of their trip, the family group chat blew up with messages. Tony sent a long voice note. “Paloma, we’ll be home tomorrow night.” “Sometime tomorrow, head over to Gray Harbor.” “Rent a two-bedroom apartment near Bella’s school.” “She’s not well
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My Family Stole My Run I Returned A Leader Chapter 02 The house was unnervingly quiet for the next few days. Every day I got up on time, did the chores, and read through the materials Gray Harbor University had sent. Now and then, my family posted a few photos in the group chat. Tide
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My Family Stole My Run I Returned A Leader Chapter 01 The summer after I graduated high school, my parents promised to take me on vacation to Tide Coast. Every summer, during the full moon, a stretch of the coast was opened for a night run. It was a rite of passage. The first time
My Family Stole My Run I Returned A Leader Chapter 01 Read Post »
