STARLIGHT PROMISE: Bound to the Lycan

A"S

s, and the desperation in my voice feels like it's being torn from the depths of my soul. She smiles at me-so warmly, so gently-like she always has, her hands clasped together, the light catc

ng like that now, of all times. I wipe the snot from my nose with the back of my hand, my face reddened and puffy from crying. Her words leave me baffled, lost, as if the ground beneath me is shifting. "I wish I could spend more years with you, my love, but my

e lingering emotions. But it's no use. I'm stuck in this unending nightmare, a loop that replays the last moments I shared with my mum over and over again, like a broken record that can't be fixed. It's b

of the harsh reality I've woken up to. I swing my legs over the side of the bed, feeling the hard, uncomfortable mattress beneath me-my nightly reminder that comfort is a luxury I can't af

last thing I need is him slapping me senseless for being late. The memory of the last time he was angry with me is still fresh, a bruise that never really heals. He'd bashed my head through the wall because I served him spam instead of bacon.

ts me, like a fresh wound that never stops bleeding. But I tell myself it won't be like this forever. Just a few more months, Amora, I think to myself. A few more months, and

ad and a carton of orange juice-always the same, always routine. I set the table, making sure everything is just the way he likes it. Then I quickly shove my own breakfas

tening up the mess that my father and sister leave behind. It's exhausting, but it's better than facing their wrath. When I'm finally done, I hurry upstairs to take a quick shower, the cold wat

emind myself that I need to leave before my stepsister does. If I don't, it won't be good. She's made it very clear how she feels about me, her words still

sk running into her. With a deep breath, I set off for school, the weight of my reality pressing down on me, b