IRIS
Murmurs spread through the crowd louder this time.
“I lost my brother,” Phoebe continued, her voice trembling now, “And we are supposed to stand here and pretend like this, like she…” her hand lifted, pointing directly at me, “belongs among us?” The gesture felt like a physical blow and I flinched.
"We don’t want you as our Luna," Phoebe said, and her voice was louder now. "You'll never match up to Elara. You never did. You never will." Each word landed just like she had intended.
"Sleeping with your dead sister's mate," Phoebe spat, "doesn't make you pack. Doesn't make you worthy. Doesn't make you anything."
Lily shifted beside me. “Why are they talking about Mama Elara?” she asked, her voice small and confused. My throat closed. I couldn’t answer because I didn’t know how to.
