My Sister Stole My Mate, And I Let Her Chapter 28 WORTH CELEBRATING

SERAPHINA’S POV

The training room clock had long since blurred into aningless numbers. Hours? Minutes? Ti didn’t matter—only the burn in my muscles, the raw ache of my knuckles, the way my lungs scread for air but got none.

Each jab carried Celeste’s sneer: "You’re not worth the effort."

Every hook bore Kieran’s venom: "You never mattered."

I hit harder. Faster. Letting the pain overwrite them like a virus corrupting old files.

If I stopped, even for a second, I’d hear them. I’d feel the stabbing agony of their words.

I couldn’t afford that. If I let the words sink in, they would take root. Grow branches. Vines. Wrap around and choke from within—

"Damn, what did that poor dummy ever do to you?"

I startled, whipping around to find Maya by the door, just like she’d been the first day we t.

I was panting so hard, I couldn’t answer her, and that split second of distraction brought the venom back.

’You were a mistake, Sera.’

I spun back around and continued to attack the sparring dummy. It didn’t have a face, but Celeste’s and Kieran’s kept flashing on the blank canvas, and I hit even harder.

I didn’t know when Maya moved, but the next thing I knew, she had a firm grip on my wrist, pausing my swing.

"You’re going to break your wrists if you keep going like that," she said. "And you’ll burn out."

For a mont, I just stood there, fighting to catch my breath, debating whether struggling against her when I knew I was going to lose was worth it.

Finally, I staggered back, and Maya released as I slumped down to the mat.

She sank, too, with a lot more grace than I could ever muster. She wordlessly handed a water bottle.

The sound of greedily chugging the contents of the bottle filled the room, and when I was done, I felt slightly better.

’Every ti I touched you, I pretended you were her.’

I closed my eyes, fighting the urge to scream. Anything to drown out the fucking noise.

"Co on." I looked up to see that Maya was standing again. She had a hand stretched out to . "We’re getting a drink."

I shook my head. "I’m not in the mood."

She crouched, her brown eyes pinning . "When your trainer tells you to do sothing, what is your reply?"

I rolled my eyes, rembering the first rule she drilled into during our first session. "Maya, this isn’t—"

"What. Is. Your. Reply?"

I sighed. "Yes, Miss Cartridge."

Her lips twitched, and she held her hand out. "Let’s go."

"I sll," I complained weakly.

She wrinkled her nose like she’d just noticed. "You’re right. You do."

She wiggled her hand impatiently, and I finally took it, letting her pull to my feet.

We sat outside on the patio behind the OTS dorms. Maya procured a fancy bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, which we sipped from plastic cups from the cafeteria, watching the sky deepen into dusk as a cool breeze brushed against our skin.

The silence wasn’t uncomfortable—it was actually kind of nice.

Until Maya broke it. "So, wanna tell why you’re attempting to murder yourself and a sparring dummy on your day off?"

I exhaled, staring down into my cup. I twirled it slightly in my hand, watching the liquid slosh around.

"It’s a long story," I said softly.

She leaned back, folding her arms. "Then you’re lucky I’m a good listener."

I shook my head. "I don’t—"

"Your trainer just told you to do sothing, Sera."

I looked up at her. Though she had on her usual stern countenance, her eyes held a softness I’d never seen before.

"Yes, Miss Cartridge."

The words tumbled out of —halting at first, then fast and uncontrollable.

I told her everything.

The mistake I made ten years ago. The night I let my guard down, lost my inhibitions, and committed an irreversible mistake. The punishnt that ca after—how my family shunned , how I was branded a disgrace. How I spent the last ten years—alone, unloved, worthless.

I told her about Celeste’s return, about how I’d sohow remained the villain in their story even after the divorce.

I didn’t dare look at her when I finished.

I didn’t know Maya all that well, but she struck as a disciplined person. Soone upright who valued honesty and hated weakness. I expected her to flinch, to withdraw, to look at with the sa disdain I’d received my whole life.

But she didn’t.

She just let out a soft sigh and said, "You’ve been through hell."

I blinked, my gaze darting to her.

"Of course you’ve made mistakes, Sera. Who hasn’t?" she continued. "But being wolfless—that wasn’t your fault. And that one night? Last I checked, it takes at least two people to have sex, and unless you’re Mary, you didn’t make Daniel all by yourself."

I huffed a weak laugh at that.

Maya placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed. "I’m sorry you were let down. I’m sorry you’re hurting."

I opened my mouth, but no words ca. I hadn’t been expecting this level of sympathy, and I didn’t know what to do with it.

There was pressure building in my eyes, and I was horrified that I might cry in front of Maya.

"I just wish Lucian and I had t you sooner," she said softly. "If you’d been brought into OTS back then, maybe you wouldn’t have had to endure all that alone."

Yep—I was going to cry.

Maya once again surprised by pulling into her arms. She held as I wept, and I clung to her like a lifeline.

The tears flowed out of unabated, but instead of my heartache growing, it felt like the pain was ebbing.

Like the tears were washing it all away. Suddenly, I felt less pathetic, less broken. Understood.

Maya’s words replaced Celeste’s and Kieran’s.

Everyone made mistakes, but the punishnt I’d suffered had far outweighed the cri, and I was done serving it.

I was done letting Kieran and Celeste poison my life with their toxicity.

***

I woke up the next morning with a kind of clarity I hadn’t felt in years.

It felt like the weight of guilt and regret I’d carried around for ten years had been lifted. I felt lighter, an actual spring in my step.

It was ti to move forward—for , and for Daniel.

Training was better. I felt less inclined to decapitate the innocent sparring dummy, and I think my tears had softened Maya because she went easier on than usual. Not that I was complaining.

Still, Maya’s version of easy had collapsing to the floor when we were done, struggling to breathe.

My vision swam as she waved sothing in my field of vision.

I frowned, grabbing the flyer.

"What’s this?"

"A trial for all OTS rookies," she said. "It’s in three months. It’s a critical test to evaluate your progress."

I sat up. "And you want to participate?"

She nodded. "Lucian thinks so, too."

"But—" My mouth was suddenly dry. The other rookies had been training longer than I had. Most of them had wolves, which was a given advantage.

Maya nudged my knee with her boot. "Get out of that head. If I didn’t think you’d be ready in three months, I wouldn’t ask you to do it."

She cocked her head. "But I am—asking you to do it."

A small smile spread on my face. If Maya and Lucian thought I could do it, then I probably could.

It struck that I had more people in my corner than I initially thought. Lucian, Maya, Daniel.

Daniel...

Oh, he’d be so proud of if I did well.

That cented my decision, and I looked up at Maya. "Yes, Miss Cartridge."

She returned my smile and tilted her head towards the door. "Now go hit the showers."

I pushed myself to my feet and headed out.

I frowned when I saw that the light in the hallway was off. I felt my way to the common area I had to pass to get to the locker rooms.

Just as I stepped in, the lights clicked on, montarily blinding with their sudden intensity.

"Happy birthday, Sera!"

I staggered backward, stunned, taking in the room—confetti, balloons, strears, an actual banner with my na on it.

So of the rookies were grinning like idiots, Lucian was holding a cake, and Maya appeared from behind , throwing her arm around my shoulder.

"Happy birthday, Sera." She bead at .

I blinked slowly, my heart clenching in my chest.

I rarely celebrated my birthday. My birth nearly killed my mother, and my father never let forget that. He’d scowl every year when the date ca around and saw any form of celebration as a personal affront.

And after I got married... Well, let’s just say birthdays were the last thing on anyone’s mind.

Only Daniel ever rembered.

So when my phone buzzed earlier today with a birthday greeting, I thought it was from Daniel.

However, when I checked... it wasn’t.

It was from Kieran.

"Happy birthday. Hope you’re well."

I stared at the ssage for a long mont, strangely numb. Then I locked the screen without replying.

And now, I pushed that thought out of my mind, determined not to let Kieran pop the balloon of happiness swelling inside .

For once, I was surrounded by people who actually cared. People who chose —not out of obligation, but out of respect.

And this year, for the first ti in a long, long ti, I felt like there was actually sothing worth celebrating.

I was soone worth celebrating.