Leona was halfway home, the tires of her SUV humming against the asphalt, when her phone lit up. She didn't need to see the caller ID to know the vibe. Only one person called with that specific mix of forced energy and hesitation.
"Hey, Sis!" Kael's voice boomed through the speakers.
Leona kept her eyes on the road, her voice flat. "What's up, Kael? What do you want?"
There was a brief, embarrassed pause on the other end. Kael wasn't great at hiding his motives. "Can you... uh, pay my bills? They're due tomorrow."
Leona sighed, the sound heavy with a familiar exhaustion. "What did you buy this time? And how much is it?"
"Nothing much! Just some clothes and a few pairs of shoes," he said, brushing it off as if money just appeared out of thin air. Before she could lecture him, he pivoted. "By the way, Mom is asking when you'll be home."
"Why? Is there something I need to pick up?"
She heard him muffle the phone to shout a question to their mother. "Mom said to check with the vendors about the delay on her order. Oh, and can you bring food? My friends are coming over tonight."
Before Leona could even process the grocery list, Kael let out a quick, "Okay, thanks, bye!" and the line went dead.
Leona stared at the dashboard. It was 5:00 PM. By the time she handled the vendors and the food, it would be late. The Overthinking Demon woke up with a snarl. Do they only call when they need something? Am I a sister, or am I just an ATM with a logistics degree?
To drown out the thoughts, she turned up the volume on a high-beat track, the bass vibrating through the seat. Leona loved the road. She loved the way the trees blurred into a wall of green and the air felt fresh against her skin. But lately, her life felt like a loop—home to work, work to earn, earn to pay everyone else's way. She hated when things became stagnant, and right now, she felt like she was standing in still water.
By the time she pulled into the pack house driveway, it was 9:00 PM. Several unfamiliar cars were parked on the gravel, their headlights reflecting off the grand stone entrance.
Near the porch, she spotted a familiar silhouette. Peter was pacing, phone pressed to his ear. Leona's mood lifted slightly. She killed her engine, stepped out as silently as a cat, and crept up behind him.
"BHOOM!" she shouted right into his ear.
Peter didn't jump. He didn't even flinch. He just lowered his phone and looked at her with a smirk. "What are we, five? Come on, Sis. Try something new."
Leona rolled her eyes, leaning against the railing. "All the men in this family are so nonchalant. Can't you at least pretend to be startled? Give me a little win."
Peter chuckled, tucking his phone away. "Find a better way then. You've been using that same trick since we were kids. Now, go change. We have guests inside, and I need to finish talking to your future sister-in-law."
Leona's expression softened into a silly, genuine smile. "Say hi to Rose for me! And tell her she's invited this Saturday when we go out."
She gave him a quick, tight hug. She was truly happy for Peter. He and Rose didn't have their wolves yet, but they had that rare, certain kind of love that didn't need a supernatural bond to feel real. Whenever Leona was around them, she felt a different kind of energy—respectful, warm, and unconditional. It was the only time she didn't feel like she was being measured for her usefulness.
As she entered the house, the smell of home-cooked spices hit her, but so did the sound of Kael's friends laughing in the living room. Following her habit, Leona headed straight for the kitchen. She never went to her room without checking on her mother first.
Sophie was at the island, tidying up the remains of dinner. She looked up with a tired but warm smile. "You're home late, Leona. Is everything alright?"
"I had to run those errands, Mom," Leona said, leaning against the counter. "Checking the vendors for your order took longer than expected, and then I had to pick up the food for Kael's friends."
Sophie paused, her brow furrowing. "Errands? Kael told me you were just running late at the office. He didn't mention he asked you for anything."
Leona felt a sharp sting of annoyance, but she didn't let it show. Of course he didn't. To their mother, it looked like Leona was choosing work over family. To Kael, it was just "Sis doing her job."
"It's fine, Mom. I'm just going to head up now. It's been a long day."
"Get some rest, honey," Sophie said softly, though she already looked like she was thinking about the next task.
Leona walked out and dialed Kael. "Kael! The food is in the car. Come out and take it inside."
"Can't you just bring it in?" Kael's voice was sharp with annoyance. "Always so bossy. What am I, your servant?"
Leona stopped in her tracks, her hand on the door handle. The "Overthinking Demon" didn't just whisper this time; it roared. "It's your order, Kael. I bought it, I hauled it here, and I'm paying for your shoes tomorrow. By your logic, am I your servant? Get out here and get the bags."
The silence on the other end was heavy. Finally, Kael grumbled, "Fine. I'll go," and hung up.
Leona didn't wait for him. She climbed the stairs, her footsteps heavy on the wood. As she passed the living room, she heard the muffled sounds of laughter from Kael's friends, the clinking of glasses, and the television blaring. Life was moving on downstairs, fueled by the food she had bought and the peace she had maintained, but no one had even looked up when she walked through the door.
She reached her room and locked the door, the click of the deadbolt the only satisfying sound she'd heard all day.
In the silence of her bedroom, the "Overthinking Demon" didn't need to scream; it just whispered a single, painful truth. You are the engine that keeps this family running, but they only notice you when you stall.
She stood in front of her vanity mirror, looking at the dark circles under her eyes and the metallic shimmer of her War Mage aura flickering at the edges of her vision. She had spent her entire day making sure everyone else had what they needed—her mother's orders, Kael's shoes, her father's pack logistics, her friends' entertainment.
A lump formed in her throat. It wasn't just that she was tired. It was the crushing weight of being taken for granted. She realized that if she disappeared for a day, they wouldn't miss her—they would miss her services.
Leona didn't cry. She didn't have the energy for it. She just walked into the bathroom and turned the shower on as hot as she could stand. As the steam filled the room, she leaned her head against the cool tiles. She felt hollow. She was the "Pillar," the "Strong One," the "Calculation"—but tonight, she just felt like a ghost in her own home.