Chapter 2 Wish You Never Existed
Phoenix
“Sit down, both of you! I don’t need to go over your mistakes again. Especially you, Phoebe. Your behavior earlier only worsened my image in front of Alpha Lennox.”
I remained silent after Dad raised his voice. As expected, Phoebe’s carelessness often got to me. She had provoked my temper, and we almost had a public argument at the event. I was furious with her and had nearly dragged her out of the hall for a confrontation.
Phoebe was always so rigid about rules, yet her disregard for them now was driving me mad. I was constantly cleaning up her messes, even though I repeatedly told her to follow our parents' expectations. Despite being twins, we couldn’t be more different.
If only human technology could change not just our appearances but our very natures. My diligence in following rules and excelling academically put me at odds with Phoebe. Now, she stood there, looking down as Dad scolded us.
“I’m really sorry,” she muttered.
“You always say that!” I snapped at her. “Why do you always make things worse? Apologizing isn’t enough. Dad is a Beta—his reputation is on the line in this pack. You could have at least behaved like I asked you to.”
“ENOUGH!” Dad shouted.
We both fell silent immediately. His thunderous voice made my stomach churn. I saw his pupils dilate and the color of his eyes shift to yellow—a clear warning. If we pushed him further, there would be consequences, so I held back.
“Phoebe, you still can’t control yourself. You’ve embarrassed this family, and now you're ruining this dinner too.” He pointed at her.
“Oh, of course, it’s all my fault, as always! Just blame me for everything.” Phoebe slammed her spoon down, her tone defiant.
“Enough, Phoebe!” Dad was growing more frustrated. “Why is it so difficult to control yourself? You’re grounded. No allowance, no outings, and no privileges for a whole month. I don’t want to hear another word. Do you understand?”
I gasped at the severity of the punishment, and Phoebe’s face dropped. Though she didn’t say anything, she shot a sharp look in my direction, as if I were to blame.
“I hate you, Phoenix. I wish you never existed.”
Her words hit me like a slap. I never expected her to say something so cruel. Despite her own mistakes, it seemed like she despised me. The realization that my sister felt this way left me reeling, like I was sinking into darkness. If that’s how she felt, then maybe I should leave.
Standing up from the table, I said, “Fine. If that’s what you want, I’ll leave.”
"Phoenix, where are you going?" Mom called me in loud, to reached me.
Ignoring my parents’ protests, I grabbed the car keys. My anger was entirely focused on Phoebe. If she hated me for existing, I hated her for speaking without thinking. But I never hated her as my sister.
I hurried to the garage. The roar of the car engine drowned out my mother’s voice as she called after me. I glanced at her standing in the doorway before reversing out of the garage.
“I just need some air, Mom,” I mumbled, feeling my chest tighten.
I blocked the mind link Dad had just activated, his voice trailing off as he asked where I was going. I needed to calm down, so I headed for the city, hoping to find some peace there.
Driving gave me an outlet for my emotions. I pressed hard on the gas, not caring about the 100-mile-per-hour limit on city streets. The adrenaline rush felt liberating.
Approaching an intersection with a green light, I shifted gears and accelerated. But just as I reached the middle of the intersection, a sudden, violent impact hit the side of the car. My vision spun as shattered glass flew around me.
A sharp blow to my head blurred my vision until everything faded to black. Breathing became difficult, and soon, I couldn’t hear anything at all.
When I woke up, I found myself in a sterile white room. No one was around, and it took me a moment to remember what had happened. I had been speeding on the highway, then there was a crash... and now I was here, in a hospital.
It finally clicked—I'd been in a car accident. But something felt wrong. Where was Nyxam, my wolf? How had I been separated from my body?
A nurse entered the room. “Are you the family of Phoenix Matthews?” she asked.
Dad answered her and followed her out. I trailed behind them into another room, where a man in a white coat—likely a doctor—was waiting.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Matthews,” the doctor said.
“Good afternoon, Doctor. How is Phoenix?” Dad’s voice was thick with worry.
The doctor sighed. “Please, have a seat. I regret to inform you that Phoenix has suffered a serious brain injury, resulting in a coma. Due to the severity of the injury, I can’t say when, or if, Phoenix will regain consciousness. I performed surgery to stop the bleeding, and while the procedure was successful, recovery will be a long and uncertain process.”
Dad’s face fell. I had never seen him look so devastated.
“I understand, Doctor. We trust the hospital to care for Phoenix,” he replied softly.
“You should also provide emotional support—it can help stimulate the patient’s subconscious,” the doctor suggested before leaving.
As I watched Dad, I felt completely lost. My wolf was gone. I was just a soul, separated from my body, with no idea when I would be able to return.
I collapsed onto the floor, overwhelmed.
“Oh, Moon Goddess,” I whispered. “Why are you testing me like this? This isn’t what I wanted.”