The night air bit into my skin as I looked up.
“Alice.” Alpha Mike’s tone was clipped, cold, a blade meant to wound. “You’re weak. I cannot have weakness beside me. I, Alpha Mike, reject you.”
My heart dropped. "You’re rejecting me? Just… just because I haven’t—"
“Because you’re no wolf.” His eyes held no mercy. "You're a liability."
Around us, whispers bega "Did she really think the Alpha would keep her?" "She’s a disgrace."
My father stood in the crowd, face blank, but I could see it—disappointment, etched like stone. I took a shaky breath, reaching out to her. “Mom… please—”
He looked away, lips pressed tight. “Alice,”
“you’ve made your bed. Now lie in it.”
Tears pricked my eyes.
He turned her back, his voice low. “Your new mate will be arranged by morning. Don’t make this harder.”
"Moon Goddess, why? Why did you curse me like this?"
I’m willing to go back and get married," I murmured, almost too quietly to hear.
“You—” My father began, half-hearted words of persuasion on his lips.
“You… agreed?”
“Yes, I agreed.”
“That’s wonderful! Absolutely wonderful!”
"I’ve been saying it all along—you should have agreed sooner! Alpha Nicola is a good match; he doesn’t mind that you haven’t shifted, and he respects you! And not to mention, his pack is only growing stronger…”
I closed my eyes halfway, cutting him off with a weary sigh. “Dad, I’m tired.”
I wasn’t sure how long I’d been lying there when footsteps sounded outside my door. The birthday girl, Ella, burst in, grinning ear to ear and balancing a slice of cake in her hand. She wore a sparkling gold crown, glinting like something out of a fairytale, giving her the air of a little princess.
"Alice, come downstairs and join us!” she said, her voice dripping with cheer.
I forced a smile that didn’t reach my eyes. “I’m not feeling great. You all go ahead—enjoy yourselves.”
Ella’s eyes filling with tears. "Alice… do you… not like me? Is that why… why you never come and celebrate with us?”
Here we go again. Playing the innocent, fragile girl who’s somehow always a victim. And of course, all the guys just eat it up.
“Drop the act, Ella,”
“I’m not coming. Isn’t this what you wanted?”
She strolled to the door, but instead of leaving, she turned back with a smug look.
“Alice, Alpha Mike ’s going to announce me as his Luna. I guess a weak, wolf-less girl like you should be happy with her place… rotting in the shadows.” She lifted the slice of cake in her hand and hurled it toward me.
Instinctively, I raised my arm to block it, but to my shock, she stumbled back, falling with a loud thud.
“Ella, what are you trying to pull?” I hissed, my voice low and filled with disbelief.
Though I managed to block it in time, the cake still splattered across me, leaving me standing there, humiliated and disheveled. My sister, Ella, lay sprawled on the floor, a faint smile playing on her lips. Then, as if on cue, her eyes welled up with tears, spilling down her cheeks, painting her face with the perfect picture of innocence and betrayal.
And just like that, an enraged howl tore through the hallway.
“Alice!”