"Ana is a fool; she thinks you love her and want to mate with her. She doesn't know it's all a bet." Amelia giggled, catching everyone by surprise. The entire time Ana had spent with Jax had been a farce, nothing more than the result of a cruel wager.
"I have never loved that useless bitch, not even for a second. It has always been you." Jax spoke lovingly, a tone that made Ana cringe.
"Oh, I have always known that love. The way you slept with me in her room while you waited for her to come back from her stupid diner work told me all I needed to know." Amelia uttered through moans, her words mingling with gasps of pleasure.
"Fuck yeah!" Jax grunted, clearly nearing his climax.
Ana stood frozen, goosebumps sweeping across her skin.
She heard Brenda laughing in the hallway, her voice echoing as she entered.
"Now she finally knows her place; no one wants her, least of all my brother, the soon-to-be Alpha. How can he be mates with a pig?"
They all erupted into fits of laughter, their mockery filling the air and causing Ana's vision to blur with tears. She remained rooted to the spot, trembling with humiliation.
"Isn't it my lovely sister, Ana?" Amelia smirked as both women reached their peak of pleasure.
"How could you, Amelia?! How dare you sleep with my boyfriend?!" Ana screamed in pain, an overwhelming urge to rush over and smash Amelia's annoying head into the nightstand surging through her.
"Uh oh, it seems you misunderstood what you just witnessed." Amelia lifted her finger playfully to her lips. "Jax was fucking me, taking from me what you could never offer to him. You are useless, Ana. Get over it!"
"You bitch!" Ana growled, wanting to lunge at Amelia, but an authoritative, deep voice stopped her in her tracks, a whimper of submission escaping her lips.
"Take a step closer, and I'll rip your fucking head off." Jax threatened coldly, his icy blue eyes locking onto her.
"Jax..." she whispered, tears forming in her eyes. She hoped he would come to her, to tell her that he was sorry and that it had all been a mistake.
Even if it hadn’t been a mistake, she was willing to forgive him. He was the last shred of hope she clung to in their wicked world.
"Don't do this, Jax," she pleaded, taking a small step closer, but his eyes changed to a dangerous glaze.
"Don't move a step closer, or you’ll lose your fucking head!" He roared, the sound silencing the entire pack, including Brenda and her entourage.
"What do you mean by this, Jax? I need an answer!"
"It's exactly what you are seeing," he said coldly, as he slipped into his briefs and then pulled on his gray pants, revealing his toned, well-built muscles. His very presence sent inexplicable heat rushing to Ana's abdomen.
"That you have been sleeping with my sister all this time? Cheating on me? Making me believe we were a thing, only for me to realize it was just a bet? How cruel can you be, Jax?!" Ana cried, her heart breaking. "Why her? She’s a slut; you know well every man in this pack has slept with this bitch!"
"Ana," Jax stalked toward her, his tone laced with warning. "Don't talk about her that way."
His words filled her with dread; her heart sank. She had always seen him angry with others, but never directed at her.
"Did you hear me, Ana? I have chosen her as my Luna. You can't speak to your Luna in such a way."
A wave of mock laughter escaped Ana, tears glistening in her eyes. "You've always called her a slut, Jax. You've ridiculed her for being cheap, and here you are, defending her, fucking her, and breaking the heart of the one person who has ever truly loved you."
He growled again, and this time, it felt like the ground shook beneath her. He grabbed her arms, holding her tightly as his claws lengthened, digging into her skin and filling her with pain.
"You heard me, Ana. She is my mate, and my Luna. Don't say that again, or I’ll rip your head off right now."
Ana stilled in his grip. Did he just say she was his mate?
Mate?
If Jax wasn't her mate, then she was doomed. There was no way out of the pack for her, and her suffering as an omega would only worsen. No, this had to be a dream. It could not be true!
Suddenly , she found a surge of strength, pushing him away. He watched her intently as she shook her head and whispered, "No. This can't be true. She can't be your mate. My wolf recognized you the moment I stepped into the quarters."
"Even if that was true, I would never mate with an omega like you," he spat in disgust.
"You're a liar! You lied to me! You led me on!" She screamed, hitting him weakly on his chest. The pain was unbearable. Before she knew it, strong arms pulled her down to her knees.
He looked at her with contempt and anger. "How dare you hit your Alpha?!" He crouched low, gripping her chin and forcing her to meet his gaze.
"I would do it again!" She yelled, spotting Amelia smirking with the bedspread wrapped around her body. "You asked for it the moment you chose her!"
Ana was an omega, but she still had Alpha blood in her. She wasn't going to submit to his abuse.
"Take her out!" He commanded, turning away before finishing his command with a cold, stinging tone. "Leave, Ana. I don’t want to see you again. If I do, you won’t live to tell everyone how dangerous I have become.”