Chapter 6:
The rain pounded mercilessly, soaking the ground as I crouched beneath a thick oak tree, watching the scene unfold before me. My wolf, Lyca, was restless, pacing within me, but even she couldn’t muster the strength to move. The downpour had left us trapped, forced to witness Damon’s betrayal yet again.!!
There he was, my supposed mate that our bond would be finalized in the next full moon, standing in the rain with Lilith cradled in his arms like some fragile treasure. His long hair stuck to his forehead as he held the umbrella over her, completely ignoring the fact that his shoulders were drenched. She nestled into his chest, her face pale but serene, as if she knew he’d always be there for her.
“Do you see this?” Lyca growled weakly. “Do you feel this?”
“I feel nothing.” I whispered loudly, my voice carrying some unusual echo.
Damon spoke softly to her, his words barely audible over the rain but I could still hear them loud and clear. “You’ll catch a fever if you stay out here any longer” He adjusted the cloak around her shoulders with a tendemess that never belonged to me.X
Even when he pretended to love me, it was never this way.
Not anymore would I be bothered, I reminded myself, clenching my fists. The band between us had long since broken. That night! found out his other woman was my own sister. So it shattered beyond repair by every moment he chose her over me.”
I stayed hidden as he carried her toward his parents packhouse – his father was their pack betas, his steps were steady, his focus entirely on her. My mate ironically. My supposed other half in words alone. My laugh came out bitter and sharp, lost in the storm.
He didn’t even look around to see if I was there. Not once
When they went inside, I forced myself to move. My legs felt heavy, like the mud was pulling me down, but I walked anyway. want to follow, but I had nowhere else to go
Inside the packhouse, it was warm, but it felt wrong. I heard their voices and followed the sound
“You shouldn’t stay out in the rain like that Damon said, his voice soft. “You’ll get sick ”
“I knew you’d come for me” Lilith said, her voice small but sweet, “You always do.”
My nails dug into my palms. I couldn’t listen anymore. I pushed open the door.
Damon looked at me, surprised. “Lyrial Why didn’t you come inside earlier?“))
I stepped into the room, water dripping from my clothes. “I didn’t want to bother you.” My voice was cold, flat.
“You’re soaked,” he said, stepping closer. “Let me help-”
“Don’t,” I said, cutting him off. I moved past him like he wasn’t even there.
“Wait” he called, grabbing my arm. “Lilith can’t handle the rain. You know that.”
I turned to look at him, my lips trembling as I spoke. “And I can?”
He blinked, unsure what to say. “I didn’t mean it like that. I was just-“}
“Taking care of her because that’s the Alpha’s order,” I said, finishing his sentence. “You always take care of her.”
Lilith stood up, her voice quiet. “Maybe I should-“%
Even at this moment, she decided to act innocent. My wolf knew it was a matter of seconds before I snapped her into half
“Stay” I snapped, my eyes on her. “You belong here, don’t you?“%
Damon sighed, his shoulders slumping, “Lyria, you’re overreacting.
“I’m your mate!” I yelled, my voice shaking the room. “Or did you forget?”
He didn’t answer.
I laughed, not that I wasn’t happy t
y to leave this territory and my territory. “You don’t have to say it. I already know.”
I managed a small nod. “It’s fine.”
I didn’t
He smiled, relieved, as if my forgiveness came so easily. But inside, my wolf stirred uneasily, growling low in my mind. Damon thought everything was fine. I was playing his mind games too.
The ride back to our territory was suffocating. Damon tried to start a conversation, but I kept my responses short.
By the time we arrived. I had already made up my mind. Since I will be leaving to the land of no return, it is time I go Alpha’s quarters to get some of the things I would need.
back to the
The Alpha’s headquarters was quiet when I returned, half soaked. The Luna stood at the doorway, her gaze piercing through me.X “What’s this?” she sneered. “You are not a pup that they have to always looked after. You are grown, yet you don’t act like it!
“And why are you here? The ceremony is soon, you should be with your mate, not the Alpha’s headquarters ”
“Mother” I called, the word even strange to me!!
The luna had raised me for twenty years, but the truth had always been there, lurking beneath the surface. I wasn’t her daughter, Lilith was the chosen one I wasn’t even a real member of the pack in front of the council. I was Lynia, the stray they took pity on.
From the moment they chose Lilith as the real heir, they had treated me like an outsider, a burden they couldn’t wait to be rid of.
“I came to see your face, Mother” I smiled, my wolf taking over. Iran into the chamber, running towards a ruined they made my room. Picked two things, ran back outside. The Luna didn’t move an inch and also didn’t spare me a glance.
“Goodbye, Mother,” I said softly
She didn’t respond. She didn’t even care to look at me.
221 PM D
I left the
Alpha’s headquarters behind, carrying nothing but the two things I took and the memories I couldn’t erase
By the time I returned to Damon’s cabin, the sun had dipped below the horizon, casting the forest in shadows. Damon greeted me with a bright smile, holding up a custom made ceremonial dress. Like it wasn’t nights ago, Lilith was wearing the one I spent months designing &
“I picked this out for you,” he said, his voice warm. “The ceremony is in a few days, and you have always dreamed of a perfect one*% I stared at the dress, my heart sinking. It was beautiful, but it wasn’t mine. It wasn’t the one I had designed, dreaming of a future that
now felt like a lie.
“You deserve the best. We’ll be official soon. This will be the perfect dress.“||
I stared at the gown in his hands on a second thought. The soft white fabric, the lace that seemed so delicate. But all I felt was disgust. He had no idea how repulsive this all was. The dress, the ceremony, the lie that we would live happily ever after.
I hated it.”
But I smile anyways.!
I hated the dress. I hated the way Damon looked at me with that empty smile. It wasn’t even his fault. He was pretending. Pretending that we were a family, that he was still the man I had once loved.X
But the truth was, I wasn’t his. He had already given his heart away. And Lilith was the reason. She always had been
I didn’t even want to question him. I didn’t have the strength to. The ship had sailed, and no amount of pretending would change the fact that I would soon vanish As Jareth had said, my ship would soon land, and I would finally be free
Damon pushed the dress into my hands, not minding my wolf growling. This one suits you and is more beautiful than the one you made. You just want to give yourself loads of work, he said eagerly. “Come on, try it on.
I didn’t argue. I went to change into the dress, feeling the fabric against my skin, feeling it cling to me like an uncomfortable reminder of the path I was being forced to walk. But I couldn’t stop now. There was no turning back.
When I came out, Damon was already on his feet, looking at me with that same fake smile on his face. But before he could speak, the sound of someone else’s voice reached my ears.
He immediately left my side and went further away to the place I wouldn’t hear him but because of our bond, I could hear him loud. and clear.
She
“Do I have to come now?” he asked, glancing at me from the comer of his eye. I’m with your sister, I don’t want her to feel bad that was soaked in the rain“!
The words hit me like a slap. Sister Lilith, the devil, again.)
“T be there soon,” he murmured, his voice soft and tender in a way he rarely used with me.!
“Yes, I would meet you at the river with similar dress and pendants. The southside border?”
“Just hold on…I love red on you too. Your sense of style is while you seem like the moon goddess Lilitha
“Say my name one more time, it makes my wolf jump in joy” He laughed.
“DK my moon lily…I will be there soon ”
The voice went dead. I blinked, maintaining a neutral face like I didn’t hear him. Damon came back inside, his eyes blank as he removed his cufflinks.
He took one last look at me before heading towards the door saying, “I will fetch you some herbs..you look sick”
I nodded briefly, hiding my disgust “Thank you.”
He left at once.
As I stood in front of the window, looking out at the bloody sky, I saw pups running around and their laughter was contagious. I smiled without knowing.X
I was stupid to have thought Damon and I would have pups that took his eyes. But remembering that I would vanish soon made me smile again.X
The moonlight shone brightly through the window, and in that moment, I knew I was free.
