1. LENORA

LENORA

I can walk away from this.

I don't have to do this.

I don't have to, but I want to.

I will not let that man have the last laugh.

I will bring shame to my family and dishonor to my name. Even if they'll never know it, I'll know and it'll be enough for me.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" my sister, Laura asks for the umpteenth time. She worries about my decision. I've never been rebellious. I'm a quiet and innocent child. It's why father was quick to put me up for marriage.

He doesn't deserve the shame, it's why I'm never going to tell him. It would, however, be fun to watch my new husband and my father argue over my virginity.

Imagine that! Two grown ass men arguing over my own damn body!

"I'm sure," I reply quietly but she grabs my wrist and spins me around. The worry on her face seeks the truth, seeks some kind of closure but that's all to it.

"I don't want you to do anything because of them-" she starts to say but I interrupt.

"Sometimes, choices are influenced by other people's actions, Laura. It's just the way of things," I free myself from her grip and hold her hand instead. "Regardless, this is what I want."

She's not convinced and I don't expect her to understand. Her eyes wells up with tears. We've gone over this a lot of times so I know what she wants to say before she says it. "I'm sorry. I'm supposed to protect you. I'm supposed to be the big sister that I am."

"Laura, you'll ruin your makeup!" I grab her shoulders with a stern look. "Stop crying. And we're only one year apart. That's not enough for you to burden yourself so much-"

"It's still something!" she half screams in between breaths, trying not to cry. "I wish… I wish I hadn't done it with Ryan."

But she had. Her first time was with a boy named Ryan. They were eighteen and in love. I've never seen my sister smile so big in all my life. He was her first love and the only man she had ever slept with.

How did I get to know? Easy. Father walked in on them and he ripped off the boy's head. It was an instant judgement for sleeping with an Alpha's daughter.

Laura was well aware of father's plans to marry her off once she turned twenty and sometimes, I wonder if she did what she did on purpose. I mean, they could've had sex anywhere. Why do it back home especially on the day father would be around?

Long story short, he ripped the poor boy apart and ever since, I've been sheltered, locked up, cut out of the world- or so father thinks.

He sent my sister abroad so she wouldn't 'corrupt' and 'ruin' my innocence. The same innocence he wants to hand off to a fucking alpha to breed me for his own selfish interest.

Jokes on him because I'm ruining it myself!

She's only here because it's my big day tomorrow and every one of my family must be present to send me off, to see the start of a new empire. Since father failed to have a son to carry on our ancient pack, one of us must bear one and hope our genes are strong enough to produce a Lycan.

A duel was set amongst Alpha's and one came out victorious. That one is expected to conquer my vagina, plant his seed, mark me to gain more power and our son would be the heir to my family's pack.

Like it's my fault father has no male in his sperm.

We're in my bedroom, dressed up for the night. I'm ashamed of what I'm about to do, but if it's the only decision I can make in my life, I shall own it with pride.

"Don't say that. You loved him and thought to express it with your body," thankfully, no tears have spilled. Good. I didn’t want to waste more time here. "We should leave soon. My… date is waiting for me."

"Only you would call it that," Laura teases.

My cheeks heat.

Date's not the right word. More like, my escort.

“But you don't even know this guy,” her face falls again. “I wish you were doing it with someone you love.”

Me too. But love doesn't exist in my upbringing. It's duty first. I’ve been taught to do as I'm told, but tonight, I'm doing whatever with the one thing that's mine- my body. And that's because I can do whatever I want with it.

"Shall we?" she links my arm in hers. "Father is out celebrating with his friends, mom is with her friends and we have the whole house to ourselves."

For tonight, as my own wedding present, I have arranged an escort to have me. This will not stop my wedding, but it will allow me a good joke.

If the alpha thinks he will wed a virgin, he thought wrong.