Chapter Five: Shadows of Betrayal

Ella ran into her room, unable to control her tears, her heart racing. She couldn't escape the flood of notifications on her phone,each one more hurtful than the last, as she watched her name everywhere on social media. The screens glared back at her, filled with cruel comments branding her a "slut," openly disregarding her as she faced betrayal from those she once trusted. The media carried how she was openly disregarded by two Alphas. She dropped her phone on the bed, the notification sound echoing in the silence as she collapsed into the sheets, sobbing deeply.

As the engagement party came to a close, the noise of laughter and celebration faded into a haunting memory. Suddenly, the door burst open, and in walked Sandra and her mother, Christine, fury etched across their faces. They marched toward Ella, ready to unleash their anger.

“How can you sleep after disgracing our family?” Sandra shouted, her voice dripping with disdain as she yanked Ella's hair, forcing her to look up.

Ella fought back instinctively, pushing her sister away. “Get off me, Sandra!” she cried, desperation in her voice.She was met with a fierce glare.

“How dare you fight back?” Christine snapped, her palm connecting sharply with Ella's cheek, sending her crashing back onto the bed. “Now the whole world is laughing at us! You’ve ruined everything!” her words dripped with disdain as she loomed over Ella, fury radiating from her every core.

Ella's heart raced with a mix of anger and hurt as the two of them continued their verbal assault. “You don’t understand what I went through!” she shouted, her voice breaking. “You’re not the one who was betrayed!”

“Stop making excuses!” Sandra sneered, her eyes gleaming with delight at Ella's pain. “You’ve brought this upon yourself. You thought you could dream of Alpha Derek as your mate? The pack looks down on you now! A pathetic Joker”

Ella felt her heart sink,the weight of her sister's words wrapping around her like a vice. Sandra's mocking laughter filled the room, cutting deeper than any physical blow. At that moment the room felt smaller, suffocating .

Christine joined in,her voice filled with venom. “You think anyone will respect you after this? You have ruined your chances of being accepted in our world “.

“You have embarrassed this family” she hissed,” you deserve every bit of this shame”.

Sandra watched as her mother torture Ella a cruel smile creeping across her face. “You are nothing but a disgrace” she taunted, her voice dripping with malice. “You think Alpha Derek wants you? You are a pathetic little girl dreaming of a fairytale that doesn't exist”.

Ella's heart raced, the humiliation crashing over her like waves as Sarah continued.

“ You were just rejected in front of the entire pack, do you think anyone would want you now?” she mocked.

They continued to torture her, their words, one after another like daggers, until they were satisfied with their cruel game. “Make sure you clean up this mess and prepare dinner,” Christine ordered, her tone final as she and Sandra strode out of the room, leaving Ella alone with her pain.

Ella lay on her bed, tears soaking the pillow, her body shaking with sobs. “Nobody cares about me,” she whispered into the silence. “Not even my family, nor my mates.” The despair was suffocating, each breath a reminder of her loneliness.

Days quickly turned into a blur of torment. Each day brought new challenges as she navigated through the suffocating atmosphere in the house and whispers from the pack. Ella's heart grew heavy with each passing day.

This particular morning was no different, she woke up to a painful sensation of someone pulling her ears, yanking her from sleep. Disoriented, she blinked to find her stepmother standing over her, rage simmering in her eyes.

“What are you still doing in bed? You have chores to do!” Christine barked, her irritation palpable.

“Mom, I’m really not feeling well,” Ella protested, urgently pushing her stepmother’s hand away as her body betrayed her; she rushed to the bathroom, the contents of her stomach spilling into the toilet as wave after wave of nausea hit her.

Just as she thought she might find a moment of peace, Sandra appeared in the doorway, her expression a mix of feigned concern and malicious glee. “My poor sister, are you pregnant?” she asked mockingly, a cruel smile dancing on her lips.

Ella's heart dropped, realization crashing over her like icy water. The thought sent her mind racing. Could it be true? The weight of the implication made her stomach churn further, and she leaned over the toilet, fighting back tears of frustration.

“No… it can’t be,” Ella murmured to herself, grappling with the chaos in her head. She recalled the night with Derek, the passion, the intensity, and the sudden shifts of reality that had upended her life. “This isn’t happening.”

The realization only deepened her sense of betrayal, not just by Kevin and Derek, but now by her own body. “How could this happen?” she whispered, the words barely escaping her lips. She felt trapped in a nightmare she couldn’t wake up from.

“Maybe if you’d kept your legs closed, you wouldn’t be in this mess!” Sandra shot back, reveling in her sister’s despair.

“I’ll make sure to keep it closed around your fiancé next time,” Ella spat back, anger flaring,leaving Sandra surprisingly speechless

With every insult, Ella felt her heart harden. She might be down, but she wouldn’t let them see her break.

As she stood up, her reflection in the bathroom mirror caught her eye. She looked broken, but deep down, there was a warrior spirit waiting to emerge.