Chapter 3 Betrayed

ADRIANA

I ignored every false concern thrown at me by the Manor's workers as I made my way to my brothers’ study.

It took half of my feeble strength to stop the tears lurking in my eyes from dropping.

When I got to the door that led into the study, my heart slowly began to break. I took a deep breath and forced my trembling hand to grab the knob.

I twisted the cold knob and pushed the door open. The scent of books, cigarettes, and a mix of musk and sandalwood hit my face.

I sucked in again and pushed the door wider, then slipped in and slammed the door shut.

I tiptoed towards the large desk a few distances away despite that there was no one in the room. If I wanted to kill Arlene, then I had to make sure I tore into her heart in a way that she would never return.

I snuck around to the drawer beside the desk and began to pull them open one after the other until I found the key that I was looking for. I sighed loudly and grabbed the key, then headed for the safe hidden behind one of the bookshelves in their study.

I rolled the bookshelf that I knew it was hidden in, over, then slipped the key into the keyhole of the safe.

The moment the safe clicked open, I felt my heart harden.

“If I can't have Miles, no one can," I whispered to myself and pulled the safe open, then slipped my hand into the box.

My heart began to race as I pulled out the blade hidden in the safe. That was not just a blade. It was a weapon that could kill both mortals and immortals, and someone like Arlene would definitely not survive a stab.

Warnings filled my head as I stared at the blade in my hand. My mother's words slipped in, backed up by Valerie's words, but I was too devastated to give a listening ear to any of them. Besides, they never cared about me to begin with.

With those words ringing in my head and pushing every unwanted warning back, I left the study and took the direction that led to the council room where the formalities were going on.

I was ready to end it all. I would make her pay with her blood. As I neared the hall, laughter from the room haunted my ears and pierced my heart.

How could they all be happy in my absence? This question hardened my heart the more and caused me to bleed inside.

I clenched the blade and increased my pace, my heart racing with each step I took closer to the gathering that would determine my future.

Will I live as a murderer for the rest of my life? Or will I die as the one who shamelessly fought for the one that belonged to her?

Even if either of those happened, one thing was certain. I would be the villain in everyone's story. The one who stole, and not the one who had what she loved stolen.

I walked into the hall and swerved my head towards the throne where my brothers sat.

My eyes darted to the side, and I caught them, Miles and Arlene, their hands wrapped together, their eyes pouring into each other with smiles etched against their faces.

I felt the anger in me triple as my blood boiled.

The hall was so crowded with pack elders and lawmakers, and some members of the pack who held high titles.

For the first time, no one noticed my presence, and it was way better that way. I wished I had always remained in the shadows. Perhaps, that way, I wouldn't have every finger pointing at me when something happened. This time, I would become Arlene for once in my life. I would hide under the shadows she had always hidden in and would commit the worst crime.

I began to make my way towards them, the blade in my hand, my heart hardening, and the desire to kill her getting ever stronger the closer I got.

I didn't care what people would think of me or what the punishment might be. My first and favorite crime was falling in love, and I would pay the punishment for the rest of my life.

I remembered defending that bastard against the people he had bullied in high school.

I let go of a lot of my friends and even my dignity just to be with him.

They had all seen me as a villain right from the beginning, when I knew nothing. So, this was just an answer to prove them right.

As I got closer, I darted my eyes towards my brothers and noticed that they were not paying attention to anyone else aside from Arlene, like they had always done.

I slid out the blade as I got nearer to her, ready to slash her wrists open.

“Who knows why Adriana didn't come?" A familiar voice amongst the multitude of voices caught my attention and caused me to freeze.

I looked up in surprise and felt relief wash across my body when my eyes fell on Diana. She would definitely tell everyone that Arlene was lying about me and her relationship with Miles.

I gasped in relief and began to approach her instead, but the words of the girl beside her made my heart drop in despair.

“Perhaps, she's jealous of Arlene as always,” one of our college friends replied. Rose, just like Diana, was close to me, and she knew so well that I was dating Miles.

Anger clenched my heart, and I gritted my teeth, then pushed the people close to me, marching towards them.

“You're right, I'm happy Arlene was able to stop her before she stole Miles from her. She has been nothing but a bitch, I wonder how I was able to put up with her!" Diana snapped in response and my feet froze again.

I felt my breath hitch and the tears that I had been holding in finally dropped.

“Diana!" I whispered in a quivering voice and the smile on her face faded as she jerked her head in my direction.

Their jaws dropped and their eyes widened in horror. I scoffed loudly, unable to breathe properly as I stared at them in disbelief. Even them?

Diana was like a sister to me, I trusted her more than anyone.

We went through the worst days of our lives together, and we promised to stand by each other through life. But standing there, a few metres away from her, I realized that everything had been a lie.

Her promises, Miles’s promises, Arlene's promises, and even my mother's promises. They were all lies, just a way to manipulate me and they all succeeded. They all ruined me.

“How could you?" I whispered in a trembling voice, tears rolling down my cheeks.

The hall suddenly went silent and people began to shift away, giving my brothers the chance to spot me.

“What are you doing here?" Arlene's voice rang in the hall.

My lips twitched up and I turned around to face them. She was standing so confidently with Miles right behind her, glaring at me like I was some monster.

"So, this is it," I chuckled, staggering forward.

Valerie rushed into the hall and moved towards me but I raised my hand and she froze.

“You all have always hated me, haven't you? You go around with smiles on your faces, masking up the evil that was a part of you,” I muttered, waving my hand at Arlene.

"Stop playing victim and leave! I did you a favor and told Luna Valerie only,” she snapped.

I gasped loudly in disbelief, wondering how she was able to be so brave while telling a lie.

"You didn't have to be so shameless, Arlene!” I growled loudly.

"What is going on here?” Lucian growled, jerking up in rage.

I parted my lips to speak but Arlene beat me to it.

"She is in love with Miles and wants him!” She blurted out and gasps filled the hall.

My lips slammed shut, and tears filled my eyes.

“What?" Lucian muttered, and Killian scoffed loudly, running his hand through his hair.

“Is this true, Adriana?" Lucian asked, and I shook my head.

“No…”

"Were you expecting her to tell the truth?” Arlene scoffed and grabbed Miles's hand.

I looked at Miles and noticed the quick dash of guilt across his eyes.

‘Perhaps, he would tell the truth for the sake of our relationship,’ that was the dumb thought that forced me to shuffle forward towards them.

“Miles, tell them the truth! Tell them you love me and we were supposed to announce our relationship last night…”

"I have always known you were crazy, but I never knew you needed help at the asylum too,” Miles said, and my throat knotted.

Arlene tilted her head to the side, her lips twitching up.

"She is so horrible!”

"I have never liked her!”

"She has always hated her twin sister, poor sweet Arlene.”

"I wonder if the blood of the Nox flows through her veins, this is utter disgust!”

Comments from the people in the room filled my head and stabbed me countless times.

I looked at Diana and the rest of our college friends, my heart breaking at the false disgust on their faces.

Valerie looked disappointed, and my brothers? I guessed they hated me.

“Adriana Nox, I order you to leave!" Killian ordered.

I straightened up from my bent position and smiled at Arlene who thought she must have won.

“I will be your villain till the end of your time," I whispered, and pulled out the blade then rushed towards her.

Screams filled the air, and horror darted across her eyes when I raised the blade in the air.

I didn't give it a second thought before swinging the blade at her. Her flesh was slashed open, and blood splashed on my face as she went down.

"Luna!”

I felt my heart stop beating when I pulled my head together, and realized that the one on the floor wasn't Arlene, but Valerie, my brothers' mate.