Chapter 3

Lila's Pov

“Smile.”

My mother's voice echoed in my ears as I kept up appearances like the good girl I am.

I was the blushing bride. Today was supposed to be the best day of my life, but it also felt like my funeral. Shards of glass were tearing at my heart and soul.

My wolf was crying out, but I had to be strong for both of us. I made a decision that would affect us both, and I had to own it and live with it.

I was having a hard time breathing through the pain, but still, I managed to rip out my own heart. How do I exist with this pain in my chest?

I know he would have run with me had I agreed, but his conscience would always eat at him.

I know none of those people care about him, but he cares about them, and he is the only one who is truly capable of leading this pack. Even if he had left with me, his heart would always be here, and he would never be happy wherever we go.

"I'm proud of you." Mother said, embracing me, and I held back a scoff. I don't know what there is to be proud of about selling your daughter off to the highest bidder.

I felt hate and anger for both my parents, and I will never forgive them for this.

"Now, where is that smile?" She said with gritted teeth, and from a distance, one could say that she's smiling at me, but it's a reprimand.

I don't know why at that moment I felt my soul sort of leave my body, and I looked around at the whole reception.

I could spot him from a distance, but I couldn't spot him anywhere at that moment.

I tried to tell myself that maybe he has gone for air because I know this is as hard for him as it is for me. But I could feel from my bones that something was wrong. Everything felt off.

"You're shaking." Mother said, holding my hands, but I didn't even bother to answer her. I may have given them what they wanted, but that doesn't mean I will ever have respect for them for putting me in this position.

Mark. My husband and the brother of the man I loved interrupted us at that moment.

"We're the bride and Groom, but we haven't had our dance." He said with a full-blown smile.

I hated it, and I hated him.

My wolf didn't want to be in his presence, but I had to keep up the act

I gave him my hand, and he pulled me onto the dance floor. I didn't want his hands on me, but I had to tolerate them as they wrapped around my waist.

"You're beautiful." He said, leaning closer to me, but I looked away. It was enough that I was already his wife on paper, but his touch makes my skin crawl.

"Do you think I can go to my room already?" I asked, and a tear unwillingly fell from my face. It was only a matter of time before every emotion that I've been feeling completely takes over, and I don't want to do it in front of everybody, so I just need to be alone.

"You mean our room." He said amused. He was torturing me mentally and emotionally like the prick he is. I can never understand why Griffin loves this man because you could swear he sees God in his eyes, but Mark is a manipulative Jackass.

"If you think you're going to find him waiting for you out there today, then you're mistaken because he's gone." He said, and I froze.

I felt my entire body mind and being go numb.

"What?"

I didn't even react when he carried me bridal style out of the hall. My mind and my heart were struggling to accept what he had just said.

As soon as we were out of the hall, he put me down and started pulling me along to god knows where.

These are Mark's True Colours. He wanted everybody to think that he was the doting husband when he carried me out of there, but now the abusive man is back.

I didn't mind how roughly he pulled me, and I didn't feel the pain every time I bumped into something.

He pulled me for a while until I noticed we were in his house. He locked us in and locked eyes with me. There was murder in his eyes. I was used to his anger, and I could endure it, but today, it felt different.

"You f****** slept with him. You hoe." He said, pushing me to the floor. I hit the floor hard, and I felt my whole body burn with pain.

"You made a joke of me when you slept with him, what belongs to me." He said, but nothing he says will make me regret the best night of my life. I will never feel guilty for giving my virginity to the man that I love.

"What did you do to him?" I asked.

"I haven't done anything to him yet, but you've cost him his life." He said, and for the first time, I felt regret for the decision I had taken.

Maybe we should have run away together. Maybe I should have told him that his brother is a devil.

"The best part is that don't have to do anything to make that happen because he himself decided to go to the warrior training." He said, completely breaking my heart.

I know what I destroyed everything that was between us, but I would have known if he had any plan of going somewhere, and something about this just seems off.

“Cry for him because today is the only day you will ever do it. From this moment on, you are my wife and the Luna of this pack. Forget my brother because you'll never see him again.”