Betrayed by Day, Claimed by Night

Lora's POV

I felt I'm betraying Kyle when I took a vehicle heading to the so-called Clara's address. I wanted to trust Kyle but one part of me is saying otherwise. At least, Sandra had no reason to lie to me, giving me enough reason to reason that this might be true. Another part of me is praying Sandra lied to me.

I felt my heart pounding heavily as I dropped by Clara's house. My heart skipped a heartbeat when I saw Kyle's Toyota car, parked at the front of the house.

I dragged my legs towards the door, the realization of what Sandra said coming into view but still hoping positive. At least I have to hear this from Kyle himself.

I took a heavy breath as I stood before the door. I stretched my hand to press the doorbell when I stopped my hand mid-air. I'm thinking whether to press the doorbell or not.

My heart is terrified to know the truth. I turned back to leave. But I had not taken three steps when the door swung open, revealing a very stunning lady, smiling beautifully at me.

“He-hello….” I greeted, my tongue stuttering but before I could finish greeting, she gave me a welcoming hug.

“What an exciting day it is. You are Kyle's sister, right?” She asked me, throwing me a sweet smile. “You came for the engagement, right? Come on. Let's head inside. There's a lot of refreshment therein.”

Engagement? My brain began to process truth in what Sandra had told me. But I still need to hear directly from him. I didn't have time to hesitate as she pulled me in through the joyous crowd.

Kyle was conversing with his group of friends when he turned his head and noticed us. He was taken aback when he saw me with the stunning lady.

“Kyle, look who is here for our ceremony. Honey, I thought you said she isn't around?”

I didn't need any explanation from him anymore that he'd discarded me and the stunning lady was now his new girlfriend who he would declare to the pack, when I saw the way they conversed and the peck she gave him right before my eyes.

I felt something squeezing life out of me. The sting of betrayal cracking cruelly on me. It took all ounce of strength in me to compose myself before them. I could not bring myself shattered before them. No, not now.

Kyle tried to compose his looks in front of her girlfriend. I knew the last thing he was expecting was seeing me here.

“Ohhh, maybe that's Sandra you're talking about. I'm Lora,” I introduced myself, forcing a smile on my face.

Clara's face etched with surprise. “Wow. Kyle never told me he has another sister. Anyways, it's awesome to have to hear. Thanks for coming to our engagement ceremony. The formal proclamation will take place soon.”

Kyle was taken aback and at the same time relieved when I did not tell Clara that I was his girlfriend.

Everything is now clear. He already have a girlfriend that he would announce to the pack as his girlfriend and future Luna.

“Wow. Big congratulations to both of you,” I greeted them, forcing a smile on my face, a sharp contrast to the sting of betrayal squeezing me within. “You two fit well as a couple. Congratulations once again.”

“Thanks very much my dear,” Clara responded. “Kyle, help me to keep Lora's company. I wished to stay with your sister but I have things to take on.”

Clara left me and Kyle on the spot to attend to other things in the party. I didn't like the idea that me and Kyle are now standing close but I had no choice.

“Hmm, I'm really sorry Lora,” Kyle stuttered, finally stopping the silence between us.

“You know I'm the future of the Alpha of this pack. I'm left with no choice but to marry someone of high class. I'm sorry,” he continued, flashing a remorseful face towards me.

“No problem, Kyle. Every man has a choice. And I'm glad you've made the right choice.” I said, restricting the tears that had already welled up in my eyes.

“Congratulations again, Kyle. Pls-ss take good care of Clara. She is a very kind lady. And tell her bye for me,” I said before heading out of the party.

********

“Don’t tell me you are taking the third bottle,” Chloe, my friend, muttered with concern as she saw me taking the third bottle of whiskey. I'd requested her to meet at the bar to engulf myself in the embrace of liquor.

I believed booze should help me from dying in this crashing world of mine. Alpha Alec, my adoptive father, had already sealed my fate to the Lycan king , the devil himself, without my consent. If that's all, that would have been better but no, it was this same day l got to know that the person I wholeheartedly love was engaging to another person.

Before this night, I was a timid and obedient girl who followed orders without questions. I had no choice. My father, the former Alpha of the pack, was sentenced to death after being accused of treason when our pack was invaded by rogues.

Alpha Alec was generous enough to bring me into his home after he took over the throne as the Alpha.

Tonight, his very reason to have adopted me came into light. All Alphas have agreed to send their eldest daughters to the Lycan king's harem to become his wives. Now, it's time for the Silvermoore pack to send their eldest daughter. And Alpha Alec had every intention to send me to that monster in place of her daughter.

But what's more painful was the fact that the only person who claimed to love me decided to choose power over me. I have not even left the pack before he was already engaging himself to another woman. Despite all his promises.

My heart crackled with pain, the sting of betrayal shattering my spirit mercilessly. My left hand was clutched to my chest, a testament of my shattered mind, as I sipped the last drop of whiskey in the glass cup.

My friend, Chloe, leaned closer to me, her voice barely above a whisper, “Lora, what are you going to do now?”

“What choice do I have?” I replied to her with another question when I remembered what I told Kyle that everyone has a choice. Yes, everyone has a choice.

I might not have the choice to escape the fact that I will be marrying someone I don't love but I have the choice to decide when and who I'm going to give my virtue.

“Lora, wait, I know that look of yours. You should not do that, Lora!.”

I grinned mysteriously, “But you haven't heard what I'm about to do my friend.”

“I know you and that looks, you are about to do something dangerous.”

“So is marrying that smug dickhead,” I snapped, a sharp answer to the cruelly crafted future before me.

Frightened, Chloe was fast enough to cover my mouth with her delicate hands of her, a frantic look in her eyes as she scanned the bar for prying eyes.

The music in the bar throbbed hard very well in the background, making it very difficult for anyone to listen to other people's conversation.

“Lora! Have you gone crazy? Don't you know that someone might hear us?” Chloe asked me as she throbbed her temples.

“The music is too loud for anybody to hear us, Chloe,” I said to her, followed by a chuckle.

“Okay. Fine. It seems you are drunk already. You know very well that Alpha Alec will be mad at you if he knows you are here. Let's go home now” Chloe suggested, her face etched with concern, “Before that, I want to visit the restroom.” She didn't want to leave me here especially after what I said. But it seemed she had no choice.

I quickly grasped the opportunity to execute my plan. All I needed was someone for tonight and my problem would be solved. I scanned through the bar, searching for a partner.

My gaze searched through every corner of the bar. I saw eager men, a potential solution to my predetermined fate but not one could catch my interest until my gaze finally found him- a captivating towering figure.

His steely eyes locked into mine in an irresistible manner, turning the world hazy around us. Time seemed to slow to halt and he was all I could see.

As he sipped his drink, held in a strong, graceful hand, my breath skipped a beat. His gaze alone ignited an irresisting desire in me that caught me off guard. My heart began to pound in sync with the pulsating music in the bar.

His aura exuded danger, a primal force that could overpower me yet I felt an irresistible pull. I hungered to be consumed by that danger, to be held within his arms.

“No. Not him,” I repeated to myself, a feeble attempt to shield my racing heart against the danger that his mere presence seemed to embody.

His strong stare was too much, making it hard to breathe. I needed to look for another man. My eyes searched around the room, hoping to find someone else.

But the picture of his arm covered in tattoos stayed in my mind and would not go away.

The room was full of people, and my chest grew tight with worry. The loud music beat fast, the same as my own racing heart. I pushed myself to keep walking, trying to get away from the danger that seemed to follow me.

The lights spun across the floor, and I moved quickly, only wanting to break free from his stare. I did not know where I was going, but I let the night carry me forward.

Too many feelings fought inside me. In quiet corner, I leaned back against the wall, trying to calm down and put space between me and the strange man.

Shutting my eyes, I tried hard not to remember his alluring gaze and the snare of danger. I launched back my eyes to where he sat and disappointment flashed me as he was nowhere to be found.

Trying to dispel the undeniable pull he had on me, I muttered to myself, “Chloe is actually correct. This is stupid of me.”

I finally decided to exit the bar, taking unwilling steps towards the door. As I moved away from the wine counter, my head began to bang, maybe because of the bottles of whiskey I took earlier.

Frantically trying to steady myself and not fall, my unsteady legs betrayed me. But instead of falling, I felt something warm and strong behind me. My back landed at the chest of someone, surely, a man. My rolling eyes struggling to focus.

Gazing upward, my eyes caught the familiar gaze of those charming gray eyes, gazing down at me in a knowing amusement.

“Be careful little one,” he cautioned, his voice was smooth, velvet, a very seductive baritone that sent shivers down my spine.

In this dangerous moment, my self-restraint faded away with no trace. With profound courage, I swaddled my hands round his tattooed neck, a very daring move that surprised him. The looks on his face shifted from the initial surprise to a mischievous smile.

Though unexpected, he didn't resist my reckless move. He warped his arms around me in response, drawing me closer as the heat between us boomed.

“You are one bold girl,” he muttered, his lips so close that I could feel the heat of his breath.

I could not hold back my craving for his lips so I grabbed his neck and pulled his mouth to mine. My lips crashed onto his, hungry and rough. He kissed me back with the same need, his tongue claiming mine as the kiss grew hot and deep.

A sharp moan left me when his hands

slid slowly over my body, gripping my waist, trailing lower, pressing me against him. His touch set fire to my skin, each movement making me throb with want.

His mouth moved harder on mine, and his hands explored me with no pause, squeezing, stroking , taking every inch he could reach. My body pushed into his, desperate for more.

In that fierce moment, I gave in fully, lost in the raw heat of his touch and the urgent hunger between us.