Chapter 4

Sapphire's pov

Nothing says “happy birthday” like waking up in chains while your husband frolics with his mistress.

Never had I imagined my twentieth birthday would begin with humiliation — Dimitri publicly snubbing me because Larisa said I “insulted” her and him firing Lydia because she was “crossing a line.” 

A loud throbbing sound caught my attention and I looked up to the ceiling. Dimitri was at it again. This time with a new mistress.

Tears pooled at the ends of my eyes as a soul piercing scream escaped my lips. How could Dimitri do this? How could he do this to me? Humiliation wasn't enough. Now, this? 

Their laughter echoed through the walls and I pulled at the chains. The more I struggled, the more the metal cut into my wrist. 

“Aargh!” I winced in pain. 

The laughter from before returned and this time it was louder, almost as if Dimitri and his mistress were mocking me.

Drop. Drip.

Red crimson dropped from my wrist and stained the white bedsheets. 

At the sight of my own blood, a low whimper tries to escape my lips but I bite down on my lips. No. I couldn't give Dimitri the satisfaction that he'd win. Over my dead body. 

I swallowed the pain and remained – a woman scorned yet bloodthirsty for revenge. 

After spending several minutes of silence in the prison called a room, guess who came to visit? The devil himself.

“Ah, she's gone silent. That's not something you see everyday, right, honey?” Dimitri said, kissing his mistress on the lips.

The mistress, a girl younger than I was, laughed when our eyes met. “I love what the chains do to her wrists. Maybe, you could add them to her collection of accessories.” 

Dimitri's eyes sparkled. “That's brilliant, babe. It's not everyday you get to see a woman wear chains for bracelets.” 

“Fuck you!” I spat.

“No. I'm doing that to her already.” Dimitri grinned, his hand cupping his mistresses behind.

“Ugh! I can't stand the sight of blood. It's disgusting.” The lady said, tugging at Dimitri's cotton shirt. The one I made for him months ago to “prove” myself. Now that I see it on him, I realize how stupid I was.

“You're right. Let's go.” Dimitri hoisted the slut into his arms and she wrapped her legs around his torso.

Sickos. 

Bastards.

I hate them.

I loathe them.

Their giggles tore through the room and I broke down in tears. “When will it end? When?!”

That night, Avery, my new maid, came to help me with the chains. 

“I'm sorry, Your Highness m.” She apologized with a low bow.

“It's not your fault, Avery.” I said, massaging my bandaged wrist — courtesy of Avery.  

“Hear hear!” Echoed in the hall downstairs.

There's a party. But for who?

As if reading my mind, Avery replied. “A banquet was being held in the pack.”

There was obviously a “but”. “Yes?”

She swallowed. “His Majesty ordered the guards to not let you out.”

“It's fine. I expected it anyway. You may leave.” I rose to my feet.

She tried to protest but I dismissed her.

When she was gone, I sauntered to the balcony. Tonight, the weather was a bit chilly. A Southern wolf like me wouldn't need the cold weather but Lycans like that asshole, Dimitri, would. Their kind thrived in the cold. Now I see where he got his attitude from. 

We weren't compatible by nature yet we were mates. The Moon Goddess was definitely losing her touch with this matchmaking nonsense.

I heard a familiar giggle and my blood boiled. 

My eyes fell on a familiar redhead — Clara, Dimitri's new mistress. Apparently, it looked like he was introducing her to his friends.

By the Moon Goddess, it should've been me and not that wench. The party should've been thrown for me. It was my birthday Goddamn it. But no, it was in honour of Clara. 

Damn Clara. Damn Dimitri. Damn that party. 

“I hope everything will go up in flames!” I screamed into the wind and for a moment, the world stilled. 

“I hate it here.” I turned on my heels to leave when people started yelling.

Smoke filled my nostrils and I whipped around to find a wisp of smoke clouding the night sky. The banquet was on fire. 

“What?” I stared at the horror as fire licked at the grass, the fancy tables, everything. Everything at the banquet was in flames. 

I gasped. “Did I … Did I do this?”

Then it hit me. I had wished for the banquet to go up in flames. 

“Did I do this?” I stared at my hands. 

Dimitri's voice filled my head. “For a woman with a cursed bloodline, you sure are ballsy.”

He had mentioned this to me before. Was I really from a cursed bloodline? If I was, did we have powers?

No one had the answers to the questions. I could only find out if I tried. 

Amidst the chaos, I stretched my hand towards Dimitri's carriage and in a matter of seconds, it burst into flames. 

“What?” I gasped in shock. “I have powers?”

I watched in amazement as the pack guards and Dimitri tried to put out the fires. They looked helpless , running around with buckets of water.

A snicker escaped my lips and I let out a laugh. 

Just then, I felt a familiar set of eyes on me and I looked down. 

Dimitri was staring at me. What was going through his mind? Did he think I had something to do with the fires? If he was then he was damn right. 

Bye bye, weakness. Hello, power. 

The following day passed by in a blur, an exciting one actually.

While the guards and maids were occupied with repairing the torched garden, I was busy skipping along the unburnt path. 

In the midst of my whistle, I overheard Clara whispering to her maids. Instead of sympathizing with Dimitri, she was more concerned about a ring in her finger. 

One of her maids caught me eavesdropping and told her mistress. 

“Well, well, well, if it isn't useless Sapphire.” Clara said with a scoff.

“Well, well, well, if it isn't Dimitri's fuck buddy.” I smiled.

Her face turned red. “What did you just call me?”

“You heard me the first time. Don't act dumb, sweetheart, unless you are.” I gave her a glance. “Now, I see the appeal. No wonder Dimitri only sees you as a student and not a wife.”

Her jaws dropped. “What?” 

“Later, haters.” I bid them a goodbye and walked away.

Sapphire - 1, Slutty Clara - 0

With this new power, I felt invincible but after being kidnapped, stabbed and left for dead, I didn't feel any of that invincibility.

It felt like karma came a bit too early to bite me back in the behind.

Shortly after my “Tete a Tete” with Clara, I was grabbed. I didn't see who it was or why they did it but their aim was to have me killed. 

Two names crossed my mind - Dimitri or Clara or both.

Within minutes of regaining consciousness, my attackers violated me. 

“Spread your legs, you filthy whore!” One of them said, smacking me right across the face.

Before I could attack, another blow came. Then another and another until I couldn't resist anymore. The trio used me and left me for dead. 

Lying in the pool of my own blood, I realised I had lived a bitter life.

My mother was dead, my own sister betrayed me, my own father hates me, my own husband wants me dead. 

I scoffed. “I guess I'm unlucky huh.”

Bile rose in my throat and I coughed up blood. Life was seeping out of me. I was dying. 

With a low wince, I called out into the darkness. “Hear me, Moon Goddess! I've faced betrayal… I've faced death… I'm nearly dead but I seek vengeance! I swear vengeance on those who wish me dead. I will cling to the hatred for those who wronged me and I will make them pay! I will rewrite my story. I will!”

My insides were chilly. I was fading away.

With one last whisper, I called out to the Goddess again. “Let me have justice.”

After that, the darkness swallowed me. 

When I came to, I was surrounded by maidens and gentlemen in fine dresses and tuxedos.

“What the?” I looked around me. “How did I get here?”

My eyes fell in the golden banner hanging off the wall — Silvermoon Pack 57th Annual Mating Ceremony.

“This is 2 years ago?” My brows furrow in shock.

It all came back to me in a flash — the betrayal, the humiliation, my death. 

Right in cue, Larisa walked in my direction with a glass in her hand. 

“Ah, the forbidden fruit had arrived,” I smirked.

With my memory intact and my resolve sharpened by hatred, I was ready for revenge.

“You won't win,” I smirked. “Not this time, dear sister.”