1: Everything Was a Lie

“So everything has been a lie?”

I couldn't stop the tremble in my voice and the tears that stung my eyes. I was standing in front of the man I've loved for three years, the man I killed my wolf for, the man I gave my all to, but Aaron only looked at me like I didn't matter at all. 

I looked away from him to the biggest stain and nightmare in my life: Roxie, my stepsister. She was sitting beside him, a smug and triumphant look in her eyes. She has always stolen everything from me, but I thought Aaron was above that. He was my mate. 

“I was going to reject you immediately I found out you were my mate,” he continued without an iota of guilt, “but Roxie suggested I string you on. I needed my mate to give up her wolf to cure me of that lifelong disease, and the plan worked perfectly. You were desperate enough to give up your wolf for me without me even asking.”

“I did that because I loved you,” I cut in, “I did it because you were my mate and I wanted you to be happy and healthy.”

Watching him have daily episodes of pain and suffer from that intense amount of physical pain that always renders him physically and mentally incapable till the next day was too much for me to handle. And even though he had insisted that I shouldn't give up my wolf for him, I went behind his back because I wanted to cure him. 

“Yeah, that was the plan. Roxie said you would be too desperate to keep me if I showed you the tiniest bit of affection, and it worked. You gave up your wolf for me because you were desperate to keep me in your life.”

A sob bubbled up my throat. I looked at Roxie again. She was now eating from an ice cream cup and watching us like we were comic characters. I caught the ring on her finger. It was identical to the one on Aaron's finger, and I knew it was their engagement rings. 

It was the once-in-three-years blood moon night, the night that Aaron was supposed to mark me and seal our union forever. But instead, I returned home to meet him and Roxie making out heavily on my dining table. When he saw me, he didn't even look apologetic or guilty; I was just outrightly dismissed. 

A strange coldness settled over my heart. It was so sudden and foreign that it scared me. 

“And after I cured you, you could have walked away and not waste two more years of my life.”

He looked taken aback by my tone, and he glanced at Roxie before looking at me again. 

“Roxie suggested that we still keep you. You were still useful. Afterall, it was your brain and recipes they built Dahila’s Sweet to what it is today.”

“That's my brain child,” I snapped when the meaning of his words dawned on me, “you can't take it away from me.”

It was a confectionery shop that I grew from scratch. Both from my savings from working multiple jobs till my arms ached and from the recipes I stayed up all night to create. 

“It was never yours, Briar,” he replied coldly, “the ownership papers you signed were fake. I didn't suggest we name it Dahila’s sweet because of you. Dahila is Roxie’s wolf name. Each time I sleep with you and I whisper Dahila, it's all because I had to imagine it was Roxie beneath me. That's the only way I could sleep with you. Why do you think I always suggested that we keep the lights off?”

Roxie chuckled at that. It awakened all the years of self-hatred, but I forced it down. I swiped my tears away angrily. I wasn't going to break in front of them, and they weren't worth my tears. 

“I'm not going to allow you to take that away from me. I'll fight to the end if I have to. You've taken my wolf, but you won't take Dahila’s Sweet from me.”

“You won't be able to fight for anything, stepsister,” Roxie spoke for the first time as she stood up to stand beside Aaron. She placed her hand on his, and I knew it was a silent gesture to tell me that he belonged to her. 

“When Aaron rejects you now, you'll become useless. Have you forgotten what happens to wolfless and rejected people in Fangshire?” She spoke carefully, with each word laced with venom, “They get the mark of doom, and they get dragged to Alpha Azrael’s asylum to spend the rest of their lives in darkness. My sweet little stepsister, that is what will become of you now. You'll be dragged away and you'll never see either of us again.”

“No,” I muttered quietly as it all dawned on me. If Aaron rejected me, I would be as good as dead. Alpha Azrael’s asylum was hell on earth. It was an endless abyss, and a nightmare that had awoken terror in the hearts of all the citizens of Fangshire. 

It was better to die than to be dragged there. 

“No, Aaron, you can't reject me,” I begged, “I'll go away, I'll forget all about this. I'll give up Dahila’s Sweet for you. Just don't reject me, please.”

He didn't answer me. He only looked at Roxie, who seemed to be basking in how everything was unfolding. 

I instinctively dropped to my knees, propelled by all the horrific stories I've heard about the asylum. 

“Please, Aaron. I'll forgive and forget everything if you keep the mate bond.”

Aaron looked at me, guilt filtering in his eyes before he looked at Roxie. She was staring gleefully at me, and she was pointing her phone's camera at me. 

“Why don't you crawl to us? And plead while you're crawling. Maybe that might make me tell him to forgive you.”

Aaron looked startled by her demands, but I couldn't even think. I only wanted to fight for my life. If Aaron should reject me, my life would end instantly. 

I did as she instructed, but the sky thundered, and rain began to fall in torrents. The sound it made against the roof drowned my words and tears. 

“Louder,” Roxie shouted, “crawl all the way back and come to us again while begging at the top of your voice for your life. Remember, the more earnest you beg, the higher your chances of being pardoned.”

“PLEASE,” I begged at the top of my voice as I crawled all the way back and forth, “save me, Roxie, stop Aaron from rejecting me.”

The only reply I got was loud, sardonic laughter. She laughed so hard that tears dripped from her eyes. Aaron looked uncomfortable by the whole thing while I remained on my knees, tears dripping from my face to the floor. 

“Now, that was funny to watch,” she told me before she turned to Aaron, “reject her and put an end to all this drama. Get someone to throw her out. If the Moon Goddess likes her, the rain might kill her before she gets taken by Alpha Azrael’s soldiers.”

Aaron's mouth fell open, “Roxie, I think…”

“No, Roxie, Aaron, please.”

“Do it now.” She commanded, her tone icy cold, and Aaron exhaled loudly before he turned to where I was on the floor in front of him. 

“Don't do it, Aaron, please. Think about my wolf. I gave her up to save you.”

Aaron darted a guilty look at Roxie, who had now crossed her hands over her chest. 

“It's our anniversary, babe. Reject her and throw her out so we can go back to celebrating.”

“Aaron, please…”

He looked back at me, a dark and determined look in his eyes as he stretched to his fullest height. 

“I, Aaron Smith of the Nightcrawler pack, hereby reject you, Briar Merritt, as my mate.” 

Pain exploded in all parts of my body.