Started with a betrayal

TRINITY POV

“Watch where you’re waddling, whale!”

A hard shove from behind sent me stumbling into the stone pillar. Pain shot through my shoulder as I caught myself before I hit the floor.

I winced, my heart sinking when I looked down at my dress. Champagne soaked the front of it, leaving an ugly stain across the pale fabric.

My head snapped up as I quickly scanned the grand hall of the Evercrest Pack, praying Maria, the head maid, hadn’t caught me slacking.

Laughter echoed through the room. Crystal chandeliers sparkled overhead while noble werewolves from different territories drifted between conversations, completely oblivious to my humiliation.

Today was the Evercrest Débutante Ball—the most prestigious night in werewolf society. Every eighteen-year-old shewolf dreamed of standing beneath those chandeliers, dressed in silver, waiting to be presented before the high Alpha. All shewolves from the seven territories had come to attend.

I should have been one of them.

Instead, I wore a plain blue dress reserved for the Northcott household omegas, carrying champagne from table to table.

The Luna Committee had decided long ago that I wasn’t worthy of standing beside the girls chosen for the ceremony.

None of it mattered.

Because tonight, Theo—my mate—had promised me something that would change my life forever.

“Trinity!”

My mother’s sharp voice cut through my thoughts. I turned to find Luna Beatrice marching toward me. Even in her forties, she was breathtakingly beautiful. Her eyes swept around the room to make sure no one was watching before she stopped in front of me.

“Go get your sister. It’s time for the moon dance.”

“Yes, Mom,” I said quietly.

“Wait.”

I stopped.

Her gaze traveled from my head to my feet, her lip curling in disgust. “And make yourself scarce afterward. Do not ruin your sister’s day.”

My stomach twisted.

“We don’t want a repeat of last year, do we?”

I lowered my head. “No, Ma.”

Without another glance, she walked away. I swallowed the lump in my throat and hurried toward the staircase.

My steps slowed outside one of the guest rooms reserved for visiting nobles as I heard a familiar voice.

“You’re the sweetest, Mari,” he groaned. “I can’t wait to get rid of that disgusting fat bitch.”

Every muscle in my body went rigid. My wolf stirred uneasily inside me.

“Theo?” I whispered in confusion, staring at the slightly ajar door.

No. I shook my head. There was no way Theo had said that.

He always called me beautiful. He always told me I was perfect exactly the way I was. He never mocked my weight.

I had to be imagining things. Certainly, I was. I forced myself to turn away. Then I heard him again.

“Why did the Moon Goddess have to punish me with that fatso, Trinity?”

My heart stopped.

With trembling fingers, I pushed the door open and stepped inside. I froze, my eyes widening in shock.

Marisol Northcott, my stepsister, was straddling a man who was unmistakably Theo. The second she noticed me, she smirked evilly and leaned into him.

“Oh, baby, fúck me harder,” she moaned. “Who do you love? Me or my ugly fatass stepsister?”

“You,” Theo answered without hesitation. “That bitch can fuck off to hell.”

Nausea surged up my throat. I clasped a hand over my mouth, shoving it back down.

My whole body trembled. My thoughts tangled together until I couldn’t make sense of any of them. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t speak. I didn’t even realize I’d screamed.

I heard the sound, but I couldn’t feel my mouth moving. It got Theo’s attention.

“Trinity!” Theo snarled, eyes flashing goldenly. He opened his mouth to speak but another voice sliced through his.

“What is going on here?”

I snapped out of my daze and turned toward the doorway. Alpha Jericho, my stepfather, stood there with my mother at his side.

My breaths came in short, ragged bursts. I hadn’t even realized I was crying until I tasted salt on my lips.

“He cheated on me…” I pointed at the half-dressed Theo and Marisol. My chest tightened as I forced out the words. “He and Marisol…”

“Dad…” Marisol’s weak voice cut through mine.

She climbed off the bed and staggered forward, stopping in the middle of the room. She pressed the back of her hand to her forehead.

“I think I’m going to—”

Marisol didn’t finish her sentence before she crumpled to the floor.

“Mari!” Alpha Jericho exclaimed.

My mother rushed past me, shoving me aside. I stumbled but managed to keep my balance.

She dropped to her knees beside Marisol, cradling her as though she were one of her delicate Paris vases.

“Can’t you see your sister has fainted, you stupid girl?” my mother snarled. “Make yourself useful and get me a pillow!”

I hurried toward the bed, but Theo had already grabbed one. I watched as my mother fussed over Marisol in a way she never had with me.

After several failed attempts to wake her, Marisol finally came to a few minutes later with the help of herbs and three omega maids.

No one paid any attention to me. To my pain.

They moved around me as though I didn’t exist, focused only on making sure the princess of the house—golden Marisol—was alright.

My hands curled into fists at my sides as bitterness settled deep inside me.

“Can someone tell me what the hell happened here?” Alpha Jericho demanded, his gaze shifting from Theo to Marisol, then finally to me.

“Trinity,” Marisol whispered as her eyes fluttered open. “S-she drugged me.”

“What?” The word barely escaped my lips as I stared at her in disbelief.

Alpha Jericho and my mother turned to me, disgust and fury blazing in their eyes.

“You did what?” Alpha Jericho thundered.

“I didn’t,” I stammered, my heart clenching painfully.

But Marisol wasn’t finished.

“I found myself in this room with Theo,” she said, breaking off as tears spilled down her cheeks. “I… I can’t remember what happened after that. Then I woke up naked.”

I whipped around to look at Theo, desperately hoping he would defend me. I didn’t care that he had cheated on me. He had to say something. Anything.

“I… I don’t remember how this happened.” Theo’s brows drew together, icy blue eyes locked on Alpha Jericho. He ran a hand through dark messy hair. “Marisol and I both drank the wine.”

No! I shook my head frantically.

“She tried to kill me, Father,” Marisol wailed. “That fat, ugly octopus is so jealous of me. Is it my fault I have a wolf and I’m pretty?”

“As her mate, I tried my best to stop her,” Theo added, face downcast, “but she was too far gone. She even told me she wouldn’t hesitate to kill Marisol if she got in her way.”

I could only stare at them, too stunned to speak. It wasn’t the cheating that stole my voice. It was the lies. And Theo standing there, backing every single one of them.

Alpha Jericho didn’t ask for my side of the story. No one in the room did. He crossed the distance between us in two long strides and slapped me hard across the face. My head snapped to the side.

White hot pain seared across my cheek, followed by the metallic taste of blood as my teeth sank into my lower lip. My vision blurred. My ears rang. My head spun. Hot tears spilled down my cheeks profusely.

I barely heard what Alpha Jericho said next, but one order cut through the ringing in my ears.

“Flog her twenty times with the new silver whip and leave her outside until the next sunset!”

Before I could even process his words, someone grabbed me and dragged me out of the room.