Just a wolf-less girl

                        ~ELARA~

I had gone to visit my best friend, Lyra at her house but she wasn't around.

Now, I was walking happily to my boyfriend's house. He's the son of the alpha of Crimson claw pack while I was Beta Darius' daughter.

I had always loved Azrael since I set my eyes on him for the very first time when we were still little.

We had gotten close to each other because his father and my father were always together being the alpha and beta of the pack.

I confessed my feelings first to him when I turned sixteen. He's eighteen then. And we had started dating after that. 

He didn't leave me when I turned eighteen and still couldn't change into my wolf. Most of my agemates shifted into their wolves when they're fifteen and sixteen, but I didn't.

And after my eighteenth birthday and I still didn't shift, I was branded a wolfless girl by the pack, but they didn't change toward me and still respected me…. maybe because I was the beta's daughter…. because I've seen how those without wolves were treated poorly by the pack.

“Good evening, Elara,” some pack members I came across greeted.

I smiled sweetly at them, while waving at some.

I was twenty already, but I was still that sweet, childlike, innocent, and naive girl. Plus, I was very beautiful too.

I finally got to Azrael's house. 

My father was out for war against the rogues, while the alpha I didn't know where he was.

There have been ongoing wars between the rogues and the pack, and my father and the alpha—together with some pack warriors have been fighting the battle.

I was glad I'll be able to spend some time with my boyfriend without my father hurrying me to come back home early.

He's always been overprotective of me, never letting me stray far away from home and always keeping me within sight, even though I was all grown up now.

Now that he's out, I feel free to spend enough time with Azrael.

The scent of roses. That was the first thing I noticed when I stepped into the packhouse. Roses and sweat. 

Azrael wasn't expecting me. Patrol duty had ended early else my presence would have been announced.

A little surprise for my lover, I had thought. Maybe this evening, we could talk—maybe he’d finally say the words I had been aching to hear, “I love you.”

But the moment I stepped inside, the universe seemed to split into two.

Moans. Guttural. Raw. Pleasure-filled.

I froze, keys slipping from my fingers and clinking to the marble floor. 

My heart thudded, each beat louder than the last. No. No. No.

I followed the sounds.

Every step was a betrayal. Every creak in the wooden floorboards, a warning.

The door to Azrael's room was ajar. Light spilled into the hallway.

My hand trembled as I pushed it open.

And then I saw them.

My best friend.

My boyfriend.

Entwined in the most carnal way imaginable.

Azrael's body moved against Lyra’s, his mouth on her throat, his hand gripping her waist. 

My best friend giggles, breathless and taunting, felt like knives into my chest.

Something inside me snapped.

I fell to my knees. My vision blurred with tears threatening to fall as pain seared through every inch of me. 

I felt ripped in half, bleeding from a wound no one could see.

Lyra gasped when she saw me in the doorway. Azrael didn’t stop. He just looked up, lips wet, eyes cold.

“You didn't let me know you're coming. How many times have I asked you not to visit without my permission??” He asked.

That’s all. No apology. No shame. Just... cold.

Azrael slowly withdrew from Lyra, not out of shame, but out of annoyance, like I had interrupted something trivial. 

He smirked at me, that cruel twist of his lips I had never seen directed at me before.

“Why are you crying, Elara?” he drawled, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “Did you really think I was with you because I loved you?”

His words sliced through me, sharper than any blade.

“I—Azrael, I thought…” My voice cracked, broken, barely above a whisper.

He laughed. A hollow, mocking sound.

 “You thought wrong. The only reason I kept you around is because your father is the Beta. Do you think anyone would ever date a wolfless girl otherwise? You’re just a wolfless girl. You're nothing, Elara. Just a pretty face with no wolf, no power, no future.”

Lyra wrapped a sheet around herself and came to stand beside him, her hand on his chest, her eyes glinting with smug victory. 

“He’s right, Elara,” she said sweetly, almost pitying. “You’ve always been so naïve. Did you really think a future Alpha would tie himself to someone like you? The pack respects you because of your father, not because you’re worthy.”

“Lyra…I thought…I thought you loved me genuinely. You're my best friend!” I cried out as I slowly stood up from the floor.

She let out a short, mocking laugh. 

“I only pretended to love you and be your best friend because that was the fastest way to get my man from you. I couldn't let you talk away everything from me. My family was the beta's family before your father came into the picture, you bitch!” She spat out scornfully.

Azrael chuckled darkly, pulling Lyra closer, kissing her temple just to make sure I saw it. “Lyra is everything you’re not….strong, fearless, a wolf worthy of standing beside me. You? You’re a liability. Dead weight.”

I staggered back, clutching the doorframe as my chest tightened. My breath came in short gasps, but neither of them cared.

Lyra laughed, the sound like glass shattering in my ears. “Face it, Elara. You were never enough. You’ll never be enough.”

“You should be grateful I even pretended this long,” Azrael sneered, his eyes gleaming with cruel satisfaction.

Pretended this long, I thought.

“For how long has this been going on?” I asked.

“For a while now. In fact, Lyra is pregnant for me. She’s carrying my baby and we'll be getting married soon” Azrael announced coldly.

The room spun. My heart shattered, my legs felt weak and I collapsed to the ground again.

Tears rolled down uncontrollably now.

“Why, Azrael? Why did you do this to me? I thought you loved me genuinely despite being wolfless. Why did you do this to me??” I cried out bitterly, hitting my chest as I could feel myself struggling to breath.

He didn't answer. Just stared at me like I was a sore sight to behold.

It was Lyra who spoke instead.

“If I were you, I wouldn't be here crying over a man that was never yours….not with what happened to your father.”

My head jerked up instantly to look at her and I forced myself up immediately.

“What…. What happened to my Papa?” I stammered.

“You had better go home and see for yourself,” she told me.

I wiped my eyes and glanced at Azrael. The soft look of pity that was now etched on his face was enough confirmation I needed.

And without a single word to any of them, I turned and ran straight home.