Ch 1

Astrea's POV

Today was the day I will finally be giving myself to my fiance and mate Mason Lewis. He accepted me when I had no wolf. He took care of me when my family did not care enough. He was the one who protected me when I was bullied for being wolfless.

I got ready. It is my eighteenth birthday. The day when Mason had said that he would mark me. He is the beta of our pack. I wore my halter neck pleated maxi dress. It was Mason’s favorite color. Sky blue. I loved it. Once I was done with my make up, I went down stairs. Mason does not stay in the pack house. He has his own house which is at the far end of the pack territory. When I asked him why he liked living so far away and in a secluded area, he would always say he liked his privacy.

I drove towards his house and parked my car outside. I had the key to his house. However I was a bit confused as to why he left the door unlocked.

Entering inside, a smile lit up my face when I heard him upstairs. He must be busy. He will be surprised to see me in this attire which he had gifted me.

I tip toed upstairs and frowned when I found his jacket and shirt laying on the steps. Picking them up, I went upstairs and stopped dead in my tracks.

No, no… this can’t be happening to me.

The bedroom door was slightly left ajar. Leaving the main door unlocked was the first wrong thing. The second thing was the sound of Mason’s voice. My heart constricted when I heard my Mason using the same endearments he used for me when we were together.

I am yet to know who is inside with him.

“Were you not supposed to meet me goody two shoes?”

That voice. I stood frozen in the doorway.

I could not fathom why the two people whom I treated as my family would end up betraying me in the worst way possible.

"You know baby I did it only for you" I heard my fiance mason saying.

"If not for you, I would not have given her a second glance. She is not even my kind" Mason added. I could hear the unmistakable tone which he uses when he is flirting.

Mia lets out a laugh. A laugh which sounds like she is pleased.

"Aww my baby, I knew you would do anything for me" Mia muttered.

'Baby....'

"So, you were playing the good fiance only on my instructions, it is my time I reward you" I heard Mia saying.

My knees buckled as they felt weakened after I realised what was going on. I slipped down on the floor right outside their door as I sobbed hard. I held a hand to my mouth so that I wouldn't make a noise.

"What are you up to?" My heart rate accelerated when I heard the way Mason's tone turned deep.

My brain refused to accept the fact that my fiance was cheating on me with my own half-sister.

The sister who did not leave one chance to bully me. Who took all of my dad’s attention.

My heart felt as if someone had ripped it out and shred it into pieces. I could not believe my ears as I felt my eyes seems to betray me. i could not imagine the sweet mason would chest me.

Boy, I was so wrong. The man who was supposed to tie the knot with me was in bed with my half-sister.

I stood there long enough to burn the image in my memory. To serve a reminder for myself.

I heard my sister asking Mason. That was her name for me. I was proud of myself for not getting into temptation and sleeping around.

“When are you going to break it up with her?”

“Soon babes”

“I can’t wait any longer Mason. I want her out. It’s been six months now” I heard Mia saying to Mason.

My mind went blank with the fact that not only was Mason cheating on me for six months. And the worst part is that he has been cheating behind my back with my very own half sister, Mia.

Six long months of all the fake acting. They are not even sorry from the last six months as they passed potatoes around the family dinners. All those secret smiles that they passed. The slight accidental touches during family dinners...

Now that I am seeing it through my own eyes. It is hard for me to believe it whether anything was really accidental?

Everything was a lie. The past one year of my life was nothing but manipulation created by my half sister and my so called cheating fiance.

"You know I am doing it so that I can get hands on the pack she will get. Once I sign the agreement of owning the pack, I will reject her and then we will be together" I heard Mason saying. Then there was the sound of them smooching.

I gagged when I realized that they have been doing this for such a long time. I rubbed my throat in discomfort. Tears kept falling as I gasped at the heartbreak.

"Let's do it. In a few days she will turn eighteen. I want you to break up with her" Mia was breathing hard as she spoke. I did not need to guess the reason behind it.

"Babe, I will need some time" I heard Mason saying

"Why, I want her out of our life. As for the pack, we will find some other way" Mia whined.

Wiping my tears, I hardened my heart for what I am going to do next. Not only will it end my dream of happily ever afters, but I might lose everything after this. Slowly I got back on my feet and stumbled inside which alerted them of my presence.

“Consider it done” They both sprang apart on the bed in all their naked glory. Even after hearing all of it, I still could not believe what I was seeing.

It was as if someone had dropped ice cold water on my head.

“Ria baby” he got tangled in the sheets. He tried to wrap the blanket around him but Mia pulled it to cover herself.

He was decent enough to wrap the towel around himself.

“Don’t you dare?” I warned him before his dirty hands could touch mine.

He stopped midway. Until today I thought him to be a gentleman.

‘Boy, I was so wrong’

The bullying I suffered all these years due to my sister Mia’s hands was nothing compared to the betrayal of my fiance cheating on me with her.

“Ria baby… I can explain” he started.

“Explain?” my voice sounded unfamiliar to me. It came out cold. Something which I have never used on him.

“What are you going to explain?” I glared at him amidst the tears which blinded my vision slightly. I wiped it with trembling hands.

‘Don't give them the satisfaction of letting them see you break’ my inner self whispered to me.

“That you have been sleeping with my sister and cheating on me for the past six months?” My voice sounded hollow and raw to me.

As I spoke the words, reality struck. I understood what had really happened. However , my brain was not able to accept it. My heart could not take the ultimate betrayal. As I saw the look on my sister’s face, I realized that she had done this purposely.

I always believed that one day we will truly solve our differences and treat each other like sisters, but I was so wrong. I should have known that no man would fall in love with me when my sister is around. She is the girl any man wants and I am the plain jane who blends in the shadows.

“Ria please” Mason pleaded once again.

“Don’t you dare take my name with that filthy mouth of yours” I glowered at him.

Mia finally decided to get up and walked towards Mason. Holding his hand, she stared right into my eyes

“We cheated. So what?” She raised her eyebrows at me. I gave her a disbelieving look. I always knew she wanted all that I had.

“Are you going to be a crybaby and complain to dad?” she smirked.

I knew she had the upper hand. Dad could not care less about me. He hated me from the very core of his heart.

“Ria, listen to me…” Mason tried again.

“I am sorry” he added in barely a whisper. It sounded like a bad joke to my ears. All this time

“Baby, what’s there to explain? She knows. It’s done deal” Mia was enjoying this far too much.

Being the ‘darling of the pack’ she had it all. Parents who dotted on her, friends who worshipped the ground she walked and now my cheating ex. She had men falling at her feet wanting to be with her.

It was only Mason who had taken an interest in me. All this time when we did not share the bed, I thought perhaps he is a gentleman and wants to make our first time special. I was stupid enough to be in delusion.

“All this time you were nothing but a lying bastard” I glowered at him.

“Astria, watch your mouth” he snapped

“Or what?” I glared right back at him with equal hate and animosity.

“I won't let you both succeed with your wrong intentions” Mia’s eyes turned into slit when she heard me.

“The wedding is off” with that said, I turned around and left. I did not throw a tantrum like they expected me to. The betrayal was too big for that. It's like ice water in my veins instead of blood.

I ran out of the apartment down the two flights. The crisp air bites my skin as I feel the tears slipping down my cheeks.

With trembling hands, I started the car and reversed. I was not sure where I was going. I had no place in mind. A pack where my father stays and does not care for me.

A fiance who I just caught cheating on me. Family is supposed to care for each other and not betray.

‘Why me?’ I screamed in the car.

I had no idea of the speed limit as I drove towards the pack. Lost in my thoughts, I did not see the car coming from the front

I put on sudden breaks which had my car toppling and flipping upside down due to the sudden breaks.

The pain registered a second later when I felt blood trickling down my face. My eyes felt heavy as I saw two pairs of shoes appear in my line of vision before I fainted.