Chapter 3

Chapter 3

“Some revenge is better left unserved, for the moment you seek it, you invite a new mystery to unfold.”

VIOLET’S POV

“Who the fuck marked you, Vee?” Kira snapped, and I stumbled backward, crashing into the dresser. My hands knocked the makeup box off the table, and it crashed to the floor.

“You haven't answered my question,” Kira grunted, anger clearly visible on her face as she closed the distance between us. Standing before me with her brows raised, she demanded, “Alpha Ansel hasn't marked you. Now, I demand that you tell me who that bastard is who marked you.”

I stood frozen, my breathing uneven as I stared at my best friend, who had suddenly turned into another person. She looked pissed, and I didn't know why she was so angry when she wasn't in any position to be mad at me.

What? Did she really think she had the right to be mad at me after what she had done the previous night? After all, she was the reason I had done what I shouldn't have done.

“Move out of the way, Kira.” I panted heavily and slowly let go of the table. I swallowed nervously as I tried to move away, but she wouldn't let me.

Kira grabbed my shoulders, her nails digging into my flesh. “Don't tell me you're sleeping around with another man when you're mated to the Alpha! Are you crazy?” she yelled in my face, shaking my shoulders to keep my gaze fixed on hers.

What? Wasn't I allowed to sleep around when that was what my mate had been doing all along? Why did I have to stay loyal when he didn't care about my feelings?

“Why can't I?” I blinked back my tears. I gently rubbed my palms together as I moved my gaze away from her. “You know the Alpha isn't any better. After all, you already witnessed that.” I snapped back at her.

My shoulders trembled with anger and frustration as my mind wandered back to the previous night.

I felt disgusted with myself for what I had done. I shouldn't have done it. I should have called them out on their shit instead of thinking about taking revenge. But what would my father have done if I had raised an alarm and Alpha Ansel had called off our wedding?

“I didn't know you were this shameless.” Kira smirked.

My head snapped toward her, and I couldn't believe my ears.

“What gave you the right to cheat on the Alpha? Just because you stinking bitch is mated to the Alpha doesn't make you special.”

I didn't know how it happened, but my palm had connected with Kira's cheek in a resounding slap before I even realized what I had done.

“You bitch?!” Kira gasped, her hand flying to her cheek as I stumbled backward in shock. My eyes widened as I stared at my hand as though I were possessed.

This couldn't be happening. I couldn't afford to act recklessly on my wedding day. What if the Alpha found out? What if he called off our wedding? What would my father do to me?

The thought of my father ripping my head off my neck made my stomach churn. Bile rose in my throat, and I slapped a hand over my mouth.

“Did you just slap me, Violet?” Kira repeated, slowly lowering her hand from her face. She looked pissed, as though she could murder me at any moment.

I shook my head as I backed away from her. I wished the ground would just open up and swallow me whole.

“I will teach you a lesson for slapping me. I will make you regret ever raising your hand to hit—”

“Lady Violet, your father is here,” the guard my father had stationed outside my door since the previous night announced.

The colour drained from my face as I shifted my gaze to the door. My chest heaved as I gripped the edge of the table to steady myself.

“This is not over.” Kira scoffed. She leaned in and whispered into my ear, “Don't think you've won just because I'm leaving now.”

She straightened and smiled brightly at me.

The door opened, and my father stepped in, looking every bit the man he was. The moment he drew closer, Kira adjusted her posture and plastered a charming smile on her face. I trembled in fear at how easily she could deceive people.

“You're here, Mr. Hemsworth? I was just about to come and ask you something.” She walked up to my father and gave him a light peck on the cheek.

Kira's father had died when she was four. She had grown up in the care of her mother, who died when she was fourteen, leaving her alone in the world. Perhaps the feeling of having no one was the reason I loved her more than I should have.

“Oh, dear Kira.” My father beamed, moving his hand to caress my shithead friend's cheek. “You must be heartbroken that your friend is getting married, huh? I feel the same way. My only daughter is going to leave me to be with her husband.”

“You have no idea how I'm feeling right now,” Kira gushed.

I shook my head, my heart shattering as I watched the two of them. It was absurd how they could pretend to have my best interests at heart when they didn't. My father and Kira were so alike that it was as if he had given birth to her instead of me.

“I'll leave the two of you alone to talk. Please call for me if you need anything, Vee.” Kira flashed me a fake smile.

I wanted to snap at her. I wanted so badly to tell her that I hoped I would never see her again. But one glance at my father reminded me that I knew better than to fuck this up.

“Y–yeah,” I groaned, watching her walk out of my room with my fists clenched at my sides.

“You look beautiful!” my father blurted out, making me snap my head toward him at once. “Just the way the Alpha would want you.”

My heart bled. My soul cried as I watched my father smile warmly at me for the first time in years. It would have been wonderful if I hadn't been in the situation I was in. I would have thrown myself into his arms and hugged him tightly, just as I used to do before everything went south.

“T–thank you…”

“This is great for my business. Just imagine how many contracts I'm going to secure with the pack Luna as my daughter! You're an asset. No, you're THE asset,” he purred, moving around my room and smiling as though my feelings meant nothing to him.

How could my father be so cruel as to put his business before me? I'd always known my father was the worst bastard to ever exist, but I'd never once thought he would put his business before me. He had always wanted his company to have the highest number of clients, but what about me? Didn't he think I was hurting, or did he simply not care?

“I…” I opened my mouth but immediately closed it again, unable to say anything.

I didn't care what he was going to do to me. I couldn't take it anymore. I was going to tell him to go to hell, to tell him that I didn't care.

But the moment my hand moved to my neck to soothe the ache, my fingers unconsciously hovering over the bite mark, I froze.

Bile rose in the back of my throat, and I felt my skin crawl.