Maria's POVAfter admiring my beauty in the mirror, I glanced sideways at Andy, who was leaning against the door.At the moment, he was idly kicking the carpet by the door, looking utterly bored, which annoyed me to no end."Have you remembered everything I told you to do?""Of course, my queen."Andy impatiently rolled his eyes, but upon noticing my icy gaze, he quickly approached me, trying to sweet-talk his way back into my favor."Didn't I remember every word you said? Come on, stop frowning, give me a kiss, my beauty.""Get lost!"I pushed Andy away with disgust, glaring at him as he stumbled a few steps before regaining his balance."You almost ruined my carefully prepared makeup.""Hah, carefully prepared?" My rejection made Andy embarrassed and angry. "You only dress up like this when you go to see Louis, right? Too bad, he only has eyes for—""Shut up!"I snapped at Andy angrily, slamming the wooden comb on the vanity.The comb broke with a sound."Never, ever mention that wo
Claire's POV"Oh my goodness, this is absolutely stunning!" Olivia gasped, covering her mouth in excitement. "Claire, promise me you'll wear this dress for the proposal!"Before us was a breathtaking blue slit dress, displayed in the store window. The sun shone through the glass, creating a wave-like effect upon the dress, and thousands of Swarovski diamonds glittered like stars in the gentle sunlight. It was so beautiful that I found it hard to catch my breath."It's so dazzling," commented Helen, my wolf.Before coming to this high-end boutique, I had always imagined the dress I would wear for the proposal. In my mind, it had to be elegant, stunning, and most importantly, beautiful enough to outshine my stepmother Rachel and my stepsister Cathy.This dress was not only going to be the special one for the proposal, but also a symbol of my departure from this dreadful family. Everything was going to start afresh, and my future would be as glamorous as this dress."You have to buy it!"
"Claire! Your sister's going to try this dress on," Olivia's anxious voice pulled me out of my reverie.I came to my senses and found Cathy directing the staff to try on the dress for her."Wait!"Facing Cathy, the staff was embarrassed. "Excuse me, Miss..." She looked at her apologetically. "This lady was here first...""So what!" Oh God, my nosy stepmother Rachel joined the chaos."Do you know who I am? My daughter is the Alpha's daughter!" Rachel c.ocked her neck as if her eyes were growing under her nostrils. "Do you have any idea what we're buying this dress for?"The staff lowered her head. "I'm sorry, ma'am. I don't understand your situation. Please don't be angry."Rachel scoffed. "You're just an Omega. Cut the crap and take that dress off!"The staff looked troubled, her eyes drifting between Cathy and me.Olivia, in a panic, shook my arm and whispered, "Claire, what are we going to do? They're really out of line!"I was just about to say something when Rachel turned to anoth
(One hour before the party)"Dear, where are you?" I looked down at the text message I sent to Joe 15 minutes ago.He didn't reply."Claire, hurry up!"Olivia and her brother Kyle Lucchese were waiting for me. I looked down at my phone again, put it in my bag, and walked over to them.Forget it, he must be busy with something. I need to pretend that I don't know anything and show a surprised and moved expression when he takes out the diamond ring. I guess he must have hired a photographer to capture this important moment. I have to play my role well.After the car started moving, Kyle looked at me a few times in the rearview mirror. "Claire, I almost thought today was your wedding."Olivia and I exchanged a secret glance. Today is not my wedding, but it is a more important day than a wedding."But you two should be careful about what you say and do today.""This party is for young people from various packs to gather and find our mates, right?" Olivia said.Kyle gave her a white eye. "
Cathy's POVUpon seeing Claire's shocked expression downstairs, an unprecedented feeling of satisfaction overwhelmed me. I had never felt so liberated before. After all these years, I had finally won against her. And, I was sure that I would keep stepping on her head from now on.But as I grinned, my father, who was walking ahead of me, turned back and warned me with a stern look."This is my first time visiting royalty with you, Cathy," he said with a serious expression and a menacing gaze that sent shivers down my spine. "Don't disappoint me. If you embarrass us in front of Prince Louis, I will never take you out again in my life."I was scared, speechless, and my mother kept signaling me from the side.After a few seconds, I replied with a pale face, "I understand, father."As we entered the room, I unconsciously began to recall Claire's calm and collected demeanor. I remember her smile when she interacted with the other pack members. I disgustedly realized that I was still trying
As I witnessed Joe kneeling before my sister, my mind went blank. It felt as if someone had struck me hard on the head with a baseball bat. A deafening ringing in my ears left me dizzy, almost unable to stand.I took a step back, covering my mouth, staring at them in disbelief. I heard my sister, using her deliberately sweet voice, utter the words that were meant for me, addressed to my boyfriend— yes, my boyfriend, Joe."Of course I do, my dear," she pretended to glance at me casually, then eagerly extended her hand for Joe to slide that sparkling ring onto her finger. "I'm more than willing. In fact, I've been waiting for this day for a long time."How could this be?l I had dreamed about this proposal for a long time, and now my sister stole my lines and my happiness.!There must be some mistakes, I thought.An overwhelming sense of absurdity made me involuntarily burst into laughter. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Mrs. Smith looked at me with a mix of astonishment and concer
I roared at Joe, consumed by anger.At this point, I finally understood Mrs. Smith's concerns were not unfounded. I had indeed paid a heavy price for my naivety, an overwhelming price."Listen to me, Claire..." Joe attempted to justify himself. He probably had never seen me in such a state before, as I had always been the gentle and composed perfect girlfriend in his presence. I coldly stared at his mouth moving, but not a single word registered in my ears.The man I had once loved now made me sick!I heard my wolf wailing and weeping within. Betrayed by the person I loved most, deceived by my own family, and discarded like a disposable child by my own biological father... Three consecutive blows left her in such agony and she felt like she was dying.Tears blurred my vision, and I realized I must look disheveled at this moment. But I no longer cared about any of that.At that very moment, my only thought was revenge.I swore to the moon goddess that I would make them feel this pain t
"My Mate."After Prince Louis uttered those words, the entire banquet hall fell into a terrifying silence.The tall figure of the man cast a shadow over the crystal chandeliers. I looked up, gazing at his distinct jawline, my expression blank with astonishment.After a brief moment of silence, all the werewolves in the banquet hall stared at me in shock. The room erupted in a clamor from all directions. My stepmother looked at me in disbelief, her face contorted with anger.Cathy, on the other hand, jumped up from her seat and shouted at me like a madwoman, "Impossible!"Her cheeks flushed red with anger and disbelief. She pointed at me, ranting, "She's just a clown! A fraud! Prince Louis, you must be mistaken. She cannot be your mate!"As I heard her arguing with Prince Louis, my reaction was not anger but amusement.What a foolish woman—"Cathy!"Sure enough, before Prince Louis could speak, my father intervened. He turned around and slapped Cathy's cheek with force. The slap echoed