My Mate and Family’s Choice

Brushing my tears away, I turned to leave.

Ulric’s doting voice came from behind me.

“You’ve been on your feet all day long. You must be tired. I’ll carry you home later.”

Maeve answered sweetly, “Oh, Ulric. You’re so sweet.

“I get so jealous knowing that Isobel will have you and your love all to herself.”

“You don’t have to be. Even if I’m with Isobel, I can still look after you just the same.”

I halted, my fists clenching. Still, I didn’t once look back.

The breeze outside was bitterly cold, matching the emptiness in my heart.

I wandered the streets like a lost soul.

Out of nowhere came a pat on my shoulder.

I cocked my head back to meet the concerned eyes of an elderly stranger.

“Young pup… Do you need help?

“You’re dressed in white. Where is your mate? How could he let anyone hurt you?”

Tilting my head, I looked at my reflection in the shop window along the street.

My once immaculate white gown was tattered and blood-stained. As my wolf was injured, blood still seeped from the wounds on my arms.

One of the wolves behind all this was none other than my mate-to-be.

“My mate… We are over.”

I was at a loss for words. Tears came surging forward the moment I opened my mouth.

The old she-wolf dabbed the blood from my face with a handkerchief, gently offering me advice.

“Young pup, if your mate isn’t the right wolf, there’s no shame in walking away before it’s too late.

“Your parents would be heartbroken to see you like this.”

My lashes fluttered, and I let out a bitter, self-mocking smile.

Of course, all parents cared deeply about their pups.

My parents were no exception. Too bad the one they cared about was never me, but Maeve.

After saying goodbye to the old she-wolf, I returned to the home I shared with Ulric.

He and I picked out every bit of furniture in the house.

Just this morning, Ulric spent time with me arranging the lilies in the vase.

A framed picture of us stood on the TV console. Ulric had promised to fill every corner of this house with memories of our love.

I had always believed that Ulric loved me deeply.

Today proved me wrong. He might love me, but he loved Maeve just as much.

All at once, a call from my mother, Ivy, came through.

After my bitter fallout with my parents over Maeve, they cut me off through the mind link.

“Isobel, where have you been?

“It’s your mating ceremony today. How could you show up late for such an important occasion?

“We waited as long as we could, but you never showed. Maeve had to take your place and complete the ceremony for you.

“The ceremony’s over, and you’re still nowhere to be found. Are you expecting Maeve to see off the guests for you too? She’s tired enough as it is.”

Her voice was sharp and confrontational.

Somewhere along the line, Ivy’s harsh language had become the norm between us.

Yet, when she came to me today with a glass of milk, I trusted her enough to drink it. For a minute there, I thought Ivy had finally remembered that I was her daughter too.

Well, the joke was on me.

I fell silent for a bit.

Then, I said wryly, “You brought me that spiked drink.

“Weren’t you trying to let Maeve take my spot at the ceremony?”

The line went dead silent.

Probably feeling guilty, Ivy softened her voice a little.

“What’s done is done—”

I cut her off.

“Whose idea was it to trap me in a basement with a silver lock? Was it yours, Dad’s, or Maeve’s?”

“What?”

Ivy sounded confused.

“Stop wasting your breath on her! She’s a rebel who never learns. She’s just making things up to set Maeve up again!”

The annoyed voice of my father, Gerald, cut in.

“Someone as wicked as her is never fit to be a Luna. She better not come back, so Maeve and Ulric can be together forever.”

I closed my eyes in agony.

“Dad, I’m Ulric’s mate. Today’s ceremony was supposed to be mine.”

“You’ve been so difficult since you were a pup. All Maeve wanted was a ceremony. If you’d been a little more understanding, none of this would have been necessary.”

Dismissing my distress, Gerald snatched the phone and tore into me.

“Maeve is your sister, but you constantly fight her for everything. If it weren’t for you, Maeve and Ulric would have had pups by now.

“You’re no pup of mine!”

Gerald then hung up.

Maeve texted me.

“My dear sister, did you enjoy your time in the basement?”

Sure enough, it was Maeve’s doing.

A video was sent right after.

The clip showed Maeve linking arms with Ulric while chatting with his friends.

Maeve and Ulric stood side by side like they were meant for each other.

Ulric’s buddies spared no compliments.

“You two look right together. As far as I’m concerned, Maeve is the true Luna.”

“Isobel might be the Grimm daughter by blood, but Maeve carries herself with far more grace.”

Ivy chimed in. “I think that Maeve is more like a daughter to me.”

Ulric kept a smile on his face, not once defending my honor.

With a bitter, helpless smile, I pounded my fist on the table, reopening my wounds. The blood dripped onto the carpet.

Since my presence brought nothing but pain to everyone, I should leave.

I wanted to go somewhere far away from them.

Pulling out my phone, I booked a flight for late tomorrow night to the capital of the Werewolf Kingdom.