Chapter 5

For the next three days, I have been busy with my mating-ceremony preparation. Mathew also didn’t come see me in those three days, but Aria had gone out of her way to make sure I knew of everything he was doing for her.

“Did you see? Mathew is busy with Aria while Olivia is busy burying herself with their mating preparations.”

“I can’t believe she would marry him. He’s basically cheating on her with her sister.”

“Wasn’t she adopted?”

“I heard she’s pregnant.”

Rumors like this would have sent me spiraling to my father in my past time. It was just life before I caught them sleeping together in our bed.

They didn’t even bother covering up when I caught them. Aria looked at me with a smug expression as she urged Mathew on, saying how exciting it was for me to stand there and watch.

I was so angry I had almost gone insane as I brought the matter to my father. He was just as annoyed as I was. They decided to send Aria away after forcing her to terminate the pregnancy.

Being too soft-hearted, I could not bear it and secretly sent someone to care and give her all she could need.

Even after that, I was still resented by Mathew. He brought different women every day and tied me up to watch every single time.

I forced down the urge to vomit as I recall the scene.

This time the whispers floated through the pack like they always did, but I kept walking past the groups of wolves who suddenly went quiet when I passed. In my past life those same words had made me cry in my room for hours. Now they only made me work faster on the guest list and the seating charts.

On the second day I overheard two beta females talking near the training grounds.

“She must be so blind. Everyone knows Mathew spends every night at Aria’s cottage.”

“I heard he even bought her a new necklace. The one Olivia used to wear.”

I paused only long enough to correct a servant who was hanging the wrong-color banners, then kept going. The old Olivia would have run straight to Mathew and begged him to explain. This Olivia simply marked another name off the invitation list.

By the third morning the rumors had grown bolder. Some said Aria was already carrying his pup. Others claimed Mathew had told his friends he would never touch me on our mating night. I listened to every version while I checked the final decorations in the main hall. None of them touched me the way they used to.

“Sister…” Aria’s voice came through as she walked into my manor, hands on her belly. “How are you, Sister? Oh, I see, you’re preparing for your mating ritual.” She mocked, looking around my well-decorated hall.

“I’m sorry I have been keeping Mathew all to myself lately. He’s been so busy taking care of me.” She mocked again.

“Have you tasted his cooking before? Our baby has been craving a lot lately, and he spends most of his time in the kitchen and in my bedroom.” She whispered, a smirk on her face as she waited, wanting to watch me lose my mind over it.

“No matter how hard you try, you will never be the one he loves. And believe me, he will not be spending the mating night with you.”

I looked at her for a long moment. In my past life this exact speech had made me slap her across the face and then cry for three days. Today I only felt tired of the sound of her voice.

“Are you done?” I asked. Her expression froze.

She recovered quickly and stepped closer, rubbing her stomach in slow circles. “You can pretend all you want. I know you’re dying inside. Mathew told me last night that he only chose you because of the position. He said once the ceremony is over he will make me the real Luna.”

I stayed silent and let her continue.

“He even said your scent makes him sick now. That’s why he stays with me. We laugh about you every night. About how you used to follow him around like a lost pup. Remember when you gave him that scarf you made yourself? He used it to wipe the floor of my room yesterday.”

Still I said nothing. The old pain tried to rise, the memory of that scarf and the hope I had felt when I gave it to him, but I pushed it down hard.

Aria’s smirk grew wider. “You’re quiet because you know I’m right. In two days you’ll be standing in front of the whole pack with a man who can’t even look at you. I’ll be there too, watching. And after the ceremony he’ll come straight back to me.”

I finally spoke, voice calm.

“There’s no need to go through all that trouble of being the other woman. If you want him so badly, I can ask my father to help arrange a marriage between the both of you. As the only heiress, I will even prepare a big dowry for you and wish you a lifetime of long life together.”

She froze but scoffed. “Oh please, acting all tough. We all know you will be begging for him in two days. Just give up! He will only be mine.”

I tilted my head. “You seem very sure.”

“Because I am. Mathew loves me. He told me he never loved you. Not even for a second. You were just the easy path to power.”

“Then you should be happy,” I said. “I’m offering you the path without any obstacles.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You’re bluffing. You would never give him up. You’ve been obsessed with him since we were teenagers.”

“I was,” I agreed. “Past tense.”

Something in my tone made her pause. For the first time since she walked in, the confidence on her face slipped a little.

“Guards!” I yelled out. “Escort her out!”

Two warriors stepped into the hall at once. Aria’s mouth opened in shock.

“You can’t do this! I’m still the alpha’s daughter!”

“Adopted,” I corrected. “And right now you’re trespassing in my manor.”

She tried to pull her arm free when the first guard took hold of her. “Mathew will hear about this! He’ll make you pay!”

“I’m counting on it,” I said.

They dragged her out while she shouted threats the whole way down the corridor. I waited until the doors closed before I sat down at the table covered in seating charts and flower arrangements. My hands were steady. That alone surprised me.

After which I mindlinked my father. “If a dog decided to bite the hand of its owner, what do we do to it?” I asked.

“Understood.” Was the only word he said.

It didn’t take long before Mathew’s voice rang through the mindlink. I cringed, forgetting I had given him access on how he can mindlink me without us being mates.

“Olivia! How dare you send Aria away from her manor?! She’s your sister and you asked them to take her to the slave quarter?! Do you know how sad she is right now?!”

His voice was loud and furious, the same tone he used in my past life whenever I complained about the women he brought home.

“You better go back and apologize to her! In fact, you will publicly apologize to her on your mating day. Then you will ask your father to allow me to take her as my second Luna. Don’t even think about refusing.” His furious voice rang in my head.

I stared at the blank space in front of me where the final guest list sat unfinished. In my past life I would have already been on my knees, promising anything if it meant he would stop being angry.

I would have run to Aria’s room and begged her forgiveness while she smirked over my head.

This time I only took a slow breath.

“Okay, I will come.” But not to apologize; rather to announce my mate.