Chapter 2

I woke up in the small room and looked around. Elaina and Max aren’t here. But the bruises on my thighs were evidence of a memory that I had forgotten for a moment.

‘Wasn’t it just a dream?’

“Did you wake up?”

I looked up and saw Georgina. She went inside with a bowl of water and a clean towel. Georgina sat down.

“Elaina did a lot today, didn’t she?”

She did. My stepsister beat me more than the last time.

“I am sorry, Elizabeth,” Georgina said. Tears welled up in her eyes. “If only I am strong enough to save you, I will.”

“Georgina.”

“Yes?”

“Did Max and Elaina come back?”

Her eyes widened and subsided.

“You didn’t remember? Elaina came back.”

“Alone?”

“No. She came back and you…”

The sound of her melancholy voice gave me an ominous feeling.

“I did what?” I asked, holding her arms.

She peered straight into my eyes and uttered, “You rejected Max, Elizabeth. You said it yourself.”

In a second I sank into the deep sea and the whole world suddenly disappeared. Now that Georgina told me what happened, the memories I’ve forgotten come back like a tsunami.

[“I don’t like Elizabeth. She’s too frail and skinny. Compared to your sexy body, she’s nothing but a stick! There’s only you in my life, Elaina. I only love you.”]

[“Since we made a deal, it’s your turn, Elizabeth. Reject Max as your mate.”]

[“I, Elizabeth from the Black Lake pack, rejected Max as my mate.”]

It’s all coming back to me now. Those memories weren’t a dream but a sorrowful reality!

The weight of the grief was crushing my soul as I cried a river.  I feel like my heart has been ripped out and I’m hollow inside now.

My mate was my top priority and my world. But to him, I am not even an option. Just a worthless ugly mate.

I cried so hard, not knowing how much time had passed. When I calmed down, I didn’t feel anything. No pain. No sadness. No jealousy. Just numb.

“Elizabeth, let’s go to the pack’s hospital. You need treatment as soon as possible.”

Georgina’s words came into my ear, but I hardly processed them. Even so, I stood up and let her take me to the hospital.

“You have a lot of wounds and bruises, Elizabeth,” Doctor Pilgri, the doctor of the Blue Lake Pack said after she saw my body.

I lowered my head and pursed my lips.

“Don’t tell me that you had these because you clumsily fell. Someone did this to you. Am I right?”

Dr. Pilgri was accustomed to my injuries. And every time she asked me if I am being abused, I always answer the same thing.

“No,” I murmured. “No one did this. It’s my fault.”

Dr. Pilgri heaved a sigh. She started to heal my wound as carefully as possible.

“Ahhh!” I winced in pain. But compared to the pain I felt when I learned that Max cannot be my mate anymore, this is nothing.

“You should learn to be honest,” Dr. Pilgri whispered. “Your father loves you so much. Many love you, Elizabeth. We love to see your bright side again.”

I bet that isn’t going to happen.

After getting treated, I went back to the house.

“No! Mom! I would die if I accept this! Please! Save me!”

From the door, I could hear Elaina’s loud sobs. She was boastful, arrogant, and confident when she was dealing with me a moment ago. But now, she was crying like a crazy woman?

Curiosity hit its peak. I opened the door and quietly stepped in as if I didn’t want to wake a sleeping monster.

Elaina was kneeling on the floor while holding my stepmother, Betty. ‘What’s happening?’

Why would I care? Until now, my blood was boiling when I recall how Elaina stole my mate. It is better not to attract attention and go to my room as peacefully as possible.

With steps as light as feathers, I walked back to my room while hearing Elaina’s frantic cries. I glanced at her for the last time before reaching the door to my room, never knowing I would regret looking back.

Elaina met my eyes.

I froze, like prey in front of a beast.

“You!” Elaina’s eyes sparked Malice when she called me before running towards my side.

I stepped back, but her hands reached mine.

“W-What?” I asked, trembling.

“You want to get married, right? Right?” Elaina asked me in an excited voice.

There were tears in her eyes, but her beam was crooked. I could tell the mischief underlying her expression which I saw for the first time.

“Y-You know I just rejected M-Max,” I uttered nothing but the truth.

“No. It’s not Max. He is more powerful than him! That man was the brother of the Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack! Hogan!”

H-Hogan? The cursed rogue of the Black Moon Pack!

Now I figured out why Elaina was crying desperately!

“Marry Hogan for me! If you do, I will set you free. Please! I will leave you alone if you marry Hogan!”

My whole body twitched at Elaina’s offer. It was my dream to get out of her clutch.

“Elaina was right,” stepmother, Betty, added. “You need to save your sister. We cannot lose Elaina in our family. You should sacrifice, Elizabeth.”

They can’t lose Elaina, but they are willing to lose me?

I was fuming both in anger and terror. How could they ask me this ridiculous request?!

“No,” I said, pulling my hands from Elaina. “I am sorry, Elaina. But I don’t want to marry someone in your place.”

The smile on Elaina’s lips twisted in the wrong way. Her eyes dilated full of madness! She then pushed me hard, and I fell on the ground with my remaining wounds.

“Argh!”

“I was wrong,” Elaina uttered. “It was very kind of me to ask a favor. I don’t need to hear your opinion. All I can do is force you.”

She nodded her head and chuckled evilly.

“Right!” She shouted and pointed at me. “Elizabeth, YOU WILL MARRY HOGAN WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!”

The chill haze of my suspicion began to crystallize.

‘If I stay here and let her do what she wants, Elaina might force me to marry Hogan.’

Feeling the rising tide of fear from my head to toe, I stood up and ran inside my room.

“Where are you going?! Elizabeth!”

As soon as I went in, I locked the door.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Elaina frantically knocks.

“Open this damn door! Elizabeth, come out!”

I covered my ears and stepped back until I slumped on my bed.

‘Everything will be alright. All I need is to wait for Dad. Dad will help. Dad will…!’

 I endured listening to Elaina’s rants and curses all night.

Hours passed.

I don’t hear Elaina anymore.

“But Dad is still not here.”

I picked up my phone and looked at my dad’s contact number. My hand gripped the phone as I hesitated whether I would call him or not.

Ting!

My phone vibrated, and my heart dropped. With a gasp, I looked at the screen and saw an unregistered number.

Wondering who it might be, I opened the message.

[“Hi Elizabeth. It’s me, Max. I messaged you because there’s something you need to know. The truth is Elaina lied to me today. She took that video out of a joke. I felt so guilty for you, Elizabeth. And I want to make you feel better. Can you come and meet me tonight?”]