3

RUBY

For the next couple of seconds, or more, I didn't want to believe it. I didn't want to believe that the life in front of me now was supposed to be my new reality. I couldn't. 

This wasn't fair. None of it was. I didn't believe in curses or superstitions, but right now, I wouldn't mind being sold a lie that I'd been cursed by some shaman or a witch. 

That was the only way all of this could make sense. My mind whirled with a million and one thing all at once, but I hated that somehow, and in the midst of it all, my number one thought still remained….

I needed to speak to Troy.

Alana had found her real parents, she had been claimed by them, so why was I the one being discarded like I was nothing? Why were my own parents disowning me when she was the one who had gained everything?

Where was I supposed to go now?

More and more thoughts swarm to my mind, but I pushed them aside as I snapped back to the present 

"Troy…" I lifted my head slowly, my throat burning. "I want to speak to Troy."

The room went quiet, which was proof that they'd heard me, and I wasn't going crazy. Yet. The silence in the room seemed to echo, and then Troy's father laughed, a short, sharp, and cruel sound that sent my heart spiraling. 

"Did you honestly expect him to choose you?" he asked. "Over Alpha Leo's daughter? The future Luna of the Nightfall pack?"

The words struck like stones. Of all the things he could have said, best believe I didn't see that one coming at all. 

"What exactly do you think you could give Troy as his mate?" he continued. "Status? Power? An alliance? Tell me!" 

I opened my mouth, the answer screaming inside my chest.

"A child." I wanted to desperately say, but memories from the hospital earlier today was enough to cut me off. "I could give him a child. Our beautiful baby." I thought again.

I blinked back tears as the thought withered before it could leave my lips, because Alana could give him that too. All Troy had to do was get her pregnant.

My silence answered for me, and that must have pleased Troy's father. 

"You see?" he said coldly. "Nothing. You have nothing to offer." 

His words echoed all around me, while I just stood there, shaking, with humiliation burning through me. I knew the Nightfall pack. Everyone did. They were as strong as, if not stronger than, Ironclaw, and Troy would be a fool not to choose Alana.

I understood that. What I didn't understand was why I had to be destroyed in the process. Why was I the only one who seemed to have too much to lose in all of this? Why was I on the receiving end of the stick? 

I knew the answer to all those questions, or maybe I didn't, but one thing was sure. The betrayal hurt more than I could put into words.

"Does Troy know?" I asked quietly. "About Alana's parents?"

"Oh would you look at that!" His father scoffed, a mix of amusement and mischief dancing in his eyes. "Who do you think gave the order for you to leave this house?"

My chest tightened painfully, but he didn't see it, because he didn't stop talking. 

"My boy knows exactly what he wants." Troy's father added, and this time, the finality in his voice hurt more than I was willing to admit. 

My vision blurred as I looked around the room, at the faces that had once been my family, and my heart cracked all the more as reality dawned on me. None of them looked back with regret, not even pity.

Wow. 

"Sign it," my father urged, tapping the papers impatiently. "Let's be done with this."

I almost laughed at his words. If I ever had the courage to laugh, trust me it would have been nothing short of bitter. I gave them all one last glance and my hand shook as I picked up the pen.

I signed, and even though each stroke of my name felt like I was erasing myself, I did it anyway. Alana must have been waiting for this moment since forever, because she stepped forward then, placing a hand delicately over her chest. 

"I'll walk her out," she said softly. "It's the least I can do."

Everyone gushed, and I my jaw almost broke in surprise. 

"Oh, Alana, you're so thoughtful." someone chimed from behind. 

"She really is too kind." Troy's mother hummed, her eyes shining with pride and love, something I wasn't sure she'd ever showed me. 

"What a good sister." I wanted nothing more than to puke all over their faces, but Alana was next to me in no time. With her saccharine sweet smile, she led me away from the crowd. 

The door closed behind us, and the moment it did, Alana burst out laughing. She threw her head back, clutching her stomach as if my misery were the funniest thing she'd ever witnessed.

"Oh, Ruby," she said between laughs. "You really must be cursed. Look at your life. How does everything fall apart so spectacularly?"

I stared at her, numb.

"How could your own parents do this to you?" she continued mockingly. "Honestly, if I were you, I'd start wondering if I was the problem."

"You know what?" Then she leaned in, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Even your child didn't want you as a mother."

The world stopped then. How, how did she find out about that?

"What?" My blood ran cold. "How… how do you know about that?"

She smiled.

"I have connections," she said lightly. From how much she was glowing, you could tell she was having a field day ruining my life all the more. "And since the pack prefers me as Luna, the doctor thought I should know."

My knees nearly buckled, but she wasn't done. Alana still has more terrible news to make me hate my life even more. 

"I have one more secret for you." She tilted her head. "Did you know your baby could have been saved?"

Hope flared instinctively, and then she crushed it. 

"I told the doctor to lie to you." Something inside me snapped at her words. Red tugged at the corner of my eyes, and before I could so much as second guess it, I screamed and shoved her with every ounce of strength I had left. Alana stumbled backward, hitting the wall hard.

"You!" I sobbed. "You killed my baby!"

I lunged for her again, but a hand caught my wrist and shoved me back.

Hard.

I fell to the floor, pain exploding through my side. I didn't have time or the luxury to try to guess who it was, because Alana's saviour spoke up immediately, and believe me when I said he wasn't pleased.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Troy roared. "What has gotten into you?" 

I looked up and Troy was standing there, fury written all over his face.

"How could you attack my fiancée?" he demanded. "Are you insane?" 

Alana crumpled instantly, tears spilling as she clutched her arm. 

"I…I was just trying to say goodbye," she whimpered. "She went mad, Troy. I tried to help her."

He didn't hesitate. Troy scooped her into his arms like she was something precious, something worth protecting. In the blink of an eye, the door flew open and our parents rushed out.

My father didn't even ask what happened. He slapped me, and the sound echoed.

"Get out," he snarled. "And pray that Alana is fine, or else. I'll come find and deal with you myself." 

I stood there, stunned, as Troy walked past me without a single glance. Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, fate literally said to hold her cup. 

I was stunned and short of words. Again, I hoped that Troy would halt and turn back at the last minute, just to tell me he didn't mean what had just happened. That he'd been pranking me all morning to make our wedding and engagement super special, but that moment never came. 

Instead, Alana looked back, she smirked and mouthed to words 

"I won."

My chest squeezed painfully as I took in her face one last time before she disappeared down the corridor. I might have been delusional not to believe it, but now, and in that moment, I knew, I had lost everything.

Great. Just fucking great.