CH4

AMELIA 

Today is mum's funeral, the day after she died.

And the funeral is being held near the border with almost the entire pack present.

Mum had been kind to everyone, except to me. Father is the top warrior and respected by all, so the ceremony is going to be filled with many guests coming to pay their respects, and I'm expected to be there to receive their condolences while my own grief continues to sit like poison in my chest.

But I have no choice.

Sighing, I pull up the zipper of my ceremonial dress and also adjust the shoulder straps. The dress is midnight blue and it fits my curves perfectly. 

Also, the Moonraven necklace that symbolizes my Luna identity is resting around my neck, marking me with authority as the pack’s Luna.

Except I'm just a substitute Luna. Nothing more.

Done getting ready, I stare at my reflection in the mirror of the dressing room. My entire outfit is beautiful and everything that a true Luna should wear to honor the dead and comfort the living. 

But all I feel is fake.

Today, my feelings don't matter. All that matters is for the funeral to go smoothly without any problems. Katherine is on her way back, and Father has warned me not to provoke her.

I don't intend to.

Katherine has always known how to take what she wants, and I've always been the one who gives in all the time because that's how we have survived as sisters: me shrinking, her expanding.

It's an endless cycle of torture.

Anyway, it's time for me to leave before I'm scolded for being late and trying to ruin my mum's funeral.

My fingers tremble as I adjust the necklace for the final time, ready to go.

But just as I turn to head towards the exit, the door suddenly slams open.

And my heart stops at the sight before me.

Katherine.

She's already here.

And she looks angry in her elegant black dress.

“Kath—”

“Take it off,” she snaps sharply.

I blink in confusion. “What?”

“The dress, the necklace,” she steps into the room and closes the door behind her. “Take off everything that belongs to me, Amelia.”

The sharp venom in her voice as she says my name sends shivers racing down my spine, freezing me in place.

And suddenly, she is marching towards me.

“Are you deaf?! I said take off everything now or I swear to the Moon Goddess I will rip it off myself!” she snaps again, now standing right in front of me with her body vibrating in anger.

“But—”

“No one needs you anymore. I’m back now, Amelia, and you don't get to be Logan's Luna at my mother's funeral.”

“She was my mum too-”

“Really?” She suddenly scoffs. “You're crazy, but keep telling yourself whatever makes you feel better. I don’t care. Logan told me you'd be here, and honestly, he's fucking right to hate you because you're nothing but a pathetic thief. I'm his rightful Luna and you're just the substitute, but not anymore. Now take off everything or I'll do something you'll painfully regret!”

My heart sinks. She said Logan told her about me being here.

He couldn’t even wait for her to reclaim her place by his side and become his Luna.

Heartbroken, I obey, undoing the zipper of the dress because what choice do I have? Fight her? Make a scene?

No. I'll just be blamed for everything.

The dress pools at my feet and I step out of it, feeling so exposed in my underwear and full of shame. My fingers are shaking as I unclip the necklace too and I pick up the dress, offering everything to her.

“Good,” she snatches the dress and the necklace.

And next, she removes her dress with zero modesty, now standing in her underwear like she owns the room.

“Now put this on me,” she commands, throwing the dress into my arms and I catch it.

I move closer and after wearing the dress on her, I pull the zipper up and move to step away.

“You're not done. The necklace too,” she snaps, dumping the necklace into my hands.

Swallowing back more shame, I wear the necklace around her neck too, clipping it into place. The necklace settles perfectly on her skin like it was made for her. Like everything was always meant to be hers.

Done, I step away.

And she turns to the mirror, adjusting the necklace with a satisfied smile.

"Everything looks much better on me, don't you think?" She asks in a sickeningly sweet voice, meeting my eyes in the reflection.

And maybe she's right.

She's slightly taller than me, more curved, and the dress fits her differently and even better.

Everything always looks better on her.

And from the happy look in her eyes, she thinks the same.

“Your little Luna game is over, Amelia,” she turns away from the mirror, now looking at me with pure disgust. “Logan is mine. The pack is mine and will always be mine, so crawl back to your shadows because that's where you fucking belong.”

She flashes me a devilish smile before shoving past me, walking out of the room and leaving me standing in nothing but my underwear and the shattered pieces of my dignity.

And just like that, I'm back to being the unnoticed Amelia again.

I feel so numb as I bend, picking up her discarded black dress and next, I wear it, pulling the zipper up to cover what's left of my dignity. The dress is still warm from her body and rosy scent, and it’s also a bit too long on me, dragging on the floor and making me look even smaller and more insignificant than I already feel. 

‎At the funeral, I watch Logan, his mother Jane Grayson, and Father as they welcome Katherine with open arms. They are all startled and thrilled to recognize her in the dress.

And me, I just remain where I am at the back of the crowd, watching everything as it unfolds.

The funeral begins. At the front, near Mother's casket, Katherine leads the ceremony, resting on Logan's chest very intimately as the pack offers their condolences. My heart squeezes in pain as I helplessly keep watching them, forcing myself to believe that they are right for each other even though my wolf is dying to rip Katherine into shreds for taking my mate. 

Afterall, Logan isn't mine. Katherine is beautiful and everything he wants in a Luna, and she's the only one he truly loves.

Not me.

Just then, loud growls explode into the air.

And right in front of everyone, three wolves suddenly leap out of the forest, their eyes red and dark with bloodlust.

Rogues.

And without warning, they attack the crowds.

Screams and growls fill the air as everyone scatters. My heart pounds wildly as I run towards Logan, hoping to find safety with him even though he hates me.

But on getting to him, one of the rogues lunges at us and he quickly shields Katherine, kicking the rogue away with his Alpha strength before abandoning me as he quickly carries Katherine away in his arms.

Before I can follow, the rogue attacks me, its sharp teeth sinking into my arm and yanking me back from following them.

“HELP!” I scream in agony but no one comes to my rescue. The rogue deeps its teeth deeper into me, and the pain is too much for me to bear. There's blood. So much blood.

And it's all mine.

Unable to endure anymore, I fall dizzy and collapse on the ground, my head spinning and pounding painfully. My heart slows. My eyes shut.

And I sink into the darkness closing in around me, my body feeling nothing.