2 When a Heart Stops Beating

Aira Valerius.

For a moment, everyone was frozen, and the air had stilled. It almost felt as though the world had been paused, and it only continued spinning again when I took in a sharp breath, a shaky one escaping my lips in return. It was then that everything started moving again, and the two quickly scrambled away. Rico rushed off the bed, leaning down to pick his pants and quickly to put them on while Lisa pulled the sheets to her chest as she got into a sitting position, her knees to her chest as she stared at me with wide eyes.

"Aira..." She breathed out, her voice shaky, her mouth falling open as she shifted her eyes to Rico, as if he would come to her aid.

He put on his pants, and then turned to look at me, grimacing. "Shit, you were not supposed to see this." He mumbled, almost to himself as he attempted to make his way over to me.

I held a hand to stop him, making his steps halt, and I blinked slowly, before my eyes found theirs, and I found myself asking in a low voice. "How long?" I questioned, my tone holding no ounce of emotion. I shifted my gaze from him, to her, and repeated. "How long has this been going on?"

I did not cry. My eyes had no tears to shed. I was simply frozen, even if I was speaking, my mind was still struggling to comprehend what was going on, to accept it evem.

Lisa stammers from where she was. "Aira, listen, please..." She was not giving me any answers, and was simply beating around the bush, so I shifted my attention to Rico, expecting to get answers from him instead. Call me stupid, but a part of me hoped he would deny it, despite seeing it with my own eyes. I wanted him to say it was a one time thing--that it did not mean anything and then maybe, just like the other times, I would turn a blind eye to it.

I have always done so anyways.

But when he did not deny it, I realized how deep the betrayal went this time around, and I knew then that I would not be able to turn a blind eye anymore.

"Why?" I found myself asking, my voice low. It raised with each subsequent question. "Why her? I ignored it when it was all those other women before because they were mostly maids and she-wolves that do not even hold a candle to me. But my sister, really Rico? My fucking sister! And you," I snapped my gaze in her direction, and she whimpered, pushing herself further away. I gritted the words out. "You were supposed to be my sister, and most certainly not sleep with my fiancee on our wedding day."

"You are overreacting," Rico downplays it calmly, pushing the strands of his hair off his forehead, as if it was the most casual thing to say. He did not appear bothered in the slightest. When my eyes met his, he added. "It does not mean anything. Just ignore it as you always do. It is nothing."

I could not help the scoff that escaped my lips, and I could only stare at him as he added.

"Look, we have a duty to the pack--to go out there and fucking play the role of the perfect mates, say I do and get this shit show over and done with. Do not ruin everything you worked hard for over a mistake. This is what you have always wanted, was it not? To stand by my side as my Luna. Well you are finally getting it so stop whinning like a bitch and turn a blind eye as always. The High Council and the Royal Court has their eyes on this as well."

My mouth fell open at the words that had escaped his lips, casually, with no ounce of remorse whatsoever, and that was when I realized there was no salvaging this relationship. I have been pouring into empty cups, and there was no reason for it anymore.

I swallowed down a lump along with my earlier words, and exhaled a determined breath. Looking him dead in the eyes, I found myself saying. "You know what, Rico? I am done playing this charade as well." I gritted out. "The wedding is off."

"What?" He stared at me in disbelief.

"I would tell the High council myself, and you can explain to them why you were fucking my sister on our wedding day. Then, we would see who is more desperate and needs this marriage more between you and I. I hope you will be able to keep your Alpha position--though I doubt the Alpha King will be tolerant of an Alpha like that." I offered him a fake, tight lipped smile. "I heard he has quite the temper." I did not spare him another moment as I turned around to make my way out.

Screw this all. I would burn this all down and bring him down as well. He thinks I am desperate for this? Well, let us see who is the most desperate in front of the High Council.

From behind, I heard Lisa call out to him. "Rico, if she goes to them, we are ruined. We cannot let her go..."

But I was determined to go no matter what.

I however did not expect them to stop me. I did not expect it when Rico caught up to me, his hand taking a hold of my arm, his claws making an appearance and digging into my arm as he pushed me into the nearest wall with a force that kicked the breath right out my lungs. I coughed from the sudden impact, before i struggled to get out of his arms.

"Let go of me, Rico..." I warned.

"No fucking way." He gritted out, his told around my arm tightening as he pushed me further against the wall, and I could feel my blood dripping from the injury caused by his claws, staining my wedding gown and coating the floor. His eyes leveled with mine before he added. "I will not let you go and ruin me." His hand went around my neck, and he tightened his hold, strangling me.

"You cannot make me keep quiet." I gritted back, staring dead into his eyes, barely getting the words out as my eyes glossed with unshed tears. I could feel myself running out of oxygen, but I still forced the words out. "I will not marry you, never. I will expose you both and make sure I ruin you."

I saw his eyes glow, and I knew his wolf was present. His eyes shift once more, and his wolf nearly took over as he growled at my face, but I struggled to get out of his hold but I was of no match to him. I kneed him where the sun does not shine when I got the chance, and took him by surprise, making him double cover as he threw him on the floor like a rag doll.

I coughed, hunching over as I tried to get back my breath. Scrambling on my knees, i attemped to run out of the room but Rico pulled me back with my hair, before pulling me close to him and I fought in his hold with every strength I had, clawing at his face with my claws which he tried to block.

But then I suddenly felt it.

The knife that went through my back, piercing me, and halting my actions immediately as I felt the world begin to spin. The pain did not register then. No, rather, it was the black dots that covered my vision as my whole body became paralyzed and Rico's hands leaving me.

My body collpased on the floor, and the pain begin to register as blood seeped from my body. Then I saw her, standing above me, Lisa held the knife she had just used to stab me, and they both stood over me, watching me as I parted my lips to call for help.

"...help..." No sound escaped my lips, I could not even move my body.

Thier faces stared back at me as my vision turned blank, and the life left my body.

I thought heartbreak would kill me. I did not know it would be their hands instead.