Quinn laid in her room for hours too long, and when she finally decided to open the door for food, evening had rained down on the land. The sun wasn’t bright anymore, the light was dull, much like Quinn’s mood.
In the kitchen, she found the food her mother had cooked for dinner; rice and stewed meat. She shared herself a plate and then locked herself back in her room. Her father wasn’t back as yet, so there was nobody for her to talk to…all she could do was get lost in lugubrious and self-degrading thoughts over and over again.
She thought about Jeo, she thought about Delilah…and she thought about herself. She was the beta of this pack now, in order to carry out her duty well, she’d have to stay by the alpha’s side at almost all times. How would she bear it?
How would she stand in the presence of Jeo and not feel heartache? Should she have refused his proposal and become a rogue? Should she hav~?
Quinn placed her spoon back in the plate when familiar scents graced her nostrils…that of her father, her sister and that of Jeo.
The food in her mouth, she swallowed it, slowly standing to her feet…what was this? Why were all three of them here at the same time?
On the bed, she placed her plate and then walked out of the bedroom. She then walked to the front door, meeting her mother there. She’d already opened the door, looking out at the three people a distance away.
“I don’t want you any closer to my house…stay here while my daughter takes whatever she came here for.” It was Derrick’s voice, ringing angrily through the silence.
Jeo did not respond, instead he leant against a tree and nodded towards Delilah who smiled innocently at him. She turned towards the house, breathing deeply before walking towards it. Was she coming for her clothes? Was she officially moving in with Jeo tonight? In that house he’d said to have built for her?
Quinn ignored the pain that appeared in her heart, turning and walking back into the room. It didn’t matter…they weren’t together anymore…she wasn’t his mate anymore.
She sat back down on the bed, picking up her plate of food again and eating. She continued to mindlessly do so until Delilah finally walked into the room, closing the door behind her.
Quinn didn’t up look at her, she kept her eyes on her food.
“I’m just gonna…gonna take a few of my things…” The words were whispered lowly, breathy and hoarse, as if she was close to tears.
“Don’t mind me, you can pretend as though I’m not here just as you did when you were seducing my husband…”
“Quinn I…I told you I’m sorry.”
“Right…” Quinn laughed humorlessly. “I bet you are…I’m sorry too, for ever being born with a sister like you and a mate like him.”
“Don’t say that, Quinn…I-I please…we are still sisters, we’re gonna always be sisters.”
Her words were angering Quinn, she wanted to play the good sister now after what she’d done…? “No, we stopped being sisters the night you decided on making my mate yours.”
“But Quinn I…” Her voice was breaking, she was crying…Quinn didn’t have to look at her to know that. But why was she the one crying when Quinn was hurting the most? “I never wanted to do it…I didn’t want to hurt you…or maybe…maybe…”
She paused for a while, clearing her throat and sniffling her nose. “Or maybe I did. You don’t understand how I feel. I had a crush on him first, and yet you were the one mated to him. I was always looked down on by you and by everyone for being like mother; for being the omega, and you were always praised for being a beta. You were always too confident, you had everything and I had nothing…and now when I’ve finally acquired something valuable, I shouldn’t take it?”
Quinn’s eyes twitched as she finally looked up, staring at her sister with murderous eyes. The first thing she noticed was her wet face and then the blatant mark Jeo had left on her neck.
Quinn’s heart churned so much that she had to quickly turn away. “So even after all that you did, you want to make yourself the victim? I didn’t choose him to be my mate, I didn’t beg the goddess to make me a beta. I was born this way, it is not my fault. Being envious of something out of my control is cruel, Delilah, especially after how good I’ve treated you. I’ve never acted as though you’re less than me, not even once. I protected you, I loved you, Delilah and you stabbed me in the back.”
“I’m sorry…but I’m glad I ruined your confidence…I’m glad I’ve brought you down a notch. You were shining so bright that no one could see me…now though, I’m the one shining bright, and you’re the one left in the dark.”
Quinn’s jaws clenched as she stood to her feet, stashing the plate aside on the bed. “And are you happy now?”
“Yes…I am happy.”
“You might be, but this happiness won’t last forever…not when you stole it from me.”
“No, it will last forever, just knowing that I could at least make you miserable will forever make me happy.”
“W-What…?” Quinn twisted to face her, her hands clenching and unclenching in anger. “What d-did you just say to me?”
“You heard me, the fact that I made you miserable will forever make me happ~”
Before she could finish, Quinn slapped her across the face with a hand that burnt with strength and pressure. Delilah fell back, holding on to her now red cheek with surprised eyes. “W-What…? Quinn, you slapped me…?”
“I did…I was testing out what you said. It seems you’re right, because seeing you miserable in pain just now made my heart fill with joy.”
“Quinn…you~” Delilah looked back at the door when it was pushed open, revealing Kathrine. “What just happened here?!”
“Mom…! She hit me…she hit me, mom!” Delilah fell against her mother’s shoulder, crying wretchedly. “She said I’m not her sister anymore.”
“Oh my god! Quinn, how could you? Regardless of everything, she is your sister, how could you slap her? You have no right…!”
“She…she…” Quinn looked towards her father when he rushed in with Jeo behind him. “She told me…she said my misery made her happy…she said that I~”
“That gives you no right to slap her…!”
Jeo marched towards Delilah, accessing her face before looking up at Quinn. “You slapped her…?! I knew jealousy would lead you to doing something like this…that’s why I came along.”
His voice was angry and deep like it’d never been before, and his steps held so much authority as he approached her. He grabbed at the collar of her blouse, squeezing it tight in his hand. “Don’t you ever touch my mate again. If you do, I will not hesitate to cast you out of the pack you’ve called home all your life!”
He let go of her, but not before harshly pushing her back. “Let’s go, Delilah…you won’t be needing anything here anymore.” He took her in his arms and walked to the door before stopping. “Tomorrow morning at 8:00, Quinn. I want you in my office…”
And with that, he left.
Quinn’s mother glared at her before following them, buttering up Delilah on the way…and now Quinn was left with just her father. “I know you were angry Quinn, what Delilah did was wrong, but what you just did was wrong too.”
And then he left her as well, slamming her bedroom door behind him.
