Chapter One: The Luring

Thalira's POV:

I spent weeks preparing for the Red Moon Rite — the sacred night I was supposed to meet my fated mate.

 Instead, my sister destroyed my face before I ever got the chance.

****

A soft knock echoed through my room just as I slipped beneath my blankets. 

My brows knitted into a deep frown.

Who could it be?

The Red Moon Rite was only two weeks away, and every unmated She-wolf in the pack had been ordered to sleep early, eat well, and prepare herself for the night she might finally meet her fated mate.

And so I have been abiding by these rules, preparing for Giovanni.

I pushed myself off the bed and walked towards the door.

The moment I pulled it open, strands of wild red hair and bright green eyes greeted me.

"Lora," I muttered in surprise before leaning into the hallway to see if anyone else was awake. "Why aren't you sleeping?"

She shrugged casually. "I made pizza egg rolls and didn't want to eat alone," she said softly. "Want to join me?"

A small laugh escaped my lips before I could stop it.

She really cooked? Lora?

"You seriously came here because of food?" I asked in bewilderment.

The last time Lora came to my room was on my 15th birthday, seeing her here tonight was too good to be true.

"Well, you're my favorite sister." She replied dramatically, pressing a hand against her chest, "The others would judge my cooking."

I snorted and shook my head. "That bad?"

"We can't say just yet." She murmured.

The corner of my lips lifted despite myself.

Lora had always been like this from a young age— warm, loud, and impossible to ignore, until the day I turned fifteen, she became someone else.

I let her drag me out of my room in my oversized pyjamas and huffed, "If the egg rolls suck, I'm going back to bed."

She chuckled and shook her head, "Whatever you say, my Lord."

By the time we reached the sitting room, I collapsed onto the couch with a sigh.

I was too tired for this, but as someone forced to tolerate my eighteen-year-old sister, there wasn't much I could do.

"I'll go and get the snacks." She said before slipping out of the sitting room.

A few minutes later, she returned with a plate of pizza egg rolls, and set them down in front of me, smiling proudly.

"Let's go to the garden," She suggested, "it's better than this place."

I nodded.

The garden was quieter and more relaxing.

We slipped through the back door and walked for a few minutes before reaching the moonlit garden.

As I sat down on one of the chairs, she dropped the pizza egg roll on the table.

"Try it." She urged.

I picked one and dipped it into the tomato sauce on the side. The moment I bit into it, my brows lifted in surprise.

"You actually made this?"

"Oh..... well," She rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly, "I have to learn how to survive without the workers someday."

I nodded while chewing. "This is good," I mumbled, wiping the corner of my mouth with a tissue.

Lora poured me a glass of wine before settling into the chair opposite mine.

Her actions made me feel a strange mix of nervousness and happiness at the same time.

Wasn't this the same Lora who hated me so much?

"You'll enjoy it more with the wine," She said with a wink.

I took a sip of the wine and closed my eyes. The taste was heavenly.

"Lora," I called, lifting the glass slightly, "I love this wine."

I should get some for myself when Giovanni finally chooses me.

****

For some reason, I felt too weak to return to my room after only two glasses of wine.

My bones were too weak, and my eyelids too heavy to stay open.

I glanced at Lora, who sat calmly texting on her phone.

My brows furrowed.

I didn't want to believe it but she looked completely fine while my body felt like it was shutting down.

Did she......?

No.

Lora wouldn't be that cruel.

"What did you put on the wine?" I asked quietly.

Her finger froze above her phone screen.

For one brief second, I expected her to lie or apologize, but she did neither.

Instead, she chuckled and dropped her phone on the table beside her.

"Now I have you all to myself." She said, her lips stretching into a wide smile.

I stared at her in confusion.

I had never seen that expression on her face before. She looked.... insane.

"What made you think Giovanni wants you and your no wolf self?" She asked with a shake of her head, "You're too trusting, Thalira. Far too trusting."

I tried to open my mouth, to stand up and put an end to whatever this was, but the harder I fought, the weaker I became.

Lora rose from her chair and walked towards me. She crouched in front of me and slid her phone beneath my jaw, forcing my face upward.

"Tsk tsk tsk," she murmured. "What exactly made you think you have something over me? Must be this face deceiving you."

I tried to shove her hand away, but my arm barely moved.

Lora clicked her tongue in disappointment. "You really should have been careful about what you drink."

Fear crawled violently through my chest as I stared at her.

 She lifted her phone and switched on the front camera, angling it towards my face. 

"Look at your face one last time," She whispered.

She took a few pictures before lowering the phone again.

Tears gathered in my eyes as I watched her.

I didn't know what she was about to do to me, but deep down, I knew it would be terrible.

"Why are you doing this to me?" I whispered as tears slid down my cheeks.

She tilted her head before taking a slow step closer.

"Because I'm tired of standing behind you." She said with a shrug.

My brows furrowed weakly as I stared at her.

Behind me?

"You were born without a wolf," She continued softly, almost thoughtfully as she dragged a chair closer and sat down in front of me. "And yet everyone still looks at you first."

I wanted to scream at her that I was older. That I was supposed to be seen first. 

Her fingers brushed gently against my cheek, wiping away my tears with her thumb.

My bottom lip trembled as I stared at her, a new kind of fear wrapped itself around me.

"Giovanni keeps on talking about how he can't wait to choose you, Mother protects you like you're something precious. Even the Pack elders respect you." Her smile slowly faded, "Do you have any idea how exhausting that is?"

My breathing turned shallow as I watched her.

"You're sick." I spat weakly.

Something dark flashed through her eyes and she chuckled, nodding her head at the same time. 

"Yes," She said quietly, "I'm done pretending."

She reached into her hoodie pocket, her eyes fixed on me as she brought out a bottle.

My blood turned cold as I stared at the bottle.

The bottle was small and almost harmless, but I knew whatever was in it wasn't good.

Pure terror slammed into me so violently that it became difficult to breathe.

"No......" I whispered weakly.

Lora's expression softened. She touched my face again, holding my cheek for a few seconds before slowly pulling away.

"You'll still be alive after this," She murmured mechanically, almost like she was forcing herself to console me. "You just won't be prettier than me anymore."

Realization hit me with full force. The bottle, the gloves in her left hand, the way she kept staring at my face.

"No!"

I tried to stand up but my limbs failed me. I shook my head as I stared at her.

"Lora please.."

She chuckled softly and wiped her forehead with the back of her hand before slipping the gloves onto her fingers.

"It won't hurt you too much."