Chapter two

Sofia's POV

His eyes darkened and hardened; I could tell he was barely holding his anger back. I couldn't help but wonder at what point I had missed it. How come someone who was normal just a few minutes ago had become so aggressive and frustrated with me right now? Something was definitely not right.

"Is there something you can't tell me here? Do you want us to go somewhere else and talk about it?" I asked suggestively, reaching for his hand, but he snatched his hand from me and pushed me away, making me almost lose my balance.

"Stay away from me!" He barked irritatingly, as if I were some kind of disease that would infect him. My mouth fell open in dismay as I stared at him.

Meanwhile, Vivian was getting closer with a sneer on her face. Honestly, she didn't look bad; she was fresh blood, young, with a lot of passion inside of her. I think I had seen her around on a few occasions, but never had I imagined her heavily pregnant and replacing me on my own wedding day.

"I meant what I said, Sofia." Lucas' tone was stern, devoid of the playfulness it had only a while ago. "There has to be a mistake somewhere; this is a mistake." I whispered, refusing to accept what was playing out before my eyes, hoping that this was some mistake.

"You love me, Lucas. I have heard you say that a million times. In fact, you said you loved me only a few minutes ago."

"You are so dumb and naive!" He spat, his eyes digging into mine as if trying to communicate something else, something I had clearly been missing all this while.

"We have been in a contract relationship right from the beginning, for over a decade now."

No! Evelyn's words couldn't be true. This couldn't be happening because I let Lucas see me in my wedding dress.

"Wake up, Sofia!" As if to make his point, he tapped my cheeks and sighed. "I can't stay with you, especially not after I have shown you the woman I am truly in love with, the one carrying my child."

"But I can carry your child too. And how sure are you that you're truly the father of her unborn child?"

He let out a brief mocking laugh. "Don't be silly. I can't be wrong about this."

Vivian sauntered to my side, clutching my bouquet like she had all the right to be holding it. She dared to smile at me, her lips curling into such a sinister look. Still, I couldn't do a thing about it, other than stare and wish things were different.

It was either that or lunge at her, and I knew what the council would do to me. My heart broke into numerous shards, and even picking up the pieces from the floor was too tiring for me. I felt weak in every part of my bones, and the tightness in my chest was cutting off the flow of oxygen.

Seemingly oblivious to how I felt, or most likely blatantly ignoring me, Lucas' eyes found the guard standing before the playing scene. "Bring my real bride over to me," he commanded, his voice echoing through the hall.

The whispers resumed, buzzing way too fast and loud as the guards motioned forward and gently led Vivian to my spot in front of the pack, shoving me away in the process.

A sudden yelp fell from my lips, but Lucas totally ignored me, smiling at his mistress and her belly bump as they turned to face each other.

My eyes found my best friend easily, standing in the middle of the hall, with conflicted eyes. I saw the concern she felt towards me and the situation, the shock in her eyes, and the tremble in her steps.

Yet, she couldn't make one move. At that minute, every single person in the room regarded me as their enemy. I had been rejected by my own mate and the love of my life. I was going to be a castaway, and if Evelyn even reacted a little bit, she would be thrown out with me.

Evelyn made a step towards me just as Lucas yelled, "It should be noted today, in front of the whole pack and the elders of the council, that if anything happens to Vivian and my unborn child, who would one day be the Alpha of this pack, Sofia would be the one responsible."

“No!” I yelled, my knees giving way beneath me as I collapsed to the ground. Pain seared through me, but it was one that surpassed the physical.

I tried reaching for my wolf again, and Lyla’s tiny voice finally surfaced. “You can’t do anything about this, Sofia,” she whispered, stopping me from fighting Lucas’ decision so hard.

I couldn’t believe that all this time he told me he loved me, he was with another woman, long enough to get her pregnant and hand over my bouquet to her.

Evelyn rushed towards me, panic apparent in her steps. She brought her arms around me and whispered soothing words into my ears. “You can’t break down now, Sofia. This is just….”

Sobs racked through me as I let go, allowing the first tear to slide down my face. Something in Evelyn cracked as she witnessed that, and she got up at once, walking towards Vivian.

The guards were fast, but not fast enough for my best friend as she tried to grab the bouquet, wriggling it away from Vivian. “How could you do this to us all?” Evelyn yelled, her voice breaking.

“Sofia is meant to be the Luna of this pack, not you!”

“Take your hands off her this minute!” Lucas commanded, but my best friend wasn’t listening.

“You cannot steal her man, and then go ahead to steal her bouquet, don’t you think?” She was livid, and I tried to call her for her own safety, but nothing could get her to stop.

We had been friends all our lives, and Evelyn would lay down her life for me. The guards sprang into action, pulling Evelyn off Vivian and throwing her on the floor beside me.

She regarded me with so much guilt in her eyes, like she had failed in protecting me. But none of this was her fault.

“This is wrong,” Evelyn croaked out from where she let the tears flow freely on the floor. “My best friend has done nothing to deserve this, and you know it. You all know it.”

She looked at the elders of the council with an accusatory glare, but none of them were willing to go against the Alpha of the Snowflake Pack. In fact, they looked at me with the strangest expression – like they had never known me all their lives. And it scared me to my bones.