~1~ FRAMED

BELLA

     I don’t fight them. I stopped fighting a long time ago. Fighting only made them crueller.

Surrendering is easier.

Cold river water slams into my face as rough hands shove me forward. My knees scrape against the muddy bank, my palms sinking into wet earth.

“Wash the filth off your ugly face,” Antonia sneers above me. “Maybe you’ll finally look better.”

Her friends burst into laughter.

Someone grabs a fistful of my hair and forces my head deeper beneath the water.

Freezing liquid rushes into my nose, my ears, and my mouth. My lungs burn. I choke, panic clawing weakly at my chest.

They’re laughing. They always laugh.

“She can’t even fight back.”

“That’s because she’s too fat to move!”

“Maybe the river will finally do us all a favour."

Their voices blur together with the roar of water in my ears.

Every inch of my body aches. It has been like this for weeks now. It feels like my bones are slowly being hollowed out from the inside.

Sometimes, in moments like this, I wonder if dying would really be so terrible.

Maybe it would be peaceful. Maybe it would finally be quiet.

My wolf whimpers faintly inside me, weak and distant.

I stop struggling.

The hands holding me still suddenly tighten.

“She’s not moving!”

The laughter dies.

“What?”

“She’s not moving!”

“Is she dead?”

“This isn’t funny!”

I can’t breathe.

Darkness presses at me, heavy and soft. Then another voice cuts through everything.

“You animals! What the hell are you doing?!”

Betsy.

I’m released so suddenly I collapse onto the muddy ground, coughing hard, river water burning my throat.

Chaos erupts around me.

Shouting and screaming. The sickening crack of bone. Wet punches.

More screaming.

Despite everything, a weak smile pulls at my lips.

That would be Betsy. My twin sister is everything I’m not. She is sunlight where I am shadow.

Beautiful. Graceful. Strong.

She has the blessed wolf, the rare one our father had prayed for his entire life. The moment he discovered it, all of his attention shifted to her.

I never blamed her for that.

How could I?

Betsy has always loved me enough for both of us.

“Bella?”

Her hands are suddenly on my face, trembling.

“Oh goddess, Bella, say something. Please.”

Her fingers brush my soaked hair away from my skin. I cough again, wincing.

“You always did know how to ruin a dramatic exit,” I rasp.

She lets out a weak laugh that turns into a sob and pulls me into her arms.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispers against my shoulder. “I only left for a little while. I didn’t think—”

“I know,” I croak, patting her weakly. “I’m okay.”

She holds me tighter anyway.

Her jasmine scent wraps around me, soft and familiar, and beneath it, something warm and sweet.

Apple pie.

I smile faintly.

“Did you get Madam Rue’s pie?”

Betsy sniffles loudly.

“Seriously? You almost died and that’s your first question?”

“It’s an important question.”

She laughs through her tears.

“Yes. I got it. I even fought an old woman for the last one.”

“Did you win?”

“Obviously. I’m stronger.”

I grin.

That sounds like her.

She helps me to my feet carefully and presses my walking staff into my hand.

“Come on,” she says. “Let’s get you home before it rains.”

As we begin walking, I brush mud from my dress.

“We can’t afford to let Father notice that his blessed daughter is late,” I add. “Your suitor is supposed to visit tonight, remember?”

Betsy groans dramatically.

“Please don’t remind me. I would rather throw myself into that river.”

“You’re being dramatic.”

“I don’t want to get married, Bella. I really don’t.”

“You say that now.”

“No, I mean it. I’d rather grow old alone than marry some arrogant Alpha.”

“You love men.”

“There’s a difference,” she says seriously. “I enjoy watching them suffer. Those creatures are exhausting.”

I snort.

“Certainly not my Steven. He’s sweet.”

She huffs.

“Only because you nearly died saving him during the rogue attack. He better spend the rest of his life worshipping the ground you walk on.”

My smile softens. I still remember that night too clearly.

The rogue attack and the poisoned blade meant for Steven. The moment I stepped in front of him without thinking.

The pain.

The darkness after.

And Steven crying as he held me, swearing before the pack that he would love me for the rest of our lives. That he would never let me regret it.

Thunder rumbles in the distance.

A cold breeze brushes over my damp skin, carrying the scent of coming rain.

“It’s going to storm,” I sigh.

“Yes,” Betsy says quietly. “We should hurry.”

We keep walking.

The pain in my body returns, sudden enough to steal my breath. I hide it quickly.

I don’t want her worrying again.

“Tomorrow is Candy’s birthday,” Betsy says after a moment. “She’s throwing a party at the packhouse. You have to go.”

I wrinkle my nose.

“I don’t even have a dress. Besides, I’d rather not be humiliated by her family again.”

Betsy’s arm tightens around mine. Through our twin bond, I feel her heavy sadness.

“Sometimes,” she says softly, “I wish I could give you my eyes.”

Tears well up unexpectedly.

“Betsy…”

“You don’t deserve any of this. None of it.”

I reach for her hand and squeeze gently.

“I have you. That’s enough.”

Silence settles between us for a moment. And when she speaks again, her voice is colder.

“Bella, wait.”

I stop immediately. Something in her voice makes my stomach drop. It isn’t fear. It’s unadulterated fury.

Through our mind link, I reach for her.

‘Betsy? What is it?’

She doesn’t answer right away. Then a strangled voice speaks.

“B-Betsy… please. It’s not—”

Candy.

My chest tightens. And then I smell it.

Pine and fresh lemons.

Steven.

My heart skips a beat.

Why is he here? Why is Candy, my best friend, crying? Why is Betsy furious?

“Steven?” I call, my voice suddenly unsteady.

He doesn’t answer right away.

“Bella. Hey.” He sounds breathless.

Everything about this feels wrong. He should have spoken the moment he heard my voice.

Why was he silent? Why was Candy with him?

Why does my chest feel like it’s being split open?

“Betsy—”

A low growl from Steven cuts me off. My sister goes still.

“I’ll walk Bella home,” he says smoothly. “Betsy, why don’t you head back first? I have a surprise for my lovely mate.”

Lovely mate.

My pulse is racing now. I can smell Candy’s honey scent clinging to him. And beneath that… fresh blood.

Cold terror crawls down my spine.

Oh goddess.

No. No.

Tears burn behind my useless eyes as Betsy slowly lets go of my arm. Steven takes it instead. His touch feels unfamiliar. It feels like I’m touching a stranger.

We begin walking.

My wolf stirs weakly inside me, restless and distressed.

“Where are we going?” I whisper.

“You’ll see.” His voice is soft.

I feel sick.

I want to ask. I need to ask.

Surely he wouldn’t.

Cheating is forbidden in our pack. A disgrace. A betrayal of bond and blood.

Everyone knows I am supposed to be Steven’s Luna.

He wouldn’t—

“Steven?”

He hums.

The question sticks in my throat like broken glass. But I force it out anyway.

“What were you doing with Candy?”

His hand slips from mine for just a second.

“Nothing,” he says. “We ran into each other. She asked for you. I was coming to find you anyway, so we walked together.”

He’s lying. I feel it in my bones.

“Steven—”

He comes closer, his fingers brushing my cheek gently.

It hurts more than cruelty would.

“Everything I do,” he says, “is because I have no choice.”

Fear grips me. What does that mean?

“You trust me, don’t you?”

I can’t answer. He just kisses my forehead.

“Trust me one last time, Bella.”

My blood runs cold. Something heavy drops into my hand. It’s wet, warm and slippery.

I freeze.

The scent of blood floods my senses so brutally, I gag.

My fingers slide over the carved handle. Then the blade.

A knife!

It’s sharp enough to slice my skin open.

Warm blood runs over my hand.

A scream rips out of my lungs.

Before I can process what’s happening, thunderous footsteps surround us. Then I hear voices and gasps.

Steven steps away and I reach for him in confusion.

“Murderer!” Someone yells and my world instantly stops spinning.

And suddenly, I understand.

Steven didn’t come to take me home.

He brought me here to destroy me.