Chapter 5

Danica's POV

I held my cheek painfully, tears blinding my sight momentarily as I looked up to face Joey who was seething with an anger that threatened to unleash mine.

She had some fucking guts to raise her filthy hands to my face! And for what?!

“What the hell did you do that for?” I growled at her with bloodshot eyes and I saw her swallow nothing, pupils dilating before she quickly recomposed herself.

“You're talking back at me after what you did?” She scoffed, raising her hand to slap me again and I would have fucking put her in her damn place if my Father hadn't beat me to it with his commanding voice.

“Enough of this nonsense, you both! Get in the car. Now! And stop being such a nuisance!” he thundered irritably, his glare fixed on me. Just me! It has always being only me who gets to bear the blame for everything even if she was at a fault. The thought made more tears pool at my eyes but I didn't let it fall.

It is all Joey ever wanted. To see me break down in front of her so she could always remind me how far beneath her my place lies and I wouldn't give her the satisfaction of seeing her wish come true, again.

I couldn't even if I tried. Not with the flirty Alpha's touch lingering on my face and wrist like his hands were still there, sending sparks and shivers through my spine in a good way.

I know I shouldn't feel this way about another mate of mine, since I was obviously always fated to assholes but deep down, I looked forward to seeing him again. Asides saving Anabel, he was the best thing that happened to me so far on a bad day like today and I simply wanted to know if all his gentleness was just a charade to make me voice the bond we had and then humiliate me like the others did, or if he was just that caring kind of person unlike what the rumors says about him.

Whichever one it was, I wouldn't be Danica fvcking Grayson if I let it slip that he was my mate in the next three days I planned to spend taking care of his wound.

The drive was terribly silent but I could feel Joey's glare on me throughout till the car suddenly pulled up at the parking lot. As a former beta, my father owned a house befitting enough to be called a mansion with a parking lot.

“Danica. Meet me inside in five” my Father said sternly, his face contoured with a deep frown and I didn't miss the smirk that suddenly appeared on Joey's face.

Stupid bitch!

I got in to meet my father sitting on the sofa, looking pissed and I hesitated going to meet him until Joey shoved me forward.

“What was the trash you pulled at the party?” He thundered and I bit the insides of my lips hard.

“I could help Anabel, Father. So I did” I said and Joey scoffed behind me.

“I doubt that!” She gritted, glaring at me. “What she wanted at that party was attention. She wanted everyone to notice her, Father” she added, facing my father with clear sincerity in her eyes. She would win an Oscar award for the best actress in the universe.

“There were professionals at the party. Anyone could have saved her” he chipped in, disregarding Joey's comment… or maybe not.

“Everyone was prepared for a mating party not a medical rally. No one could have saved her without a full medical kit but I could.” I told him again, hoping he was convinced and I saw how his face twinkled slightly, knowing I was right.

“I told you to stay low, Danica. It was a sincere instruction from me to you but you decided to defy me? What if things had gone south and you killed the gamma's sister? You wouldn't only be living in the streets, you'll also spend the next twenty five years of your invaluable life in prison,” he suddenly said and I felt his words pricked harder into my heart.

“Anabel only survived because the moon goddess didn't destined her death yet. A simple allergy couldn't have killed a werewolf! You're just an attention seeking slut” Joey said hatefully, her voice rising another notch as if she held some grudge against me for saving Anabel's life.

“Not everyone is like you, Joey. I saved a life and that is all that matters!” I talked back immediately, pissed by her baseless outburst.

“She's lying father. I can prove to you that she only did what she did because of the attention of everyone and she did get the attention she wanted” Joey blurted and my eyes narrowed on her the same time with my father and Freya as she brought out her phone.

“I have proof of your true nature Danica, are you still going to keep denying it?” She said with a sinister smirk.

“True nature? What the hell are you talking about?” I asked in anger and confusion.

“I'm talking about how you went behind everyone's back to fool around the Alpha, you whore!” She yelled in my face and two more pairs of wide eyes rounded on her.

“After you clearly warned her to stay far away from the Alpha, she went to seduce him without anyone knowing, Father” she continued, showing them a photo on her phone.

Father snatched the phone from her hand the moment he saw whatever was displayed in the screen and he sprang up to face me almost immediately, eyes piercing and furious.

“How dare you try this nonsense with the Alpha, Danica?” He bellowed and I flinched, a pang of nausea and adrenaline coursing through my veins at his anger and the picture that glared at me.

A picture of me unbuttoning the Alpha's shirt! Taken and edited perfectly to convince anyone that I was the slut she described me to be.

“I…. This was… it was Alpha Alexander's order” I tried defending myself.

“The Alpha would never give such a vulgar order, Danica. I saw you with my two eyes” she was quick to add.

“Oh really? Is this about me or the Alpha, Joey? Because you sound so terribly jealous right now” I blurted in anger and she immediately planted a deep slap to my face.

“I'm only looking out for you because you're my sister and we can't have you soiling the family's name more than you already did” she murmured bitterly and I raised my hands to return the favor but then Father chose to intervene.

“Enough!” his commanding voice boomed in the air, forcing me to lower my hand in defeat.

“It isn't what it looks like, Father” I murmured, holding back hot tears as hard as I could.

“You say Joey is lying against you but she has proof to back up what she saw and you don't, Danica. How much more are you going to keep lying when the truth is out in your face?” Freya questioned, anger lacing her concerned features.

At that moment when my father's disappointed glare hit my skin, I badly wanted to tell him the entire truth. From how the Alpha wanted me to check on his wounds and how he wanted me to come treat it for him at the palace but I stopped myself.

Joey would probably use that against me too. She would twist the story to make me a liar and they would believe her. They always do.

“I don't need a proof for you to believe that I did save Anabel's life too, do I?” I suddenly asked and I saw the frown that formed on my father's face.

“You did it because you wanted to win the Alpha's favor when I clearly warned you, Danica.” he responded and I swallowed the painful lump that grew in my throat. “And for that you'll be grounded in your room for three days to reflect hard on what you've done wrong!” He said sternly and my eyes widened as I exclaimed.

“What?!!” “But…I”

“It's either that or you pack your things and walk out of my house this instant. Your choice” he concluded and walked away without sparing me another glance, leaving me to wonder if I am truly his daughter or if I had been adopted at some point.