Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Amber’s pov

There’s something infectious about excitement. It doesn’t have a specific smell yet it fills the air. Today, excitement smelled like spring blooms and the yellow orchids the maids placed all around.

“Yes, put that vase there,” Maria, our housekeeper’s voice, resounded loudly as she directed the maids. “No, no, a little to the right. Yes, perfect!”

I bit my lip lightly and twisted my hands in my lap. I could barely stand still! All around me, the maids worked tirelessly to decorate the pack house.

Today was the day! Lucas would finally come to Father and officially propose!

“We don’t know that yet. Nobody told us anything,” Vera argued, a flicker of something unreadable in her tone that I quickly dismissed.

I shook my head at her naivety. Nobody told me anything but it was painfully obvious!

“Maybe they want to surprise me, Vera,” I reasoned with her as I stopped beside a living room table.

All around, the tables were decorated with different pastries. I inhaled deeply, smiling as the warm smell of vanilla and cookies enveloped me.

Yes. Something was definitely happening today and I just knew it was Lucas!

Now if only Father would actually leave the pack hospital and get here before Lucas. It was an important day for me.

The sound of low voices drew my attention and I rushed to the window. 

Was he finally here?! 

But as I peered out below, it wasn’t Lucas I saw. Even better.

It was Father! He walked into the pack house, and behind him Mother was pushing something.

Maggie! Maggie had even been discharged for today and Mother was pushing her wheelchair!

“Told you,” I chuckled excitedly as I stood back upright and patted my hair. “Even Maggie will be here today,”

“By the goddess, you’re right!” Vera swore softly. Her voice full of awe. “We’re actually marrying our mate, aren’t we?”

“Yes, we are.” I gave a firm nod as another giddy laugh escaped my lips.

I could barely believe it. Yet twenty minutes later, it was all too real.

I stood to the left by Maggie’s chair, barely holding my smile as Lucas crossed the room to bow to Father.

He was here!

“Alpha Logan, thank you so much for seeing me,” His deep voice sent a thrill down my belly.

Lucas and I had grown up together as friends. Even as children, we were naturally attracted to each other so it wasn’t a big surprise. When we got our wolves and recognized each other.

It had been two years now. Two years of secret whispers and stolen kisses. Now, he would finally mark me!

“You know you’re always welcome here,” Father responded warmly as Lucas stood back up and turned to me.

Oh, this was it! Already my eyes were tearing up as he smiled warmly at me and pulled a ring box from his pocket.

Lucas had always been handsome but he had never looked this way.

Small sunlight filtered in from the open window, highlighting the gold specks in his brown eyes as he walked forward and knelt down.

I sniffled and chuckled. Foolish, wonderful man, he was so in love he mistakenly knelt a little too much to the right.

“No, darling, I’m over here,” I waved my hand excitedly. “Shift a little bit,”

“Amber!” Mother’s cold eyes reprimanded me from the other side of Maggie’s chair. “Behave properly!”

Anyhow, it didn’t matter where he knelt. What mattered most was the question and I was ready.

He opened the ring box and I got my first glimpse of my ring. White gold, encrusted with diamonds and a little emerald at the middle. Just like I had always told him I wanted.

An excited laugh left my lips but I slapped a hand over my mouth before Mother could complain.

To my right, even Maggie was smiling. She, too, was happy for me.

Lucas finally cleared his throat. “My love, Maggie. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

My lips had already formed the answer yes before I realized what was happening.

My smile froze, the muscles in my cheeks tight. My breath hitched. No. This couldn't be real. They were all pulling my leg.

But there was no funny laughter. Only clapping as Maggie teared up, gave an excited nod, and stretched her right hand.

“L Lucas?” This was a mistake. A joke. They couldn’t really—

My mind went blank, utterly silent.

Air left my lungs as Lucas slipped my ring onto her finger and hugged her.

The hug finally snapped whatever daze I was in. “What’s going on?”

No one had anything to say to me. The maids even came to congratulate the happy couple. 

Happy couple?!

“LUCAS!” I swept an entire table of teacups and pastries to the ground. The loud crashing sound had them jumping apart and all attention turned to me.

“Control yourself, Amber!” Mother snapped but I ignored her, my gaze trained on my mate.

“WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!” My palm began to sting from where the broken cups had cut me. But I couldn’t focus on that. My focus was on Lucas.

This had to be some cruel joke. No way he just proposed to my sister. I had to be running mad or seeing things.

“Amber, calm down,” Lucas stretched out his hands, speaking to me in a patronizing voice. 

At the sound of him calling my name, my insides shattered. Hot, fast, tears blurred my vision as I rushed to him.

“Tell me baby, what’s going on?” My palm cradled his cheek. The curves of his face so familiar to me as I stared into his eyes.

Maybe they were making him do this. It wasn’t too late. He could, we could—

“Amber stop,”

“No,” I shook my head, blood from my palm staining his cheek. “It’s okay, you can trust me, Lucas. Tell me, are they forcing you?”

Even now I could feel the mate bond. His strong, musky male scent making me heady.

“Amber, stop,” Lucas firmly removed my palms from his cheek and took a step back.

I blinked in confusion. Why had he—

“Amber I’ve always loved Maggie,”

What?! Vera began to growl, her pain turning to anger as Lucas went back to Maggie’s side and held her hand.

Her hand, which now twinkled with my ring.

“Lucas what are you saying to me?” My voice trembled and I could barely see through my tears. “We’re mates!”

Fear cut through me as his loud voice resounded the room. “Not anymore. I, Lucas, son of the Pack Beta, Max, hereby reject you Amber as my mate,”

The pain was immediate. Vera howled loudly as my legs lost strentgh and I crashed to the floor.

“NO! LUCAS, NO!” My throat felt raw. Each breath I took cut into me as my matebond snapped off. Vera howled in pain, retreating into my mind.

No. This couldn’t end like this! 

Shards from the broken plates cut my arm but I didn’t care.

My weak arms shook as I tried crawling towards him.

My mate, the only thing that was mine in this world. Lucas was my lifeline. 

“Amber that’s enough,” Father’s loud voice snapped but I ignored him.

Crimson blood streaked across the pale floors. 

Each shaky movement drawing me closer to Lucas. We could work this out, we could—

I finally froze at Maggie’s soft voice. “Amber, you have to stop," Her voice laced with a sorrow that didn't quite reach her triumphant eyes". “This reaction is exactly why nobody told you. I’ve always been in love with Lucas. I… We love each other. After finding out that he’s also in love with me, I decided to be with him,”

The dam inside me broke. I curled into a fetal position on my floor, cradling my injured arm and crying.  

How could they do this to me? How could Maggie?! I had shared everything with her; we were even closer than I was to Mina!

Did she listen to my stories of Lucas encouraging me when she… the betrayal left me breathless.

Why did Lucas and Maggie stab me in my back?

“Come on, Amber,” she began to whimper. “Please don’t do this. I don’t care; you can be stronger and healthier than me… I just—Lucas is the only thing I want to have. Please, Amber. I hope you can understand my only request.