CHAPTER 1

FREYA.

“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” Everyone around us chanted as I stood directly opposite Lucian. My heart did a frantic dance and I felt heat flooding my face. I blinked and leaned forward to kiss my fiancé — it was my first time ever— but he suddenly backed away and laughed awkwardly.

“Oh come on, Freya. How'd I kiss you when your big stomach keeps getting in the way?” Lucian jeered, rubbing his temple in pretense.

A hush fell over the small gathering and the little ‘Bride-to-be’ placard I was holding fell from my hand. I instinctively sucked in my stomach and clasped my hands in front of my abdomen even as a searing pain waltzed through my entire frame.

“Oh come on, Lucian. My..." I leaned in, shivering with panic. "There are people watching us, don’t do this here, please," I whispered.

But he scoffed and suddenly jerked backwards, pinching his nose in sheer disgust. I held my breath, wondering what it was this time. Being mated to Lucien felt like walking on eggshells everyday. He was perfection moulded into a human body, while I on the other hand was just an ordinary alpha’s daughter with a round face and adipose tissues in the wrong places.

"You don't have to come this close, Freya," Lucien said, loud enough for everyone in the arena to hear. "You know how bad your breath stinks."

It was as though a pail of ice water was emptied on my head. I stood there on the podium, like a lost weasel in the middle of ice. Why is my mate trying so hard to humiliate me on the eve of our mating ceremony?

My fingers began to tremble and I clenched my fists until my knuckles turned white.

Lucian sighed and glanced at his watch, like none of these worth his time. Like he hadn't just destroyed my frail esteem in front of the pack. This was the man I had loved since my teenage days. When he found I was his mate, he held me gently in the full moon and vowed to love me till the end. Now here he was, treating me worse than an omega slave.

The murmurs that coursed through the crowd soon reached me.

"Look at her, a fat bag of disaster standing beside the most handsome lycan in our dynasty. Did she think she had a chance?"

Someone giggled. "Mate indeed. She's not even worth being his maid."

A woman sighed. "Lucian is so kind. He should have thrown her out a long time ago. She's worthless. I can never respect her as the Luna."

"Her sister is way better. Lilith."

That name stung me like a thousand wasps. Lilith— my younger sister who was everything that I wasn’t. She has a clear porcelain skin, perfect set of white teeth and a body to die for. Everyone in the pack loved Lilith because she looked perfect but if only they knew her deepest secrets…

"We're mates, so what?" Lucian snapped, every warmth seeping from his eyes. "Must you kiss me and all that?"

I opened my mouth but the words dried up.

"Look, we can always show our affection somewhere else. Not in public," he said.

The tears stung my eyes. I wanted to ask why, but I feared what he might say next.

Suddenly Lilith showed up in the crowd, her large eyes fixed on us. Her charms spread like wildfire. Lucian immediately lost all composure. The last iota of patience he had disappeared completely. He turned to me, his eyes cold, his jaws gritting in annoyance.

"What is it now?" he growled at me, glancing over his shoulder at Lilith, who had nothing on her body but a transparent piece of gown that showed her bulging cleavage. Her eyes rested on me over the rim of champagne glass, a small smirk playing on her lips.

My insides froze over. With each passing second, I felt like a disaster. A castaway. Dirt.

Why was she here? To steal the spotlight like she always does? Damnit, today’s supposed to be all about me but somehow Lilith was here, drawing all the attention —including my mate’s— to herself.

Breaking the tense moment, an elder stepped up. "You two need to stop bickering and get ready for your mating ceremony tomorrow."

Lucian gave a casual nod and was out of sight the next moment. I looked again and Lilith was nowhere to be found either. The little crowd began to disperse, not a single person bothering to spare me a pitiful glance. Soon, the space was empty and I was left there like an unwanted piece on a chess board. Even the ‘bride-to-be’ placard I held felt like a joke. What was my offense exactly? I had the alpha blood but the pack members treated me worse than an omega, simply because I don’t meet the expected ‘beauty standards’?

I inhaled and smiled, shaking off the tears that stung beneath my eyes. My goal in life was simple— Get married to Lucian and become the pack’s Luna. Maybe, just maybe, I’d be accorded a hint of respect if I’m crowned the Luna.

I rounded the corner of the Royal palace in search of Lucian. He usually came to the spot under the pomegranate tree whenever we had a fight but tonight he wasn’t there.

“Maybe he’s stressed or tired,” I muttered under my breath. He would definitely come around tomorrow night. The man I admired and loved would be back again and we’d get married. But even those words weren’t convincing enough to me. What if he doesn’t want to go ahead with the mating ceremony?

Stepping into the palace, it was cold, like my heart but not as quiet. Silent tears ran down my face as I walked upstairs. Then I froze at the sounds coming from the door.

I stopped and leaned in. The sound of moaning came to me with a sickening blow to my stomach. Lucian. My mate. And another woman.

"My best moment is when I'm buried deep inside you, Lilith. You're far better than that douchebag I call mate."

My eyes widened and I almost let out a scream.

My mate was having sex with my own sister?

My blood ran cold. The pain knocked off my vision and balance. I grabbed the wall as my knees gave way.

But that wasn't all.

Lilith, amongst heart-twisting moans, said: "When will you get rid of her for good? I want to be yours and yours alone. She doesn't deserve to be anywhere near us."

Lucian let out a cold laugh. "I'm not just planning to banish her; I'd kill that bitch, so you'd have her throne after your father dies."

“You'll kill her for me? Even after all she's been through for you?”

He laughed icily. “Hmph, you're so kind to her, but she isn't worth it. Freya is too fat, too plain. Too pathetic to be my Luna. She is a tool and will be used as one.”

Each word was like hot iron pressed to my heart. Yet he dished them out without mercy.

"What if she notices we've been lovers?" Lilith muffled, feigning concern. "Won't she cause trouble?"

Lucian scoffed. "Freya loves me with all her life. Even if she finds out, she'll forgive me the moment I say sorry. She's weak and desperate to be my mate. And I'm going to milk that. All for you, Lilith."

But I wasn't the person they thought. I got up and dusted myself.

I'd show these bastards I wasn't a dirt doll to be thrown around.

So I made a very drastic decision.