Bagel
Every bonding ceremony with Alpha Alexander turned into a nightmare.
The first time, my ceremonial wine was laced with wolfsbane. I convulsed and coughed up blood in front of the entire Crescent pack. I became a complete laughingstock.
The second time, a hidden silver blade pierced right through my stomach. I collapsed on the altar and stayed in a coma for three weeks.
The third time, someone pushed me off the top of the tower. After the fall, my inner wolf never woke up again.
All these accidents were the doing of Alexander's adopted sister, Ruby. Her mind was supposed to be completely broken.
Every time I confronted him in tears, he would pull me into his arms and wipe my tears.
"Evie, my sweet girl," he would whisper softly, "Ruby lost her mind to a rare poison when she saved my life. She has the mind of a pup now. Please, do it for me. Just treat her like a child and let it go."
This time, at our fourth ceremony, Ruby lured a rogue into our territory. The entire hall was engulfed in flames from the blast.
I tackled Alexander to the ground and shielded him from the silver laced flames. My whole body was burned and mangled.
While I lay unconscious in the hospital bed, Alexander stayed by my side day and night, begging the Moon Goddess to wake me up.
But when I woke up, I overheard him giving orders to the pack healer outside my door. "Increase the dose of the suppressants. Use the cheapest herbs. Do not let her wounds heal too fast."
The healer froze for a moment. "But she was severely injured saving you, Alpha."
Alexander's tone was incredibly cold and unfamiliar. "Her pain is not even a fraction of what Ruby went through."
"I taught Ruby all these tricks. The explosion was no exception. She learns fast."
I gripped the bedsheets tightly. My fingertips turned entirely cold.
It turned out all the pain I suffered over the years was orchestrated by the Alpha I loved the most.
I swore to the Moon Goddess that I would never let him see my face again.