CHAPTER 5 No Longer Endure It

　　She snorted quietly and leaned in to whisper in Ann’s ear.

　　“No wonder Brad couldn’t wait to be inside me, just look at the state of you.” She sneered.

　　Ann clenched her fingers into fists as she fought desperately to stop Maeve from launching at Ada and escalating this further.

　　‘Don’t just stand there and take this, the little bitch needs to know her place. Let me teach her a lesson she won’t forget.' Maeve snarled angrily.

　　‘Maeve, we can’t, she doesn’t have a wolf yet. You know the laws, it wouldn’t be a fair fight, and the punishment..’

　　‘Screw the punishment, Ann, let me just bite her a little bit, maybe remove one of her limbs. At least then she’ll have fewer appendages to wrap around other people's mates.” She snapped viciously as she tried to surge forwards.

　　Ann closed her eyes tightly, clenched her jaw, and fought back against her wolf as Ada sniggered.

　　“Awww, what’s wrong? Is your little wolf angry?”

　　It didn’t take long for Ann to regain control, her wolf slinking off to slump in a corner and growl threateningly. Before long, the rage of her wolf had subsided and silence descended. Ann opened her eyes to glare icily at her sister.

　　“What do you think, Ada? You slept with her soul mate, the one who was intended as our perfect match! I know you hate me, but it was unnecessary.” Ann finally replied, her face calm and composed.

　　Ada frowned before her eyes darkened and her face twisted into an ugly mask of spiteful anger.

　　“Unnecessary? I think it was very much needed actually. If only to prove that I will always be better than you. You swan around here thinking that you’re little miss perfect. Mark my words Ann, I’ll make sure that you are nothing and have nothing by the time I’m finished. I’m sick of living in your shadow.” She hissed furiously.

　　“Ann! What is the meaning of this?! Why were you out so late?!” A slimy, sickly sweet voice called out.

　　Narcissa, Ann’s stepmother emerged from the drawing room, with Ann’s father close behind.

　　Ann reluctantly tore her gaze away from her stepsister and focused her attention on Narcissa. The two stared at each other for a while as Ada sauntered to her mother’s side and tilted her head arrogantly as she turned to face Ann once again.

　　“I needed to clear my head.” Ann finally answered flatly, feeling like an exhibition on display with everyone’s attention on her.

　　“Oh but your dress came! How lovely!” Narcissa simpered with a poisonous smile on her face. “I’m surprised you didn’t hurry down to show your parents before you disappeared out into the night doing goodness knows what.” She continued flippantly, her eyes full of malice.

　　Before Ann could stop herself she found herself snorting, loudly.

　　“Parents? I think you’re mistaken… don’t you mean parent? My mother died a long time ago and you are not fit to share that honor with her memory.” Anne answered casually.

　　Narcissa gasped and covered her mouth as she turned to face Ann’s father with a horrified and hurt expression.

　　“You ungrateful little cow! How can you speak to your stepmother this way?!” Anne’s father blustered.

　　“Because she’s the kind of stepmother that you read about in fairy tales. She’s not deserving of a place here.” Ann answered simply.

　　She was tired of this forced masquerade as a happy family. The family was supposed to be warm and inviting with a sense of comfort and security, not cold and unfriendly with the necessity of having to watch your back constantly with no support.

　　Her father lashed out at the wall next to him angrily as he began to advance toward Ann, growling a warning.

　　Ada rushed across to him and took hold of his arm with a sly smirk in Ann’s direction as she feigned an attempt to try to stop him.

　　“Dad! Please! Calm down! Don’t be angry! It’s fine, we’re used to all the comments she throws at us.” Ada whined.

　　Ann glared furiously at the trio as Narcissa joined her daughter in the pathetic act of caring for family members. How could her father not see through this charade?!

　　As Narcissa rubbed soothing circles on her father's back she focused her attention on Ann again.

　　“Please, Ann, you know your father's health isn’t good. Let’s not trigger another episode with unnecessary nastiness, hmm?” She pleaded in a sickly sweet voice.

　　But Ann didn’t miss the smirk that danced on her lips.

　　“You should take a good look at your sister's demeanor Ann. You might actually learn how to conduct yourself properly!” Ann’s father snarled.

　　“Learn what?” Ann laughed in disbelief, “Learn how to seduce and sleep with another female's mate? Maybe. She seemed to have the talent for it when she was fucking my mate in her room upstairs!”

　　Her words hung in the air before a ferocious roar escaped from her father.

　　“How dare you speak about your sister that way?! There is no way she would do such a despicable thing!”

　　“Sister? Have you lost your mind, father?? My mother only gave birth to one child.” Ann sneered as she swept her gaze disdainfully over Narcissa and Ada.

　　“You know something? There’s a popular saying, isn’t there? Now, what was it... Ah, yes! ‘The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree’. It fits both Narcissa and Ada perfectly, don’t you think? Her mother seduced my father and broke his mate's heart, and now her daughter aims to do the same thing. Ironic really, isn’t it?” Ann continued furiously, her face shrouded with contempt.

　　A cold silence descended in the hallway, her father, Narcissa, and Ada all frozen in shock at the words she had uttered.

　　For years, Ann had remained silent and now that her life was about to change so drastically, there was no need to keep up with the pretense anymore.