The story of the substitute bride

What preceded the wedding -

" You don't want me anymore? Did I hear that right?" Rebecca wanted to be very sure of what she heard. She didn't want any misunderstanding to creep in. It was the end of her 'five-year-long' relationship. It was like her daydream had turned into a nightmare. Her boyfriend had just rejected her and, apparently, for no reason. 

He said that he didn't want her anymore, which, in, itself was very weird. " Yes, Becca! You heard that right... " He was about to add another few lines when she yelled. " STOP! Calling me Becca was a privilege, and you have lost that with your last statement, boy!" 

She turned back with her haughty ass and walked away, not turning back, for even a second glance. Her boyfriend stood there bewildered. That was, clearly, not the reaction he had wanted. 

From behind the building, crept out another slender figure. She was blonde and beautiful, but nothing like the curvy, brunette that Rebecca was. She was Stephanie, Rebecca's step-sister. Rebecca loved and cared for her like her own sibling. She had been overjoyed when her father had brought home a new mother with a bonus of a little daughter. Never did she ever suspect, that those two people were the vilest towards her. The most vicious. 

They never showed that. On her face, they were always sweet and concerned. But behind her back, they left no stone unturned to strip her of all her achievements. " Good job Casper. You successfully drove my sister away. " Stephanie patted him on his back but he did not seem as confident as he had seemed at the beginning of their conversation. " B-But, she didn't even look back... " The poor lad looked shaken. It seemed like he was the one who was dumped. 

" Oh! come on Casper, didn't you say you were fed up with my sister's overconfidence? Didn't you say she kept denying your rights as a boyfriend and you were not ready to wait until your marriage? " Stephanie let her hands travel over Casper's chest as she slowly started unbuttoning his shirt. It didn't take the pimp to get over his emotions for his physical needs. He grabbed Stephanie by her hair and started kissing her like a beast in the middle of the street. 

It was very clear that she was not enjoying it but she had to give in because that was her end of the deal. She had promised Casper that she would sleep with him if he broke up with her sister. Casper dragged her behind the alley, inside the abandoned building. He stripped her top as soon as they were inside and was about to unleash his 'rock-hard' beast, by opening the chains of his pants. Stephanie was visually disturbed, but she had voluntarily walked into the devil's Den. 

" Open your mouth, babes! " Casper ordered, smirking in her direction. She was thinking of excuses to get out of the mess when suddenly they heard footsteps. " Stephanie? Casper? What the hell is going on here? " It was Rebecca. She had come-back, to hand over her ring, that Casper had engraved but was shocked out of her wits to find her sister and freshly dumped boyfriend in such a compromisable position. Stephanie seized the opportunity. 

She ran into Rebecca's arms, crying. " Sissy, thank goodness you came here. This one has been blackmailing and bullying me. He forced me to sleep with him. He got hold of some of my naked pics from somewhere and has been using them against me. Sissy, I am so scared. " She was an Oscar-worthy actress and efficient at shedding crocodile tears. " She's lying. She sent me those pics herself. She was the one who had been pestering me to break up with you in the first place. You, sly vixen. " Casper tried coming near Stephanie but Rebecca blocked him like an Alpha Queen. " Enough! " She said with her palm raised. " I will be dialling the police and they will take care of things from here. You are a criminal. I am ashamed I wasted all these years with someone like you. " Rebecca reached for her phone when Stephanie jumped in. 

"Sissy, don't call the police. Leave it. Let it be. You broke up with him. Now let's delete his existence from our lives. I don't want to be interrogated or laughed at about something like this... Please sissy? " She was shooting stars through her puppy eyes. Rebecca's right arm landed on Casper's cheek with a very loud thud. It sent him walking sideways a few steps. Her eyes were spilling fire and she dusted her hand off, exclaiming aloud, " Damn! I got some dirt on my hand. I would need to thoroughly sanitise now. " 

That was smooth. But seemed like Casper was already regretting all his actions, " I deserve that slap Becca, but you need to hear me out... " He tried. Poor jackass wasn't prepared for what was about to come. " You got lucky fraudster. Not get the hell out of this place. " Rebecca bellowed like a raged bull as Casper hurried his way out. " You should have called the police and checked all the call and chat records. I deleted them earlier for fear that you might see them. I wish I had kept them so I would have been able to show you the real face of the serpent you call your sister, Rebecca. I owe you that much for all the precious moments that, we spent together. " Casper said. " You and I shared nothing. It was all a nuisance as far back as I can see now. How could I have been so naive? I fondled you as my little sister suffered because of you in silence. You even dared to call it quits because you thought you had her in your palms, wrapped. Look at her poor face. She looks so traumatised. " 

" I feel bad for you, " Casper sighed. With that, Casper was gone, and Rebecca finally turned her attention to Stephanie. She opened her jacket and covered her. Tidied up her hair and lipstick. Then picking up her bag said, " You look fine now. Let's head back home. " Then leaning forward towards Stephanie's ear, Rebecca said, " I am sorry little one. I hope you will not keep things away from your elder sister in the future. " Stephanie smiled and grabbed her hand. "I promise I wouldn't! " 

***

A few days later -

Rebecca walked hurriedly down the stairs as she heard Stephanie's loud shriek and the noise of things being thrown around. 

She took a deep breath and steadied herself as she approached the source of the commotion. She found Stephanie in the living room, throwing pillows and vases, and screaming in frustration. 

"What's going on?" Rebecca asked, trying to carefully get in, without stepping on the broken pieces. 

Stephanie stopped throwing pillows and turned to face her. "It's just great news, Rebecca. Just fantastic." She said, her voice laced with bitterness. She addressed Rebecca by name, which was an over-emphasis on the fact that the news was indeed very grave. 

"What news?" Rebecca asked, her eyebrows furrowed. 

"Our father just informed us that I've been chosen as the bride for that crippled royal heir, Blaze." Stephanie spat out the words like they left a bad taste in her mouth. 

Rebecca's jaw dropped. "What? How could he force you into something like that?" 

Stephanie scoffed. "Our mother tried to fight it, but you know our father. Once he's made up his mind, there's no changing it." 

" He said it was decided by drawing lots and that nobody had any choice. It was by the king's order, our Alpha! " 

Their mother added the important bit, with her head between her hands, in depression. 

Rebecca shook her head in disbelief. "This is insane. You can't just be forced into a marriage like that." 

"I know, right?" Stephanie said, nodding her head. "But what choice do I have? I can't exactly say no to the king of our pack. Can I? " 

Her eyes were smeared with her eyeliner as she constantly rubbed her eyes while crying and yelling. 

Rebecca looked at her with sympathy. "We'll figure something out. I'll talk to Father and come up with a plan." 

Stephanie let out a bitter laugh. "Plan?What plan, Rebecca? We're just werewolves. We can't fight the system." 

Rebecca put a hand on Stephanie's shoulder. "We'll find a way. We'll come up with something. I promise. " Her voice had that sincerity that even Stephanie could shake. 

"This is outrageous. How could your father agree to such a thing?" Their mother repeated, scowling 

"He was forced into it, remember," Stephanie said, her voice sarcastic and bitter. 

"Well, we won't stand for it," their mother said firmly. "We'll fight this. Like Rebecca said. Wouldn't we dear? You will not let your little sister suffer such a terrible fate. Right, Rebecca?" She asked coming nearer, besides where Rebecca was standing. 

" But I am scared there is no time Rebecca darling, " She pretended to be wiping her tears as she looked at Stephanie with icy chill eyes. 

" What do you mean? " 

Rebecca asked, turning around to face her properly. 

" The wedding is tomorrow! " 

" What! " 

Rebecca's voice faded away as she gasped. 

Stephanie took the opportunity to dramatically hide under the tea table, " Just one more day before being buried alive! " She muttered. 

Rebecca looked here and there as if trying to look for an answer, a solution, like she promised. But it was impossible to come up with something, within such a little time. She knew that very well, unless... 

" Unless we can find a substitute and also convince the king... " Her stepmother mumbled. 

More like she was giving Rebecca a hint. 

" Nothing like that can happen. We cannot trick the king by handing over any random woman to get married in the Royal household. We would all get skinned alive. " 

Stephanie put in, still crouching under the table with her eyes shut. 

There followed an eerily uneasy pause after which Rebecca suddenly said, 

" I'll do it! " 

" What? " Both Stephanie and their mother burst out together. The glee in that burst was too very obvious. 

" I said I will marry that crippled nephew of the king in place of Stephanie. We are sisters and from the same family. The king should not have any problem with this substitution. " She briefed up. 

Stephanie shamelessly scrambled out of the table. 

" Father?What about Father? How will we explain this to him? " 

She and her mother looked so overjoyed that they were unable to restrain themselves. 

" I have a plan for that as well. But you will have to suffer a little for that. " 

She said apologetically to her sister. 

" Suffer? "Stephanie asked a little shocked. She had instantly thought all her sufferings were transferred to her sister. 

" Yes. I will get you some Wolfsbane. You will have to drink it up. You will instantly pass out for a couple of days. Even the king will be unable to bring you around. At that point, I will be the only bride readily available. They will have to let you go and settle for me. " Rebecca concluded. 

Stephanie looked a little unsure at the prospect of drinking Wolfsbane. It was like gulping acid down one's system. It was super painful and unbearable. But it would save her from a miserable husband and life ahead. 

Their mother slapped Stephanie on her back. 

" Stop being so grumpy. Your elder sister is giving such a big sacrifice for your sake. Would it not be better to burn your intestine for a couple of hours than to burn in hell for the rest of your life? " 

She asked her daughter, encouraging her to go with the plan, completely unsympathetic towards the stepdaughter's sacrifice. 

But Rebecca did not care. She was content to be able to bring her family relief. She was happy seeing them smiling and cheerful again. 

As for the heir, she was going to marry, she didn't even care. She had given all her love to Casper who had so badly mutilated her feelings. She didn't have room for any romance in her life anymore. 

She knew she was stronger than Stephanie and she would somehow survive.