Betrayal

Ava

Leaving the candlemaker's shop behind me, I couldn't shake the heavy weight of the day's encounters from my shoulders. The indifferent glances and muttered half-assed birthday wishes still echoed in my mind, a constant reminder of my lowly status in the eyes of everyone. But I pushed those thoughts aside, focusing instead on the task at hand: surprising Lucas at home.

With a determined stride, I made my way through the winding streets of Silverwood, the familiar sights and sounds of the town providing a small comfort amidst the sea of hostility. My heart quickened with anticipation, the prospect of seeing his smile lighting up my otherwise bleak day.

Reaching the front door, I paused for a moment, a surge of nervous excitement coursing through me. Would he be pleased by the surprise, or would my presence only serve as a reminder of my insignificance? Pushing aside my doubts, I took a deep breath and let myself in, the warmth of the familiar surroundings enveloping me like a comforting embrace.

As I approached Lucas's apartment, my heart swelled with anticipation, eager to surprise him with lunch and spend some quality time together on my birthday. With a sense of familiarity, I let myself in using the key he had given me long ago, the door swinging open noiselessly.

But as I stepped inside, my excitement turned to confusion, then to shock, as I caught sight of a pair of unfamiliar women's shoes by the entryway. My mind raced with questions, but before I could process what was happening, I heard voices coming from Lucas's bedroom.

Curiosity propelled me forward, my footsteps silent as I crept closer to the door, my heart pounding in my chest. I pressed my body against the wall wanting to stay hidden, straining to hear the conversation unfolding inside.

As I listened to their conversation unfold, my heart shattered into a million pieces, each word like a dagger to my soul.

"I'm tired of this, Lucas," Elara's voice was tinged with frustration as she paced back and forth, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "We've been sneaking around for months now, and I'm sick of hiding how I feel about you. I want to be with you openly, without having to pretend anymore."

Lucas sighed heavily, his brow furrowing with worry as he reached out to touch her arm.

"I know, Elara," he replied, his voice soft and soothing. "But we can't afford to be careless. We've come too far to risk it all now."

"But how much longer do we have to keep up this charade?" Elara's voice rose with frustration, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "I can't stand the thought of you being with her while I'm forced to watch from the sidelines. If she won't sleep with you tonight, then you need to break up with her and be with me." Lucas's expression softened, a look of sympathy crossing his features as he pulled her into his arms.

"I understand, Elara," he murmured, his voice gentle and reassuring. "But we're so close to winning the bet. Tonight is the night, I promise. We'll seal the deal with Ava, and then we can finally be together, without any more secrets or lies."

"She's my mate," Lucas murmured "But until her wolf shows itself, I can't officially reject her, you know I can't have her as my Luna, she is a freak, relax babe."

My eyes widened at the discovery. over a year he has been of age and never told me, all while shacking up with my best friend!

Elara's eyes softened at his words, a hint of longing in her gaze as she leaned into his embrace.

"Promise me, Lucas," she whispered, her voice barely above a whisper. "Promise me tonight will be the last night we have to hide our love." Lucas nodded, his grip on her tightening as he pressed his lips to hers in a passionate kiss.

"I promise, Elara," he murmured against her lips. "Tonight, everything changes. Tonight, we'll be together, forever."

My heart sank like a stone as the truth began to dawn on me, a sickening realization settling in the pit of my stomach. They had been pretending to be my friends all this time, all for the sake of some cruel bet that promised a hefty payout if Lucas could deflower me.

Anger boiled inside me, hot and fierce, as I listened to their callous words, their betrayal cutting deeper than any knife. And then, to add insult to injury, I heard the sounds of their bodies moving together, the unmistakable sounds of passion and desire filling the air.

And then, as their lips met in a heated embrace, their bodies entwined in a frenzy of desire, I turned away, unable to bear the sight of them any longer. The pain in my chest was unbearable, but beneath it all was a sense of numb resignation, a quiet acceptance of the truth that had been laid bare before me. As I fled from the apartment, tears streaming down my cheeks, I knew that nothing would ever be the same again. I lost the only people I had besides my parents.

Tears stung my eyes as I stumbled back from the door, my world crumbling around me. How could they do this to me? How could they betray my trust in such a heartless manner?

As I rushed back home, my heart heavy with the weight of betrayal, I knew I had to tell my parents everything. Bursting through the door, I found them in the kitchen, my mother chopping vegetables and my father stoking the fire. "Mom..... Dad." I began, my voice trembling with emotion, "I.....he...I have to tell you something." I sputtered from running and shock, I recounted the painful truth of Lucas's betrayal and Elara's deceit, and my parents listened in stunned silence, their faces mirroring her anguish.

When she finished speaking, her mother set down her knife and took Ava's hands in her own, her eyes filled with empathy.

"Oh, sweetheart," she murmured, her voice soft with sympathy. "I'm so sorry." My father's expression was equally pained as he wrapped his arms around me but I didn't miss his hands clenched into fists but still offering silent comfort in the face of my pain.

"I don't want to do the party tonight," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "I can't face them, not after what they've done to me. How can I even stay here now? what if they force him to mark me?" My mother's brow furrowed in thought before a spark of inspiration lit up her eyes.

"Then we won't," she declared firmly. "We'll leave this place behind and have your party somewhere else, somewhere where you can truly celebrate without them."

Ava's heart swelled with gratitude for her mother's understanding, but before she could voice her thanks, her father spoke up his voice grave.

"Ava, there's something you should know," he began, his tone serious. "There's an old wolf custom, the Blind marriages. It might give you space and a chance at a better life, away from the pain and it will protect you. It's a chance for new beginnings, new genetics in the hierarchy, a way to make a difference maybe?"

My mother nodded in agreement, her eyes shining with determination. "You can decide to stay or go after three months," she added, her voice firm. "But it's your choice, Ava. No one else's."

I felt a surge of hope at the prospect of a fresh start, but my father's words of caution tempered my excitement.

"It will be a lot in one day," he warned gently, his eyes filled with concern. "Rejecting your mate is hard enough, but to leave your pack on the same night, and on the night you come of age... It will be very painful. You want to reject him right?" I nodded wiping my tears away

I knew he was right, but I also knew that I couldn't stay in Silverwood any longer who knows how Lucas might retaliate? With a deep breath, I made the only decision I had left.