Chapter Three

Ariana's parents, drawn by the piercing scream that shattered the quiet of the evening, rushed into the room, their faces etched with concern.

Margaret's eyes darted between Ariana, whose tear-streaked face revealed the torment she was going through, and Mia, who had managed to feign the appearance of a wronged victim.

Mia's acting skills had been honed to perfection, and at this moment, she was delivering an Oscar-worthy performance.

"What happened here?" Ariana's mother asked, her voice trembling with concern.

Mia, her eyes glistening with crocodile tears, stood at the center of the room, Her gaze shifted to Ariana,

"It was her!" Mia cried out, her voice breaking. "Ariana cursed me because I kissed her mate, Liam."

Margret exchanged a quick, concerned glance with her husband before turning back to Ariana. "Ariana, how could you curse Mia over such a trivial matter?"

Joseph's brows knitted together in deep concern as he turned his attention to Ariana, who stood there, her eyes wide with shock and disbelief. "Ariana, is this true?"

Ariana struggled to find her voice, her throat dry and constricted. She could hardly believe the audacity of Mia's lies. "No," she finally managed to whisper, her voice trembling. "It's not true."

Mia, sensing the attention she had garnered, continued with her act, her tears flowing freely. "Liam even told me that he doesn't like Ariana. He prefers me!"

Ariana's heart sank as she watched her parents and she could see that they were buying into Mia's story, hook, line, and sinker.

Margaret's voice was cold and accusatory as she turned to Ariana. "Ariana, how could you?" she hissed, her disappointment palpable.

"You disrespected your sister and your mate. You should be ashamed of yourself. And if Liam dislikes you, it's very obvious that it's all your fault!"

Ariana's eyes welled up with tears, her voice choked by a potent cocktail of emotions. "It's not true," she finally managed to stammer out, her words barely audible.

Joseph's stern gaze fixed on Ariana, and his voice carried the weight of authority. "You owe Liam an apology for your behavior," he declared. "And you'll be punished for cursing your own sister."

Ariana's world was crumbling around her, and she couldn't fathom the injustice of it all. She tried to defend herself, her voice filled with desperation.

"But it's not true! None of it is true! Mia's lying!"

Ariana, in a more concerned tone, "And why are you taking her side? Why are you buying into her lies when she was the one who clearly tried to take my mate from me?"

Her father's patience had worn thin, and he raised a hand to silence her.

"Ariana, it's of no use," he said sternly. "Your sister has been wronged, and we won't stand for it. You need to apologize to Liam, and you'll face the consequences of your actions."

Ariana's protests fell on deaf ears as her parents took Mia's side, their loyalty unquestioning. Her heart was heavy with betrayal, and she felt utterly alone in her own family.

Just as Ariana was about to speak up once more, Joseph dropped a bombshell that left her speechless. His words were like a blade to her heart, cutting through her hopes and dreams.

"Ariana," he said, his voice cold and unforgiving,

"it's clear that you and Liam aren't meant to be together. You need to give up your mate to Mia."

The room seemed to spin around Ariana as those crushing words settled in. The disbelief in her eyes was mirrored in her parents' faces as they stood united against her.

Ariana's voice shook as she finally found the strength to respond, "But Father, Mother, you know I love Liam. I would never curse Mia or disrespect you in any way."

Margaret's gaze remained cold and unforgiving. "Ariana, you've been blinded by your own desires," she accused. "Mia is your sister, and you should prioritize her happiness."

Joseph nodded in agreement. "It's for the best, Ariana," he said, his tone final. "We won't have discord in our family over this."

Ariana felt betrayed and helpless. She wanted to fight, to scream that this wasn't fair, that her sister was lying, but the weight of her parents' judgment was crushing.

Mia's triumphant smile was like a dagger in Ariana's heart as her parents turned their attention to her. Margaret spoke with a tone of satisfaction, "That's the right decision, Ariana. You'll apologize to Liam, and we'll discuss your punishment later."

Ariana nodded, her voice choked with grief. She turned to leave the room, but as she reached the doorway, Joseph's voice stopped her in her tracks. "And Ariana," he said with a hint of finality, "don't make this any harder than it already is. Mia deserves happiness just as much as you do."

Ariana's heart raced like a frightened rabbit as she grappled with the harsh reality of her father's demands. She couldn't believe what she'd just heard. How could her own parents be so cruel, making her give up the love of her life?

Tears welled up in Ariana's eyes, "Father, how can you ask me to do this? How can you take Liam away from me?"

Her father's face remained stern, his voice patronizing as he explained, "Ariana, you have to understand. This is for the sake of our family and our pack."

Ariana's voice quivered as she spoke from her heart, her tears flowing freely, her words heavy with the depth of her feelings, "But Father, it's not fair. I love Liam. I would never curse Mia or disrespect you."

Before her father could respond, her mother's anger flared like a sudden storm. She struck Ariana across the face with a loud smack, leaving a burning mark on her cheek. The room seemed to echo with the impact, and Ariana's cheek throbbed with pain.

Ariana recoiled from the blow, her eyes wide with shock, her cheek stinging. Her mother's unexpected violence left her stunned and wounded, her tears falling like rain.

Mia, seemingly unaffected by the turmoil, interjected with a cruel tone, her words slicing through the air, "Get over it, Ariana. Liam has had his eye on me for a while now. It's time you accepted that."

Ariana's father, unmoved by her tears, continued in a cold, emotionless tone, his words cutting through the room like ice, "We'll visit Liam's parents to tell them about the change. The mating ceremony between Liam and Mia will be arranged soon."

Ariana couldn't hold back her desperation any longer. She fell to her knees, her voice breaking as she pleaded desperately, "Please, Father, Mother, don't do this. It will hurt my wolf. It will weaken my wolf. It could even make me an outcast."

Joseph and Margaret exchanged a knowing glance, and then Joseph spoke cryptically, his voice laden with mystery, his words a haunting whisper, "There's another option. I have other plans for you Ariana. But now is not the time for it."

Ariana felt a shiver of dread crawls up her spine at his enigmatic words. What could this alternative be? Why were they keeping it from her? The uncertainty and hopelessness engulfed her like an overwhelming burden.

As her parents left the room, Ariana remained on the floor, her sobs echoing through the space. The weight of her impending loss and the unknown alternative hung over her like a heavy cloud.