"Jennifer? Help?" I said weakly. My whole body was shaking, despite being practically drained of life.
Jennifer stood in the doorway, a figure of beauty in her white gown, but unmoved. I wondered if I looked like that, but then I knew I didn't. I knew I should look like her, but six years of my tortuous existence had robbed me of having smooth, soft skin, and lustrous long hair. Her expression was as if she had seen me do something disgusting instead of finding a long-lost sister about to die.
"Don't be fooled. I'm not Jennifer." Jennifer said. "You are. I'm Alissa Clark."
"What? No." I said. The beat of my heart was throbbing in my ears, pumping the blood that was so valuable, the reason I'd been locked away. Slowly, it dawned on me.
"You did this?" I cried out, my voice sounded high and piercing. My heart was breaking.
"Did what, take what was mine?" Jennifer said.
"I'm Alissa. It's my blood." I turned desperately towards the guards that would not meet my eyes. "She's lying! She's not Alissa. It's me. Why else would you take my blood?" I yelled at them, using my last energy. I struggled against the restraints before going limp.
Jennifer said, "Don't listen to her. You know who the Luna is. You saw the games. Everyone did." Her voice was so smooth and calm. It sounded like my voice if I had not spent so many years crying and screaming.
The doctor was leaning over my wounds. He poured warm liquid over them that stung, and I cried again. He wrapped my leg more gently. I hated them all. How could they believe her?
"Was it you?" I cried. "Please, Jennif…"
"Alissa," Jennifer interrupted. "I won't respond to your name, you crazy girl. See, it's good I've kept her down here. Ungrateful, untrustworthy traitor to our Alpha. She should be happy to serve our pack." She spoke to the guards and doctor even though her purple eyes were locked on me.
"Please, Jennifer. Please, we're sisters. We love each other. How could you?" Never in my wildest nightmares would this happen.
She tensed for a moment and laughed. "Yes, we are sisters." She addressed the guards and doctor, "Leave us. I want to speak to this traitor alone."
The guards nodded and left. One looked at me for one second before he cast his eyes down. They clearly worked for her; I'd wasted too many pleas to them over these years.
My whole body shook harder, my shock giving way to the small amount of anger I could muster in my weakened state. She was the traitor that betrayed the Alpha. She'd betrayed her own sister to take my place. She wore my dress.
I thought back to our childhood and how she always wanted the best of everything, and she would take it. No matter if it was my turn. She was always so angry and jealous of new toys or our parents' affection; I had let her win too often because I didn't want to fight with her all the time.
I thought of her jealousy the day I won the games. She'd disappeared. It occurred to me that she must have ventured here to meet the Alpha in my place, and I had gone home to wait for him to come to me.
"Do you know what day it is?" Jennifer said. She stepped further into the room, coming to the bed where they had strapped me down.
"No," I said. "I haven't known what day it is for six years."
"It's our eighteenth birthday today."
Tears clouded my eyes and fell down my face. They stung when they hit PIG burned onto my cheeks.
I thought of my dreams to become Jacob's chosen mate on my eighteenth birthday. I was supposed to be the Luna. The Alpha would pronounce his blood provider, his mate to the whole pack. I'd won the games; it should be me.
My blood was the best he'd ever tasted. I remembered him looking me in the face and telling me that. I could hardly handle all the anger, all the shock, and hurt. How could she do this to me? How could anyone be so jealous to become this evil?
"Isn't this a beautiful dress?" She taunted, the white lace and satin was covered with little shards of crystal that shimmered even in the dim light of the basement. "Jacob gifted it to me."
It was hopeless. She would never let me go. At this point, after so much, I could never expect her to reveal six years of lies to Jacob. "Please, I will provide all my blood, you can keep your lie. Please. Just let me go free..."
I froze suddenly. The sweetest smell hit me. It smelt like vanilla and pine trees. My mate was near. My fated mate. The one blessed by the moon goddess.
Who was he? My sad body melted from the smell. Could he save me from this hell?
Jennifer touched my face, laughing sarcastically,
"Ohh. Poor sister. Guess you just found out your fated mate was in the same building. You know who he is?"
She paused and seemed to enjoy my shocking expression. "It's Alpha Jacob. Your fated mate. But he chose me. "
"No! Our mate bond is there. I can feel it! He must not know I was here! "
Jennifer laughed again, this time like a girlish giggle as if what I'd done was so silly. "Happy birthday, my dear sister. Don't you realize, Jacob can smell you. We've not been so far away. "
"No," I said. "He can't. He didn't reject me! "
"Why did he bother? You've been like a pig for us. He knew you were here. He's known this whole time."
I couldn't believe it. If I thought it was the worst living nightmare, it had just gotten a lot worse. "You're just saying that to hurt me more." I said, more tears falling into the scar so that I flinched.
A guard came back. "The Alpha Jacob is looking for his Luna. It's time."
"My wedding. Isn't it lovely? My mate. I've always loved him, but you knew that." Jennifer said to me, her words like ice.
"Let me see him, please?" I said.
She took out a small mirror from her dress and held it up to my face. "You think he would ever accept such an ugly mate like this pig?"
I hadn't seen myself since I was twelve, vibrant and healthy. I was a child then, and now I looked like a ghost. My face was hollow and pale like a sick person. I saw the scar on my face, it burned and had inflamed my cheek so that it was swollen.
My eyes were red from the tears. My hair was dull and limp over my skull. My purple eyes were the only piece of me that still held some semblance of life. I could see scars even on my neck, and I knew that my body was even more scarred, and even more pathetic. I was so ashamed and horrified; I suddenly did not want Jacob or anyone to see me like this.
I began to sob; I couldn't help it.
"How dare you be so stupid." Jennifer said. "How dare you think the Alpha wants you for more than your blood. Imagine him mating with you, when he could have me."
I wanted to scream at her that she was evil. They took everything from us! Arianna stirred in my body violently. The wolfs bane was wearing off. I would kill her, rip that dress off her body and destroy her.
Jennifer stood back up, closing the mirror. She must've seen the fury burning in my eyes, but she looked unconcerned.
"Guards," she said. Three others appeared.
"Yes, Luna. Do we need to get the doctor?"
"No, not this time. Not anymore." She turned to me. "Well, you still have beautiful eyes. I'll take those as my wedding gift to myself. Guards, dig out her eyes!"
I ripped one arm out of my chains. The wolfs bane had worn off enough, the pure blood in my veins had always let me shift faster and easier than anyone else. I tore at the chains in desperate anger- the betrayal had fed a fire that I hadn't known I still had. I was not twelve anymore, I was not so small.
Jennifer wore her dress. My fangs grazed her arm. I almost had her. But they were upon me. Three guards had shifted to wolves and intercepted my attack.
They grabbed my neck and forced me to the floor. More wolfs bane was shoved into my nose, and the wolf within and I lost the will to fight again.
Jennifer was cradling her bleeding arm. It was a singular cut, pretty deep, only one of my canines had ripped her before they stopped me. There was a rip down the front of her wedding dress where my claws had torn it. I saw an inkling of fear in her eyes for the first time.
"Kill her." She said.
"But, my Luna. The blood." One of the guards said.
Jennifer screamed. "I said Kill her! Do it now!"
"Yes, my Luna." They grabbed my wrist. With his knife he cut through the bandage and the wound, reopening. My blood poured out onto the ground, a pool of crimson.
"Hang her upside down. Collect all the blood you can. My Alpha will feast on his wedding day."
They took the broken chains on my feet, and slung me up to the ceiling. A large golden bowl was put under my wrist. They cut me more, intentionally slicing my neck where it would drain to that golden circle below me.
More wolfs bane into my nose. That would prevent my wound from healing. I looked down as the blood trailed away from me. It was beyond normal pain.
Jennifer whispered into my ear. "Now, I don't have to worry about you anymore. You pathetic waste. Jacob and I will mate tonight, and I will be grateful that you're dead, and gone. I won't have to worry about my secrets being revealed to the pack."
I lost the ability to track where she was. It was like her voice floated around me. My body hung up like a dead pig, the blood flowing from me till I lost consciousness.
Was my miserable life finally coming to an end?
My body felt weightless. I opened my eyes and wasn't sure where I was. Above me was a clear blue sky without any clouds. It was bright, but I did not see the sun.Instead of being hung up with blood draining into the golden bowl beneath me, there was grass tickling my skin. I sat up. All around me were sprawling hills of golden and green grasses waving gently with the breeze. It smelt so good and fresh. Taking in a deep breath, I felt peaceful for one moment.But then, I looked down. My body was covered in scars. While I was no longer bleeding, there was a long gash up my left arm where I could see all the way to the bone. I shivered, suddenly cold and aware of my nakedness.I didn't know where I was, or why I was not wearing clothes.I remembe
I felt someone was touching my face. A hand softly tapped my cheek, tracing my lips for a second, before going back to my cheek again."Who are you?" I woke up , kind of veering away from him, still feeling the lingering sensation of his hands touching my face."Oh, good. You're awake. I'm Ryan. I was patrolling the riverside when I saw you."I eyed him suspiciously. "You saved me?"He nodded, "You could say that. How are you feeling?""I'm okay. Better now, warm at least." I was wrapped in a blanket, and resting on a bed near a fireplace.I inspected him cautiously wondering how honest I could be with this person, with anyone for that matter. If I couldn't trust my sister, nor my mate Jacob, who could I trust ever?He looked very strong and firm, like he could rip apart a man or a wolf with his bare hands. I inspecte
Ryan's POV I stood before the crowd, daring anyone to challenge me to a fight. I even wanted it. I was angry. Rupert, my wolf, was about to seize control of me. I had not lost a fight since I was fourteen, and they all knew it. "Well! Who wants to fight me!" I shouted at them. Curse or not. No one would do harm to her. They could not cast her out, I would protect her. Alyson, my mate. There was no way I could witness dying, fear losing her when I'd only just found her. Yes, she's my mate. I could smell it. Her blood smelt sweet and delicious like vanilla and cinnamon bark.&nb
Alyson's POV Is he really standing up for me? I watched the crowd disappear as the pack avoided the fight with Ryan. He was so enormous, so radiating with ferocity. It was terrifying to behold, and yet incredibly impressive. My heart softened, especially remembering of Donna telling me how he took care of me. "No one will fight me? Then she stays." He growled, even as the crowd had mostly vanished. I had to figure out why. I could not believe that this man would protect a stranger so fiercely for nothing. He had to have a reason. He took on his entire pack, going against their wishes to see me fight in those games, seeing me die. But I could prove myself, I could
Alyson's POV "Let's take a carriage back." He said. I sensed something was wrong, but he explained before I could answer. "I feel a little dizzy." There was something fierce and far away in his eyes. I thought of how difficult it looked for him to shift back to Ryan. All It took was one howl, it was odd how much his human voice had the exact timber of a wolf as if he had not yet shifted back. We waited a few minutes, and a carriage pulled up.Michael was driving in the front seat. "You ok, Ryan?" He asked.Ryan was already getting himself in. "Yes, I just need to sit down a bit."There was a small road between the trees leading back to the village. It was a good idea in case a
Alyson's POV I saw the crazed desire in his face. Was it possible he was part of the Clan Alexander? Could he have a blood provider? I shuttered at the thought of him keeping another like I was kept. If there was another she-wolf of Clan Clark locked away like I had been, I would free her. Michael was quiet the rest of the way, and I was too lost in thoughts to care. There was so much stirring in my mind. I had to find out more. But if he had a blood provider, surely, he would not have responded so severely to my blood. It didn't make sense. No Clan Alexander deprived of the necessary Clan Clark blood for ten years would have been able to resist my blood. And I had been under his care this whole time.
Alyson's POV After his declaration that he liked me, we had avoided any talk of it. Donna had reentered the room, and so we were interrupted. Still, Ryan was around all the time, the unspoken words between us always caught up on other topics, like training.Ryan began training me every day, and I loved it. I loved to run and sweat and challenge my body like I hadn't before. We arrived at the training arena. He said, "Let's begin with ten laps, in human form today." I nodded, running around the clearing eagerly, although I was breathing hard by the third lap, and could hardly catch my breath by the fifth. Air burned my throat and lungs.&n
"Are you sure you're going to fight?" he said, breaking the moment. "Yes, that's why we've been training so much," I responded, wishing he'd look back into my eyes like in that moment before when his tawny eyes burned with a desire. "Am I not your best student?" "You're definitely the fastest learner I've ever seen." He was still on top of me. "So why worry so much?" "Because, in real fights, no one will be as nice as me." 'Oh, you're nice. Are you letting me win?" I said flirtatiously. My heart was beating. I was starin