Three

ARABELLA. 

Another laugh fell from my mouth, it was quite funny. I thought I was going to be his Luna, but he told me that I would be his Luna, but now he offered me a mistress position. I took the bottle and drank all of the liquor in it. I shouldn't be drinking but I couldn't help it. There was nothing else for me. Nothing left for me. The man I want to surrender my life to has left me for someone else.

The next moment, I heard the sound of someone walking into the house. My sister, Mia, her scent was scattered around the house. Anger bubbled in me and I dropped the bottle of liquor. She hadn't been home since she stole my man from me. Funny enough, it had been a whole month since my life was ruined by her. 

“Hi, sister. I am just going to carry some of my bags to the Alpha house” She waved at me and I rolled my eyes with contempt. She was trying to make me jealous. To laugh at my face and tell me she has all the things I have worked my whole life to get. 

“You stole my man!” I yelled and pushed her backward. She paused, scoffed, and looked at me. 

“Did you just hit me?” She asked with a contemptuous stare which I did not care about. I moved closer and hit her again. Damn it, I was drunk but it was all good. I love this newfound confidence. 

Mia came closer and then she slapped my cheek and pushed me backward. My back hit the wall while my cheeks burned with pain. I was so tired that my back hit the wall hard and then tears rolled through my eyes as I held my burning cheek. 

“You stole my man. He is my mate but you stole him from me and now, he is mine!” She rolled her eyes and then walked closer to me. 

“I am going to be the Luna of this pack, and I'm going to make you suffer. You will regret ever looking at me, you foolish girl! I'll make you my servant and force you to clean my room using your hair." She rudely pushed my head aside with two fingers and spat on my face.

“Alpha Rhys is mine, he has always been mine.” I sobbed and then pushed her again. She was going to come at me but then mother walked out at the same time. 

“What is happening here?” She asked, looking at the two of us. 

“Mom, tell Mia to leave my man for me. Tell her to leave Alpha Rhys for me.” I sobbed and went to meet Mom but she went to Mia instead

“Alpha Rhys and Mia are mates destined by the moon goddess, and you are just a woman from his past. Stay away from them!” Mom uttered with an eye roll. I was strange because my mother had never spoken to me in this manner. 

“Alpha Rhys is mine!” I growled bitterly glaring at Mia - if looks could kill we should be preparing her six feet now. 

“Yours? I am his mate and Luna, how dare you speak about him in such a manner!” Mia was getting pissed. I loved that she was angry and intimidated. 

“You are deceiving yourself, Arabella. Have you seen an Alpha that loves another woman more than he loves his mate?” Mom rolled her eyes with disdain. Her lips curled upward in irritation. Her behavior was still unusual to me. 

“If he didn't love me; would he ask me to be his mistress? Would he beg me to be his mistress? Let me tell you, Mia, he is just with you because of his duty to the pack, nothing more!” I spat and then mom moved closer and gave me a resounding slap that made butterflies twirl in front of my eyes. I was shocked that she hit me, Mom was never like this. Tears grew in my eyes and my heart tightened from the pain that reverberated through me. 

Then she used my ears to drag me closer. It stung so much that my eyes almost watered but I stopped it from shedding. 

“What did you say to that offer?” She asked, squeezing my ears like she wanted to cut them. 

I felt immense pain but I  gave in to her easily. 

“I told him that I will think about it. However, I will accept him as mine now. I will be his own no matter what. We love each other.” I responded, my stomach churning against me. 

However, Mom slapped my face again, this time it was harder. The pain grumbled through me and I almost shed a tear but I stuffed my body - holding in my tears again. 

“Leave your sister mate alone, don't be a bastard!” She hit me again. However, I didn't listen and didn't move away from all the slaps. I took it with determination. Alpha Rhys was mine and mine alone. 

The next second, Mia's eyes watered. 

“How dare you? How can you be such a wicked sister?!” Her voice changed, and she sobbed like a little child. It was nothing but a pretense that I wasn't going to fall for. 

I rolled my eyes and looked away. Mother hit me again and started saying; 

“See you are making my daughter cry. You are evil, you are nothing but an evil child! I regretted taking you in” She slapped my back again, but I didn't budge. Plus, I didn't understand what she meant. When she said she regretted taking me in, I didn't really understand why she said that.,l

She got tired in the end and then left me. 

“Foolish girl, you can never have him. Mia, let's go to your room and pack your bags!” They headed upstairs and then I stood up. 

I was going to my room when I heard; 

“We will do something about it, Alpha Rhys is yours!” She assured her. 

Tears grew in my eyes and I felt so alone. I walked back to my room and shut the door. 

TWO WEEKS LATER. 

Time went by so fast. My best friend, Lily, visited me from time to time and she told me all that Rhys and my sister were doing in the pack. It was almost as if I was never in the picture. It made me think about how I turned into a loser so quickly. 

Life has been very hard on me. Mom had changed toward me and during that time I found out that she wasn't my biological mother. No wonder she had been treating me badly. I had no one. Not even a mate and what mate would want me? 

No man wants me now, not after Rhys deflowered me. Perhaps I should accept his proposal - I should be his mistress. After all, he loves me and I love him. 

I got off my bed and looked at myself in the mirror, I had lost a lot of weight from skipping meals and brooding. After getting dressed and packing my hair in a bun, I walked out of the house. Luckily, Mom wasn't home. She doesn't care about me but it doesn't mean she wouldn't try to know where I am heading. 

Some minutes later, I got to the Alpha’s house. The three-story building sent my body tensing. It was a large place, the largest in the pack. Only high-ranked wolves are allowed in but I have been here once or twice. Hopefully, I will be allowed in. Fortunately for me, the guards and warriors were training in their wolf form therefore they didn't notice me. 

I got to the large living room and tried finding Rhys’ scent. He wasn't in the living room hence I went up the stairs. I headed toward his room and as I neared, I heard voices. 

“When are you going to crown me as Luna?” and then a smooching sound followed and then moaning and groaning from mouths kissing. 

“Next week.” He replied. I didn't need to be a genius to know that it was Rhys and Mia speaking.  However, I twisted the knob of the door to confirm the theory in my head. Unfortunately, it was true. The duo was in an intimate position and Mia had already pulled her clothes. The sight disgusted me as well as broke my already shattered heart. I felt weak in my knees and almost collapsed to the floor. Without saying a word, I turned around and walked away. 

As I ran through the narrow hallway, I heard his footsteps behind me, hence I hastened my steps. When I got to the bushes behind the Alpha house, I was going to shift and run away when he held my hand and jerked me to his huge body. 

“Let me go!” I yelled and then slapped his face. 

“Damn!” he groaned as my hand was imprinted on his face but then he looked at me with a soft expression. 

“Please, listen to me.” He tried coming near me but I moved backward. 

“Stay away from me, Rhys. You are already having sex with her. It has only been one month and you are having sex with her. Were you waiting to be mated to her? Did you even love me at all? How can you move on with another woman so fast? The Luna ceremony is not even here yet. You...” Before I finished my words, he ushered me toward a wall and pressed his lips against mine. I did not want to kiss him. Hell, I wanted to push him off me but his scent was too compelling. 

I wanted every part of him. His hands that were trailing my wrist sent electricity all through my veins, making me shiver as his tongue rolled in my mouth. I wanted every part of him but he was not mine. This handsome man was not mine anymore yet I could not resist him.