Chapter 2- The weakling arrives

His words chilled me to the bone, and I could barely breathe. My mother’s death… my father’s disappearance… what did he know? What was he keeping from me? 

“But…” My voice was barely audible, trembling with fear and desperation. “Please… just tell me…”

He straightened, the cruel smile still playing on his lips. “No. I think I’ve said enough.” He turned away, dismissing me without another word.

I stood there, frozen, as the last remnants of hope shattered inside me. The weight of his threats crushed what little strength I had left. There was no way out. Not anymore.

Tears welled up again, but I held them back. I couldn’t cry in front of him, couldn’t let him see me break. I turned on my heel and left the room. 

As I reached my room, I collapsed onto the bed, sobbing into the pillow. The happiness I’d felt earlier was a distant memory now, replaced by an overwhelming emptiness.

I lay on the bed, numb, staring at the ceiling as tears rolled silently down my cheeks. This was supposed to be the happiest day of my life—the day I would be recognized as the Luna of the pack, the partner to the Alpha. But instead, everything was crumbling before my eyes. I felt so small, so insignificant in a world that kept tearing me apart.

A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. “Aria?”

Cora’s soft voice called out, filled with concern. She always knew when I was breaking inside.

I didn’t answer, but she entered anyway, her eyes immediately widening with sympathy when she saw the state I was in—my makeup smeared, my dress crumpled, and my spirit crushed. Without hesitation, she rushed to my side and wrapped me in a warm embrace. Cora was the only person who ever truly cared about me. She was more than just a maid; she was my only family.

“Oh, Aria…” she whispered, her voice heavy with sorrow. “I’m so sorry. I can’t imagine how much this hurts.”

My sobs broke free, the anguish spilling out in desperate gasps. “Why, Cora? Why does everyone I trust betray me? Why am I never enough? First, I lost my parents, and now Luca… I thought he cared about me. I thought he was different, but it was all a lie.”

Cora pulled back slightly, her eyes filled with warmth as she held my tear-streaked face in her hands. “Listen to me, Aria. You are more than enough. Don’t let them break you. You’re stronger than you think, even if you can’t feel it right now.”

Her words were meant to comfort me, but all I could feel was emptiness. My heart was empty and no amount of reassurance could fill the void. “How can I be strong when everything keeps falling apart?” I whispered, my voice trembling with hopelessness.

Cora sighed softly, wiping away my tears with gentle fingers.  Her hands moved skillfully, fixing my makeup, smoothing my hair, and adjusting my dress until I looked perfect again. But inside, I was far from it.

I stared into the mirror, seeing a girl who looked put together on the outside, but her eyes told a different story—one of heartbreak and despair. My reflection was a mockery of the joy I was supposed to feel on this day. 

A sharp knock echoed through the room, causing me to flinch. “Aria!” Luca’s cold, impatient voice called out from the other side. “It’s time to leave.”

Cora squeezed my hand before stepping away, giving me one last look of encouragement. With a shaky breath, I opened the door, my heart thudding in my chest. Cora scurried out of the room. 

Luca stood there, every bit the powerful Alpha, but his eyes held nothing but disdain. The man I thought I knew was gone, replaced by someone who seemed to take pleasure in my pain.

Beside him, Indie clung to his arm with a smirk on her face. My breath caught in my throat as I took in their matching outfits—deep blue and silver, perfectly coordinated as if they were the ones being celebrated tonight. It was like a twisted joke, and my mind darted to the sight of them fucking. 

Luca’s eyes narrowed as he looked me up and down. “You will stand there, smile when necessary, and keep your mouth shut. You’re here to play a role, Aria—nothing more. Don’t embarrass me.” 

His words sliced through me like a blade, leaving wounds that I couldn’t heal. I nodded, barely able to hold back the tears threatening to spill over again. I felt so pathetic, so weak. 

Indie’s voice was laced with cruel amusement as she chipped in, “You’re just here to fulfill duties, Aria. Luca doesn’t want you—he never did. I’m the one he loves. You’re nothing but a placeholder.”

Their degrading words crushed what little strength I had left. I wanted to scream, to shout at them for the way they were treating me, but I couldn’t. My voice was trapped in my throat, smothered by the weight of my shame and sorrow. All I could do was stand there, trembling, as they both looked at me with irritation.

Luca’s eyes hardened and then he turned to Indie, his expression softening as he smirked at her. “Let’s go, love. We don’t want to keep the guests waiting.”

I watched helplessly as they walked away together, arm in arm, as if they were the perfect couple. My heart shattered all over again. I was the one who was supposed to be by his side tonight, but instead, I was being discarded like trash.

When we reached the entrance, my chest tightened with disbelief. A separate car waited for me—a clear, undeniable message that I didn’t belong with them. Luca and Indie climbed into the main car, laughing and whispering to each other, not even sparing me a glance.

One of the guards opened the door to the car meant for me and grunted, “Get in.”

I hesitated, my heart screaming at me to run, to escape this nightmare. But what choice did I have? I was nothing more than a pawn, and they had made sure I knew it. With trembling hands, I climbed into the car, my tears falling freely now as the door closed behind me.

As the car drove away, the laughter of Luca and Indie echoed in my mind, taunting me, reminding me of how utterly alone I was. I closed my eyes, wishing with all my heart that I could disappear, that I could wake up from this nightmare and be anywhere but here.

As the car rolled to a stop, I took a deep breath and quickly wiped away the tears that had stained my cheeks. My heart was heavy, my spirit broken, but I forced a warm, fake smile onto my face. I had to at least pretend that I was okay, even if every step felt like walking into my own doom.

The driver opened the door for me, and I stepped out, feeling the cool evening breeze against my skin. The hall loomed before me, grand and imposing, but it did nothing to ease the anxiety gnawing at my chest. I straightened my dress, smoothing out the fabric as if it could somehow calm the storm raging inside me.

At the entrance, I saw them—Luca and Indie, standing together, perfectly matched like a king and queen. They were the image of power and elegance, with their arms linked as they waited for me. My stomach twisted in knots at the sight, but I held my fake smile in place, trying not to let my emotions show.

As I approached, Luca’s eyes met mine, and for a brief moment, I saw nothing but coldness and contempt. Indie, on the other hand, wore a smug grin, her eyes filled with mockery as she looked me up and down. They looked perfect. 

“Finally, the weakling arrives,” Indie sneered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Took you long enough, Aria. We were starting to think you’d run away like the coward you are.”