Bound Against Her Will

Lily’s mother hummed softly to herself as she carefully applied a fresh layer of lipstick, then dabbed powder onto her face, her eyes bright with excitement. 

She was finally getting what she had hoped for all these years; recognition and respect.

She glanced over at Lily, who sat with a sad expression on her face on a chair across the room, her tear-streaked face hidden by her hands.

She couldn't believe her own mother would betray her in such an undignified way.

“Oh, darling,” her mother said, not bothering to hide the excitement in her voice, “you have no idea how amazing this is going to be for us. Once you’re officially made Luna, we’ll be one of the most important families in the pack. People will respect us. They’ll look up to us!”

Lily’s stomach got sick as she listened to her mother’s words. 

She felt trapped, like she was drowning and no one was there to pull her up. 

Each word her mother spoke felt like another weight dragging her down. 

Of all the people who understood what she had gone through being treated like an outcast, most especially by the Alpha twins whom she was to mate with, she had expected her mother to be on her side.

“Mom, please…” Lily’s voice was broken. “Please try to understand. I don’t want this. I never wanted this. I don’t want to be with the twins… they’ve done nothing but make my life a living nightmare. Can’t you see how miserable I am?”

Her mother paused, casting a critical eye on her reflection before turning back to Lily. She couldn't care less.

“Lily, you’re being dramatic. Everyone has to make sacrifices sometimes. And this, my dear, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Do you know how many girls would kill to be in your place? To be chosen as Luna by the Moon Goddess herself?”

“But I’m not one of those girls!” Lily cried, her hands turning into fists. “I don’t care about the power or the respect or whatever this brings. I just want to live my own life, far away from all of this.”

Her mother’s face hardened, her expression shifting to one of cold resolve. 

“Lily, listen to me carefully,” she said, her tone dropping. “We have spent our entire lives scraping by, being treated as nobodies in this pack. This is our chance to change that. You becoming Luna will secure our place, our future. I’m not letting you throw this away because of some silly, childish wish for freedom.”

Tears stung Lily’s eyes, and she shook her head. 

“I don’t understand, Mom. You’re supposed to care about me, not just about what I can give you. You’re my mother… Why don’t you care about how I feel?”

Her mother sighed, clearly tired of going back and forth with Lily.

“Lily, life isn’t some fairy tale. You’re not a little girl anymore. Sometimes we have to do things we don’t like for the greater good. This isn’t about feelings; it’s about stability, security, and finally getting the respect we deserve.”

Lily bit her lip, feeling as though the last bit of hope inside her had been crushed. 

No matter what she said, no matter how much she begged, her mother wouldn’t listen. 

Her mother was blinded by ambition and her dreams of power, oblivious to the pain her own daughter was going through.

The door opened, and one of the guards stepped inside. 

He gave a brief nod of respect to Lily’s mother before turning his gaze to her. 

“The ceremony is about to begin, ma’am. Everyone is waiting in the hall downstairs.”

Lily’s mother smiled, her face lighting up with excitement. 

“Thank you. We’ll be right there.” She turned back to Lily, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Come, Lily. It’s time.”

Lily felt her heart sink as she slowly stood, her legs trembling beneath her. 

She wanted to scream, to fight, to run as far away as she could. But she knew that any resistance would be met with cold indifference or, worse, another threat. 

She was trapped, and there was no way out.

Her mother led her down the long, dimly lit corridor, her heels clicking against the polished floor with each step. 

As they approached the massive doors of the large hall, Lily felt her breath quicken, her chest tightening with fear and anger. 

In just a few moments, her life would be bound to the twins—Lucas and Liam, the very people who had made her life unbearable.

She could hear the voices of the crowd waiting on the other side of the doors, their anticipation growing with each passing second. 

She wanted to turn and run, to escape the fate that awaited her, but the guards behind her would never allow it.

As they reached the doors, Lily’s mother placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. 

“This is it, Lily. Just imagine all the wonderful things that will come from this. The wealth, the power… Everything will be ours.”

Lily clenched her fists, her jaw tightening as she held back the tears threatening to fall. 

This wasn’t what she wanted. None of it was. And yet, she had no choice but to follow her mother’s twisted dreams.

Just then, a voice called out to her. 

“Lily!”

She turned, her heart skipping a beat, wondering who had dared to speak her name with such urgency. But before she could react, a loud slap landed across her cheek, shocking her to her core.

She staggered back, her cheek throbbing in pain as her gaze locked onto Lexa’s furious eyes. 

The room seemed to fall silent as Lily stared at Lexa, the impact of the slap still ringing in her ears. 

Her cheek burned, her mind racing with confusion and hurt, as the reality of her situation settled like a heavy weight in her chest.

And just like that, the door to the hall swung open, revealing the crowd of pack members waiting inside.