CHAPTER ONE

ELEANOR’S POV.

 

“You are joking, right?” I said, my voice trembling as I wished that she was joking. I didn't want to believe that she meant what she said.

 

“I’m pregnant for Lucien. We love ourselves, so please let us be!” Diana repeated, her voice raising a bit, but all I did was laugh dryly.

 

I knew she had to be joking. 

 

This had to be it. This had to be like the other days we would play and tease one another. It had to be all for fun.

 

Because if not, how the hell then did my only sister end up pregnant for my lover? 

 

When and how did that happen?

 

“Tell me you are joking, please.” I pleaded, tears starting to well up in my eyes.

 

My legs were starting to lose control of themselves. I could feel my world crumbling down. My body was visibly shaking. My hands twitched and moved in their way. 

 

“This isn't a joke, little sister. Lucien and I love each other.” She informed, her voice firm and cool. She didn't look bothered or remorseful. Neither did she sound like she hated herself.

 

For someone who claimed to be my Elder sister, she sure did the most. 

 

But was it weird that I still refused to believe her? Was it weird that I refused to believe that the only Wolves I had in my life would betray me in such a way? That the only family I had, the only sister I had, would try to stab me in the back in such an unbearable way.

 

I felt my heart swelling. My blood started to pump so fast. Everything was getting fuzzy and unclear as I tried to keep the tears from dripping down my face, but it was useless. I couldn't control my pain. 

 

I turned my eyes to look in Lucien’s direction. He stood there mute, not saying a word or contributing to my sister's words. I stepped closer to him, my feet getting heavy with each step, as I sniffed back the catarrh I had in my nose. 

 

“Lucien! Please tell me she is lying.” I pleaded, my voice pointing out my desperation. My hands held onto his shirt.

 

He didn’t say a word and looked away instead, avoiding my eyes.

 

My heart wrenched and ached a lot. I felt an excruciating pain jot through my body as his silence grew. My heart thumped so loudly that I feared I might lose my life if it was to go at any more speed.

 

“Please.” I pleaded again, this time my voice low and almost inaudible.

 

I had no one. Our parents died when we were just kids, and ever since then, we have tried to survive in the cruel big world. Hunting and doing all we could to survive. Diana would go miles to see a smile on my face and watch me eat. She had always been a Mother figure to me. So when I was asked to stay in the palace with him, I knew I had to bring her along. 

 

Lucien and I met in very strange circumstances. He had rescued me from the hands of the villagers, who mistook me for a thief who stole most of their things. I was about to be beaten to a pulp when he showed up and rescued me. I could hear my heart thumb so loudly as I watched him talk, watched him defend me. He was the first Wolf to stand up for me, so when he told me that he liked me after years of friendship, I knew I had to reciprocate too. He did not just stand up for me, and he fed us too. That was all I could do to repay his kindness.

 

I started at him now with tears, holding onto his cloth. I wondered where that sweet soul I once knew had gone. That soul that would never want to watch me cry.

 

“Lucien,” I called softly, my strength failing me. 

 

I was getting weaker and weaker by the minute.

 

“Let him be!” I heard Diana say and launched forward to slap my hands away from his cloth. 

 

Alpha Lucien looked up to stare me in the eyes.

 

“It's true, Eleanor. I love your sister, and she is carrying my baby. The heir to the throne.” He informed. His voice was cold and without emotions, as though he had just announced his newest cloth collection to me. He was expecting me to take it in cool and accept it.

 

“But that's impossible. How...How...” My voice trailed off as more tears streamed down. Sobs escaped my mouth softly.

 

“We have been dating for two years now.” He informed, his words piercing my heart like a sharp-edged dagger. 

 

Two years!

 

It echoed in my ears.

 

We have been together for three years and...

Does that mean that they have been together all along? Having sex right under my nostrils? 

 

On days that we would all go out together. Did that mean that they mocked me like I was the fool amongst them? Did they make little jokes about me? Maybe kissed behind my back or a quickie. 

 

Who else knew this?

 

The big question was, how did I not notice? How blind was I not to?

 

I wondered, more tears streaming down my already wet face.

“Exit the kingdom before the next sunrise. You threaten Diana, so I don't want you around.” He said harshly and stepped away before I could respond. 

 

I! A threat! How!

 

Diana stepped closer to me, enough to whisper.

 

“He is my mate!” Diana snapped, her hands curled up on her stomach.

 

Were they mates? How?

 

Truly the moon goddess never told me Lucien was my mate, but how long did they know this? How long did they both play me?

 

My sister and my only best friend.

 

I watched her back turn towards me as she walked away.

 

My legs lost their balance, and I fell right on the floor. My butt landed hard on the ground, sending pain jotting through me. 

 

But it was nothing compared to the pain I felt in my heart.

 

****

 

It was a week since I left the palace and came out here to live in the woods among dangerous and wild animals. I had walked far into the woods, far from where I could glimpse the kingdom. 

 

Yes, they never banished me.

 

But I knew living amongst the wolves after what happened to me would only cost me my sanity. I would have to deal with their side whispers whenever I walked past them. I would have to deal with watching my sister and Lucien walk together hand in hand.

 

I doubted that I could handle that much. I knew I preferred being out here.

It was like their betrayal had cost me my heart because I wasn't scared of what might happen to me out here. 

 

I wasn't scared to die. I wasn't scared to live. I wasn't scared to exist. 

 

The last of the fruit I survived on finished hours ago, I mean some very long hours ago. I couldn't hunt for food. I wasn't skilled enough to kill the animals in this wood. Diana had always been the skilled one, and I had been comfortable with that up until this point.

 

Sitting here, my back against the mango tree, all I could think about was where things had gone wrong. When and how things had gone awry, and I didn't know.

 

How could I not have noticed them falling in love? How?

 

I wondered.

 

I could feel myself getting weaker. I could hear my stomach rumbling hard, begging for food or anything to munch on.

 

But I couldn't stand up. I couldn't get up from where I was because I was too tired. 

 

Grummm!

 

My stomach rumbled again, this time coming with a slight pain. 

 

I gathered all my strength and struggled to get up, finally standing on my weak, feeble two legs. I took the step one at a time, carefully, so I wouldn't trip and fall on my face. It was as though my legs had disconnected themselves from my body because it felt heavy yet weak.

 

I let out another shaky breath as I took another step.

 

Suddenly my head reeled, the whole world turning and moving so fast. I felt myself losing all ounces of strength faster this time.

 

My legs gave out again, causing me to land flat on the floor.

 

My head hurt, and my vision got blurry as I drifted away.

 

Everything was getting blank.