Hearing him bring up the word ‘punished’, my heart sank to my stomach. The tears I’d been fighting away broke free. Pouring down my face.
“No, no, please. I’m begging. I’m begging you, I didn’t know. I’ll never wear pink again. I’ll never wear silk again.” I tried. I tried everything to explain, but Matthias had that look that I was used to. The look that said he was thinking of Nerissa and the sight of me made him sick.
“You never learn. I have to tell you this over and over. You will never be her. You can never be, Nerissa. She was amazing. I would have sold your soul in place of hers.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You’re always sorry! Always fucking sorry. Go to the study, and kneel there. This time I’m giving you twelve hours to learn your lesson.”
I froze. That was the longest time he’d ever given me. Twelve hours? Oh my god. I’ve done it right for months, trying to avoid being punished. The last time I was there for eight hours and I nearly starved to death. I ended up passing out due to dehydration.
“Please, don’t do this. I made a mistake.”
But it was too late. He was calling for his head servants, and I could only cry as the grip on my wrist got even tighter. It didn’t hurt as much as what I’m about to face. I have to tell him now, or I’ll never get another chance. He might not want sex for another month or so. I have to say it now that I have his attention.
“Matthias, wait! I’m pregnant!” I shouted. His bedroom door was thrown open, two servants marched in. Turning their eyes to their master, waiting for his command.
He stopped, then tossed me into their arms. “You lie way too much.”
“I’m not lying, I’m pregnant. I’m really pregnant.” I tried again. He marched closer, grabbing me by the jaw, effectively silencing me.
“I always use a condom, so unless you’ve been fucking someone else on the side, you’re not fucking pregnant. God, always lying. You expect me to believe a worthless, unworthy woman like you is carrying my child?” he scoffed.
“Get her out of my sight, take her to the study, and watch the door. She’s not to leave for the next twelve hours. Not for water, not for clothes, and not for food.”
“Yes, sir.” Both servants responded before dragging me away. I was numb for a second as his words kept ringing in my ears. He doesn’t believe me. For a split second, I wanted to say I could try and convince him, but I quickly shut that down as the servants tossed me into the study. They didn’t slam the door until they saw me move my shaky body into the right formation.
Kneeling in front of a massive painting. A massive painting of Nerissa. The numbness I’d felt slowly started to fade, and I heard myself sob. I felt detached, cold, hurt in the heart, and in my flesh. My wolf felt smaller. I thought. I really thought.... I mean, it’s a baby.
I know I’m pregnant; I took the test twice. He didn’t even ask to take me to a doctor, he flat-out called me a liar.
Three years. Three years of this, and he still hated me. I didn’t kill Nerissa. I have no clue what happened during that trip. If I could go back, I’d have refused even harder when she kept begging me to accompany her.
I couldn’t look at her picture. If I died today, there wouldn’t be a trace of me in the house. There isn’t a photo, not of our wedding, and not of me at all. But Nerissa is everywhere.
My tears dripped onto the floor. How much can one girl take? Three years and, he hadn’t changed a bit. The nicest interaction I’d had from him was that drunken night. He seemed like an entirely different person.
I brought a hand up to wipe my tears. I keep crying, and it’s started to annoy me. My heart burns; it doesn’t feel like it’s working anymore. I looked up at the photo of Nerissa. In this, she’s smiling, her head tilted back, black dress flowing in the wind as she’s surrounded by flowers. She looks happy, sweet, and innocent.
Everyone, even my parents, bought her act. But she’s a demon. If it wasn’t for that incident when I was a child, Nerissa would have been at an orphanage for the rest of her life.
And call me mean, but that would have been better for my life than what I have now.
Why did I say yes to this marriage? I could have, should have run off and gotten myself accepted into another pack. Yes, I’d be branded a rogue for leaving my pack without reason, but it would have been better than what I’d doomed myself to. Three years is how long I’ve been married to Matthias.
But it’s been longer than that since I was introduced to who should have been my sibling. Someone who had my best interests in mind. But that was never Nerissa. She hated me from the moment we met. And even in her death, I’m still being tormented.
Things were tolerable until that night. The stupid night when I decided to go on that trip with her.
:Flashback- Three Years Ago:When Nerissa asked me to accompany her on a trip, I said no. About ten to twenty times, but I eventually caved in when she said she wanted to make up for every bad blood between us. Honestly, the two-day trip had been kind of nice. But on our way back, something happened. I was driving. I’m not sure how the accident happened.But I know it happened, and I was found with only minor injuries. Nerissa though? The car had been too wrecked, and with no other sign of her... well, she was pronounced dead. My parents had been sad, but initially, they were alright and slightly glad that I was okay. The next night, though, that was when I realized what my place was. Despite being their biological daughter, Nerissa is the one they truly love.That night, the house was too quiet. The kind of quiet that made my skin crawl, that made my stomach twist in a way I couldn't explain. I didn’t know then that silence could be a warning. I didn’t know that by morning, nothing
:End Of Flashback:I still remember that night. How my own father had treated me over a piece of paper. They took Nerissa’s word as gold. They hadn’t listened to me. My own father said the rogues who took me as a child should have killed me, that he shouldn’t have rescued me. What a man, huh? He’d left me out in the cold to die, to suffer. Someone had saved me, though. I’m not sure who. I only remember seeing sharp golden eyes. The only person I know with those eyes is Matthias. He saved me. Perhaps he thought I was someone else. But in that moment, I saw him as my savior - and I gave him my heart without a second thought.He carried me all the way home and set me down at the doorstep. As I walked my healed body back into what was no longer considered my home, my father barely looked at me. Did he apologize? No. Did he ask how I was okay? Not even once. He made a statement that night, and now we don’t speak. I send them money whenever they text me, but I don’t say a word to them.Th
Turns out I was right to worry. Getting a divorce form is not easy. I went online to search, and the only way to get the council to send a form was to contact one of their messengers. Which seems easy, but the messengers don’t bother with divorce forms. They know it’s a tireless thing, and getting one to reply is difficult. I’d need to know someone who can talk to one for me. Normally, getting a divorce shouldn’t be hard. For humans, that is. As for us wolves, the council decides whether or not you get separated. You’d need to convince them. I think they make the whole process tiring, so you don’t go through with it. Sighing, I zipped up my dress. Matthias’s mother should know someone. I’ll contact her after tonight. I won’t tell her it’s for a divorce, she might not agree to call her contact. The weird thing is, his parents love me. They actually love me. They think I’m wonderful and just the right person for their son. If only he felt the same. I can’t ponder what he feels anym
The sound of water running put an ease on my worries. I could smell myself and Matthias on the sheets. He was taking his usual after sex shower, while I lay here. I moved around on the bed, feeling more giddy than I’d been in days. Maybe months.This was one of the only times when I could pretend he was truly my husband. That’s strange to say, seeing as I wear a ring that legally binds us together. We live in the same house and all that. But if I’ve learned anything, it’s that none of those things make you husband and wife. But in this moment, after he and I have connected physically, this is when I feel like a true wife. Although this isn’t the only reason for the huge smile on my face. Part of this smile is attributed to something even better. Something that I think will break the walls he’s put between us. I know it will. My period’s been late. And I’m never late. I was worried, that’s why I decided to take a pregnancy test, and boy, oh boy, did I get the most amazing news. Matt
Turns out I was right to worry. Getting a divorce form is not easy. I went online to search, and the only way to get the council to send a form was to contact one of their messengers. Which seems easy, but the messengers don’t bother with divorce forms. They know it’s a tireless thing, and getting one to reply is difficult. I’d need to know someone who can talk to one for me. Normally, getting a divorce shouldn’t be hard. For humans, that is. As for us wolves, the council decides whether or not you get separated. You’d need to convince them. I think they make the whole process tiring, so you don’t go through with it. Sighing, I zipped up my dress. Matthias’s mother should know someone. I’ll contact her after tonight. I won’t tell her it’s for a divorce, she might not agree to call her contact. The weird thing is, his parents love me. They actually love me. They think I’m wonderful and just the right person for their son. If only he felt the same. I can’t ponder what he feels anym
:End Of Flashback:I still remember that night. How my own father had treated me over a piece of paper. They took Nerissa’s word as gold. They hadn’t listened to me. My own father said the rogues who took me as a child should have killed me, that he shouldn’t have rescued me. What a man, huh? He’d left me out in the cold to die, to suffer. Someone had saved me, though. I’m not sure who. I only remember seeing sharp golden eyes. The only person I know with those eyes is Matthias. He saved me. Perhaps he thought I was someone else. But in that moment, I saw him as my savior - and I gave him my heart without a second thought.He carried me all the way home and set me down at the doorstep. As I walked my healed body back into what was no longer considered my home, my father barely looked at me. Did he apologize? No. Did he ask how I was okay? Not even once. He made a statement that night, and now we don’t speak. I send them money whenever they text me, but I don’t say a word to them.Th
:Flashback- Three Years Ago:When Nerissa asked me to accompany her on a trip, I said no. About ten to twenty times, but I eventually caved in when she said she wanted to make up for every bad blood between us. Honestly, the two-day trip had been kind of nice. But on our way back, something happened. I was driving. I’m not sure how the accident happened.But I know it happened, and I was found with only minor injuries. Nerissa though? The car had been too wrecked, and with no other sign of her... well, she was pronounced dead. My parents had been sad, but initially, they were alright and slightly glad that I was okay. The next night, though, that was when I realized what my place was. Despite being their biological daughter, Nerissa is the one they truly love.That night, the house was too quiet. The kind of quiet that made my skin crawl, that made my stomach twist in a way I couldn't explain. I didn’t know then that silence could be a warning. I didn’t know that by morning, nothing
Hearing him bring up the word ‘punished’, my heart sank to my stomach. The tears I’d been fighting away broke free. Pouring down my face. “No, no, please. I’m begging. I’m begging you, I didn’t know. I’ll never wear pink again. I’ll never wear silk again.” I tried. I tried everything to explain, but Matthias had that look that I was used to. The look that said he was thinking of Nerissa and the sight of me made him sick.“You never learn. I have to tell you this over and over. You will never be her. You can never be, Nerissa. She was amazing. I would have sold your soul in place of hers.”“I’m sorry.”“You’re always sorry! Always fucking sorry. Go to the study, and kneel there. This time I’m giving you twelve hours to learn your lesson.”I froze. That was the longest time he’d ever given me. Twelve hours? Oh my god. I’ve done it right for months, trying to avoid being punished. The last time I was there for eight hours and I nearly starved to death. I ended up passing out due to dehy
The sound of water running put an ease on my worries. I could smell myself and Matthias on the sheets. He was taking his usual after sex shower, while I lay here. I moved around on the bed, feeling more giddy than I’d been in days. Maybe months.This was one of the only times when I could pretend he was truly my husband. That’s strange to say, seeing as I wear a ring that legally binds us together. We live in the same house and all that. But if I’ve learned anything, it’s that none of those things make you husband and wife. But in this moment, after he and I have connected physically, this is when I feel like a true wife. Although this isn’t the only reason for the huge smile on my face. Part of this smile is attributed to something even better. Something that I think will break the walls he’s put between us. I know it will. My period’s been late. And I’m never late. I was worried, that’s why I decided to take a pregnancy test, and boy, oh boy, did I get the most amazing news. Matt