Faking it

Willow.

I felt so foolish that morning. I couldn’t stop remembering how Lennard had rejected me when I tried to seduce him. Although he was so kind about it, I was still feeling the embarrassment.

For the first time, I had been brave enough to seduce a guy, only to get rejected. As I made my way to the pack house, I hoped the work would distract me from it all.

My eyes narrowed when I found the place decorated. Many of the staff were moving around, carrying things and adding more decorations.

“What is happening?” I asked Nyan, a maid.

“Have you not heard?” She asked.

I raised a brow.

“The alpha’s getting engaged today.”

What?

She smiled. “Alpha Michael and Liviana are getting engaged. It’s so exciting!”

Sadness immediately filled my heart, a lump forming in my throat. This was supposed to be me but instead my sister was the one getting engaged.

“Oh.” I said and watched absentmindedly as she walked away.

After staring at the decorations for some minutes, I swallowed the lump in my throat and walked away.

All the times I took care of Liviana and protected her came back to mind, one by one, as I thought of her betrayal.

I realized that I still loved her despite the fact that she had taken Alpha Micheal from me. I desperately wanted to believe she didn’t mean it.

After checking the Rota, I realize it was my turn to clean the Alpha’s private bathroom. I had just started cleaning when Liviana came in.

“Willow!” She said cheerfully. I didn’t have to look up to know she was smiling. Ignoring her, I continued cleaning but she walked farther into the bathroom.

“How have you been, my dear sister?”

Her sweet tone hurt more than if she had spoken to me rudely. I could feel tears welling in my eyes from the immense pain I was feeling.

“I’m okay.” I lied, hoping that would get rid of her faster.

But it didn’t. She patted my bent back. Standing up straight, I turned to look at her since that’s what she wanted.

She was wearing a beautiful white dress with sparkling necklace around her throat. She looked very happy and beautiful.

“Congratulations,” I told her and her smile widened.

She walked toward the mirror and admired herself. “Thanks so much, my dear sister. Michael wants the engagement ceremony to happen this weekend.”

I lowered my eyes. “That’s soon.”

“He says he doesn’t want to waste any more time. He wants me to be his as soon as possible. He loves me so much.”

“I’m happy for you,” I lied.

She turned and looked directly into my eyes. “Are you?”

I could see the cruelty in her eyes. She was enjoying what she was doing. “You don’t sound happy.”

“I am.”

“You couldn’t wait to be our Luna,” she said. When I didn’t say anything, she came closer. “Do you remember? You told me that one day you’d stand beside Michael and everyone would respect you.”

“I remember saying that,” I said, feeling tears stinging my eyes.

“And now I’ll be the one standing there,” she added with a smile.

“Liviana, please don’t torture me like this.”

“You still love him, don’t you?” She continued relentlessly.

“I love you too,” I said. “Despite what you’re doing to me.”

“I know, dear sis. I hope you’re not expecting me to feel guilty.”

“No,” I shook my head. “I’m not asking for anything. All I want is for you to leave me alone.”

“I will, only if you leave Micheal alone. You should know he’s mine now.”

My chest hurt. “I know.”

Suddenly we heard heavy footsteps coming from the hallway. Liviana’s eyes widened for a second, and then she stumbled back.

“Liviana?” I said, wondering what she was up to.

She grinned mischievously and threw herself on the floor before letting out a bloodcurdling scream.

I froze. “What”

The door opened and Michael’s eyes immediately fell on Liviana lying on the floor.

“Liv!”

“She pushed me,” Liviana said as she let out a stream of tears.

“What?”

I looked at her in disbelief. “Liviana, I didn’t touch you.”

“How dare you attack her?” Michael asked me coldly before bending to help her up.

This was ridiculous. “She threw herself down.”

“I don’t know why she hates me so much.” My sister said as she wrapped her hands around Micheal.

“You know that’s not true,” I glared at her. “Tell the truth, Liviana.”

She looked at me through tear-filled eyes. “I thought you loved me.”

“You’re my sister. Of course I love you. I would never hurt you.”

“Guards!” Michael yelled and two guards appeared at the doorway.

“Take her.” Michael ordered.

“Michael, please! I didn’t push her!” I yelled while struggling against the guards.

He glared at her. “You humiliated her at Founders Day. Now you’ve attacked her in her own home.”

Liviana covered her face. “I don’t want her punished.”

That made everything worse because she sounded innocent. Michael clenched his jaw. “She needs to learn her place.” He turned to the guards. “Lash her.”.

One of the guards pulled me toward the door. I continued to try to get Michael’s attention but he just turned away.

The guards dragged me down the hallway toward the punishment room. Even when I stopped walking, the guards continued pulling me. I even grabbed the doorframe but one guard pulled my hands away and pushed me inside.

I stumbled forward and hit the wall, my body shaking like a leaf as I fell down. I raised my hands to protect my head as one of the guards reached out to pull a whip from the hook.

I felt something stirring inside me but it disappeared almost as soon as it came. I was hoping it was my wolf and would try again but I wasnt that lucky this time.

I screamed as the man lifted the hand with the whip.

The door suddenly opened and my sister rushed in, followed by the alpha. I thought she had come to save me. The guard must have thought the same because he also paused, lowering his hand.

“Continue,” alpha Micheal said coldly.

“I want to watch,” my sister smirked.

The man raised his hand again and I prepared for the worst.