Chapter 2 Nothing I Said Would Make A Difference

I could still feel the weight of that dark glare when the front door clicked shut. The Alpha twins had finally left.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I returned to folding laundry in the utility room. A few minutes later, my stepmother appeared in the doorway. She looked like an older version of Vivienne, right down to her piercing green eyes.

"What was that all about?" she snapped, planting her hands on her hips and glaring at me.

I stopped folding, set the laundry down, and gave her a puzzled look.

"Excuse me? What are you talking about?" I asked, unsure what she meant.

I'd kept out of the way the whole time Vivienne was with Kael and Rowan, hiding upstairs where no one could see me. What could she possibly be blaming me for now?

"Don't play innocent," she hissed, her gaze sweeping over me. "Vivienne told me you insulted her. She also said you nearly ran into the twins because you weren't watching where you were going."

"I didn't insult anyone!" I protested, but she raised a hand and cut me off. I gritted my teeth as anger rose in my chest. Nothing I said would make a difference. She always sided with her daughter and found a way to make everything my fault.

"It doesn't matter," she snapped. "Go make dinner. Your father will be home soon, and he'll be hungry."

I hurried past her and slipped into the kitchen. Keeping my head down, I went straight to the stove and started dinner. My stepmother was just waiting for a reason to lash out. Vivienne was nowhere in sight, which hardly surprised me. She usually had dinner at a friend's house.

By the time the food was ready, my father and stepmother were already at the table, their expressions unreadable. I placed their meals in front of them, then took my usual seat at the far end of the table, alone as always. With my eyes fixed on my plate, I pushed the food around with my fork without eating.

"How was your day, sweetheart?" my stepmother asked sweetly, giving my father a warm smile.

He grumbled under his breath. "We spotted a few rogue wolves, so we had to increase patrols and secure the borders. We're also training the younger ones to defend the pack." Weariness crept into his voice. "The work never stops." Then he turned a harsh, accusing gaze on me. "But the fewer men we lose in these attacks, the better," he said through clenched teeth.

The blood drained from my face. I knew exactly whom he'd meant that remark for. Once again, he was reminding me of the death he blamed me for. Marisol looked uneasy for a moment, then laid her hand over his. To my relief, his attention shifted back to her. I said nothing; whatever appetite I'd had had now gone. My chest tightened until I could barely draw a breath.

"Honey, I have news!" Marisol exclaimed, suddenly brimming with excitement. My father raised an eyebrow, his stern expression softening as he turned to her.

"Let me guess. It's about Vivienne," he said, making her laugh.

"Kael and Rowan came to see her today. Does that mean you've finalized the arrangement?" She leaned toward him, her eyes bright with anticipation. "Is my daughter finally going to be this pack's Luna?"

Pride shone in my father's eyes as he smiled and gently covered his wife's hand with his own. Neither of them even glanced at me. I might as well have been invisible. Everything in this house revolved around Vivienne. To them, arranging this marriage was their family's greatest achievement. Having a daughter as the future Luna would secure their standing in the pack.

"It's settled," my father announced. Leaning back in his chair, he swirled the wine in his glass. "Alpha Corvin has officially approved the match. The twins will take Vivienne as their mate once she turns eighteen. She's already agreed to reject her true mate if she ever meets him."

My stepmother waved away the concern. "That won't be a problem for Vivienne. She's dreamed of becoming Luna since she was a little girl." She beamed, but then a slight frown creased her brow. "What if the twins meet their true mate, though?"

"The same goes for them. They'll have to reject her. Their birthday comes before Vivienne's, so they'll have a short time to find their fated mate before the union becomes official. But there's almost no chance she's in our pack." My father shrugged. "With their birthday so close, their wolves would've sensed something by now if either of them felt even the slightest connection to anyone here. They've been acting normally, so I doubt their mate is among us."

"What if Vivienne turns out to be their mate?" my stepmother gasped, clasping her hands together in delight. "That would solve everything!" she added, thoroughly delighted.

"It would certainly make things easier," my father muttered. Then he fixed me with a stern look. "Now we just have to decide what to do with Elara."

I stared at him, startled that he'd even remembered I was at the table.

"Actually, I had a thought..." my stepmother said, studying me. "Since Elara and Vivienne grew up together, more or less, and they're the same age..." She trailed off, barely concealing the hope in her expression.

"I don't see what you're getting at," my father said, narrowing his eyes.

She gave an exaggerated sigh. "Once Vivienne becomes Luna, she'll need an Omega to serve her." I sat frozen as she continued. "Why not Elara? Vivienne would have someone she trusts at her side, and we'd still get to see Elara regularly. It's the perfect solution."

My blood ran cold. The perfect solution. I would spend the rest of my life at my sister's beck and call, just as I already did. Only now, it would be official. Resentment welled up inside me. I desperately tried to catch my father's eye, silently begging him to put an end to the idea. Instead, he nodded slowly as he considered it, sending a chill down my spine.

"That could work," he murmured, casting a sidelong glance at me. "You'll be eighteen soon, just like Vivienne. You should be honored to serve your Luna." His tone was cold, and I shook my head at once. "God knows you don't have the build or the strength to succeed me as Beta. You're far too puny."

"I'm leaving the pack when I turn eighteen," I blurted before I could stop myself.

My father tilted his head, his expression hardening. "No."

"No? You can't stop me!" I exclaimed, too stunned to hold my tongue.

"Think again. Most pack members are free to leave when they turn eighteen. But anyone with Beta or Alpha blood..." He left the sentence unfinished, and I felt the last of the color drain from my face.

"Needs the Alpha's personal permission," I whispered, my heart sinking. How had I forgotten that damned rule? For the first time in my life, I cursed the Beta blood in my veins.

My father smirked. "Alpha Corvin will never give you permission. And after whatever stunt you pulled with Kael and Rowan today, neither will they. You're staying here, and you'll do as you're told." His voice sank to a threatening growl. "Maybe keeping you on a short leash will stop your carelessness from getting anyone else killed."

The dining room fell silent, and I could barely breathe.

"If you don't want me here, why won't you let me leave?" I whispered, unable to keep my voice steady.

"Because you still haven't paid enough for my mate's death." He slammed his fist on the table. "Now get out of my sight before I lose my patience!"

I bolted from the room, but not before I caught the smug smile spreading across Marisol's face. The sight turned my stomach.