The Alpha's Bride: Marked by Vengeance

“I will.” The words left my lips before I could stop them or even think about what I was doing. It was cold, final, and necessary. “Also-” My foster mother, Elena’s words caught in her throat as she blinked, “E—excuse me?” she stuttered, I knew she had been expecting me to protest or to maybe even beg her. I would have, if I thought it would achieve anything, and after the last few days, I knew I had nothing left in me to give her. Elena had just told me that she had brokered an arranged marriage for me with Damien Viscount – the crippled alpha, a werewolf who had been in a coma for the past few months. Everyone knew he was already close to dying or maybe already dead. And I said yes, because what else could I say? In Elena’s eyes, I had never been her daughter, just a pawn she could use to advance her social status. “Good.” Elena nodded, “It’s great you’ve finally seen reason, Lily.” A smile tugged at the corner of her lips, “I’ll speak to the Viscount pack, and we will arrange your mating ceremony for the next month.” I nodded, my eyes closed as I resisted the urge to cry. “Leave.” “What?” Elena hissed, “Watch how you speak t-” “I said leave.” My words came out in a growl, my wolf baring itself out. Elena gulped, flashed me a dead stare and rushed off, but not before leaving her last words, “Just forget about John, dear. He should be with your sister, not you." My heart clenched, and I shut the door behind her. That night, I went to see my fiancée, John. All week, ever since Ella had magically shown up on our doorstep, the rumors had been spreading around the pack. At first, it was sharp whispers and glances that lasted too long, then, when I began to notice pity in the eyes of some wolves, that was the moment I knew. John, the man I had given everything to, the man I had sacrificed myself for, was going to marry Ella, my sister. “John,” I said, my voice tight as I pushed open his door and walked in. He didn’t even look up, just kept his gaze down as he smiled while scrolling through his phone. Only when I reached the desk, did his gaze flicker up to meet mine. “Lily? What now?” His tone was cold, too cold. I swallowed hard and clenched my fists as I struggled to keep my voice steady, “Please tell me it isn’t true.” I murmured, “Tell me you are not planning to marry Ella.” This time, he really looked at me, his smile turned into a smirk, he dropped his phone and leaned back on his chair, his arms crossed as though I had just said the most funny thing he had ever heard. “So… I guess you’ve heard the whispers.” All color drained from my face as I staggered back. “It’s true?” I knew it was, but deep down, I had harbored some hope that all of it was just rumors and nothing else. “Of course it is,” he scoffed, blinking lazily, “And why shouldn’t it be? Ella was with me first. She’s dying Lily. She deserves to spend her last remaining months living the time of her life. She deserves comfort in her last days and a proper place by my side. You should be happy for her, after all, she is your sister.” I blinked, my vision began to blur, but I pushed back my tears. I dug my fingers into my palm until they almost drew blood, “Understand?” I stuttered, my eyes narrowed, “How do you expect me to understand this?” Once again he scoffed, “She’s dying,” he shrugged, as if that could explain anything, I took a step forward, my fists clenched. “I gave everything up for you, John. When you were down, I brought you up. When you needed money to start this company, I sold my parents' home. Whenever you ever needed something, I was there. And is this how you repay me?” His lips parted, but then, his phone on his table buzzed, Ella’s name flashed on the screen, and his whole demeanor changed. His expression instantly softened, a look I had never once seen him give to me. He picked up his phone, glanced at the message and immediately got on his feet. “Ella needs me.” he said, Then, as if to twist the knife deeper into my heart, he reached into his pocket and brought out a watch, a gold-inlained watch with engraved letters. It was the only thing I had left of my real parents, my last and only inheritance. My heart stopped, “John… that’s mine.” I whispered as I reached for it. Without looking at me, he slipped the watch into the coat, “Ella asked for it,” he said simply, “She deserves it more than you do.” I couldn’t breathe, my lips parted and closed as my brain short-circuited, “Y-you can’t, John. Yo… you know that was the last th-” He cut me off with a laugh, “Can you even hear yourself, Lily?” For the first time since I walked into his office, he stopped and actually looked at me, “Your sister is dying, and you are here arguing about a stupid watch. You know as well as I do that Wolf’s bane poisoning has no cure. And you are here trying to deprive her of what she wants.” He paused, then took a step forward till he was looking down at me, “This is why you will never be enough Lily, you are selfish, petty and heartless.”