Chapter 1 In Love With The Wrong Man
1237 Words
Cassandra
“I hear today is the day that Alpha Rio would mark you,” Heloise, my best friend, shot me a knowing glance as she grinned from ear to ear.
I played with my hair as I thought about the many nights I had snuck out to see him. Pure bliss.
“Yes, he wanted it to be on an auspicious day, so he chose today… the day we celebrate the moon festival in honor of the moon goddess.” I knew that Heloise was looking for any opportunity to tease me. Ever since I told her about Rio and me, no day passed without her teasing or finding something new to say about my relationship with Alpha Rio.
“Put on your seat belt, Heloise,” I paused, pretending to be angry. This girl never took me seriously.
“Yes, ma’am.” She put on her seat belt, started the car, and soon we were off to the venue.
“I love the way your eyes sparkle anytime I mention his name.”
“Well, I can’t wait for the ceremony to start. Can this car move any faster?”
Heloise smiled broadly and doubled the speed. Soon, we were on the highway. I closed my eyes and allowed the fresh breeze to wash over my face. It reminded me of when Rio and I went on a night cruise in his car on this same road.
FLASHBACK
“I want to make you mine, Cassandra.”
It was the third night we were meeting in his car. That night, I almost thought he was drunk because he was saying a lot of sweet things to me. It was unusual, as he was not normally that expressive.
I snuck out to meet him, making sure I wore the red mini dress that showed my beautiful, big boobs and thighs, just as he liked it.
“Rio, don’t you think you’re moving too fast? I think we should take things slowly, you know…”
He looked at me with those brown eyes of his, and I was lost in them. Oh, how I loved this man.
“If I say that I want to mark you as mine on the day of the moon festival, in honor of the moon goddess, would you agree?”
It was obvious he was avoiding what I said about taking things slowly, so I didn’t press on.
I felt my heartbeat increase, my insides tingling. “Yes! Yes, I would agree!” I knew I was quite loud, but I didn’t care. Eve would be so disappointed in me if she knew how ecstatic I was about Rio’s proposal. She had always taught me not to show any man how much I loved him. But oh well.
Before I could utter another word, Rio’s lips possessed mine, deepening the kiss every now and then.
END OF FLASHBACK
A gentle tap on my left shoulder from Heloise brought me back to reality.
“We are here, Cassie,” she said as she undid her seat belt and opened the door.
I did the same and stepped down immediately.
“I don’t know… I feel like I’m in a bubble of some sort.” We walked toward the hall, hand in hand, smiles plastered on our faces. “I find it hard to believe that this is finally happening.”
“With the way you’re giddy with excitement, one would think you won a trophy or something, Cassie.” She stopped a few meters from the entrance and faced me.
“Well…” I beamed, exposing my beautiful white dentition. “I won something, or rather someone, worth more than a trophy. I don’t expect you to understand, though.”
“Why? You think I don’t know what it feels like? You underestimate my love life, dear friend.” She laughed, and I relaxed. The Heloise I knew didn’t believe in love.
“In my defense, you don’t have a love life anyway… unless you’re keeping it from me.” I shot her a side glance, but she evaded my gaze.
“Time would tell,” she said with a grin, saying nothing more.
I didn’t persist. I preferred her telling me things when she wanted to. Still, I wondered what she meant. It sounded like a subtle threat.
I ran my fingers over my abdomen, wondering if I should tell her, but decided against it.
“Well, I do hope you don’t keep things from me anymore. There are no secrets between us, remember that.”
She smiled weakly, and my heart sank. Wasn’t I a hypocrite? preaching against the very thing I was guilty of?
Heloise laughed, tossing her head back slightly. “Now I understand. You do think I’m keeping something from you, don’t you?” She adjusted her hair away from her face. “Fear not, Cassie. I would never do that. You should trust me more.”
“I think we’re very late. They should be waiting for us.”
Sometimes I wondered how she switched moods so easily.
“The time has finally come,” I breathed.
She poked my arm. “Alright, alright.”
“Let’s go.”
“See you soon, dear best friend.”
“See you soon.” I walked toward our house, which was adjacent to the hall where the ceremony was taking place.
I entered the room Eve and I shared and saw her checking herself out in the mirror.
“You look stunning, sis.” I pecked her cheek and went to the wardrobe, taking out a blue ball gown with a thigh-length slit and silver embroidery on the bodice.
“Thank you, Cassie,” Eve said, still focused on her makeup.
“With the effort you’re putting into your appearance, one would think you’re the one Alpha Rio is going to mark today.”
She slipped into her heels. “The festival is almost over.”
I bit my tongue, holding back the secret I had kept for some time.
I dressed quickly. One look in the mirror made me gasp. I looked gorgeous—ravishing. Yet, being wolfless made others see me as worthless.
“Hurry up, sis. Where did you and Heloise go?”
“We went to get her dress modified.”
She nodded. “I’m heading out. Come out now.”
She hugged me briefly and left.
Minutes later, I walked into the hall and went straight to stand beside Alpha Rio.
He didn’t spare me a glance. His attention was on Heloise.
His eyes were empty, as though we were strangers.
He took both of Heloise’s hands and leaned into the microphone.
Her cheeks flushed pink. She laughed softly.
She looked at me and mouthed, f**k you.
My head spun.
“…And I would like to mark Heloise as my mate and Luna.”
The crowd erupted.
“Such a beautiful union.”
“They look perfect together.”
My body turned to jelly.
How did I never notice? How did everyone else know?
Rio glanced at me and smiled, empty and cold.
I rubbed my abdomen, knowing I could never tell him now.
Stupid me. Did I really think Alpha Rio would choose a wolfless girl like me?
The cheers grew louder.
My chest tightened. My breathing beca
me labored.
The world closed in.
My legs gave way.
And I passed out.
- Writer
