The Shadow Bride of the Lycan King

Aria stood outside Ethan’s door with a small cake shaking in her hands and the candles were uneven and even the cream was not smooth. She made it herself in the kitchen when no one was watching, although omegas were not allowed to waste food, but today was special. Today was their third anniversary and she smiled to herself. “Just wait, Ethan,” she whispered. “You will be surprised.” The hallway was calm and most pack members were at the training ground, she then walked closer to his door and then she heard it, a sound, of laughter, a woman’s laughter. Aria stopped and her fingers tightened around the cake plate, maybe she heard wrong. She then stepped closer and then heard another sound. It was a low voice, it was Ethan’s voice and she forced a smile. “Maybe Selena is helping him decorate,” she told herself but Selena’s laugh came again, it was playful and it was teasing. Aria’s heart beat fast and she lifted her hand and knocked but there was no answer and then she knocked again and the sounds stopped. There was silence and then a whisper and a giggle. Her hand pushed the door open slowly and the cake slipped, the cream slid to the side and her eyes lifted and her world broke. Ethan was on the bed and Selena was under him and their clothes were not neat, their hair was messy and their faces were too close. They both turned and for a second, no one spoke and the cake fell from Aria’s hand and then it hit the floor and the cream spread. Selena then looked down at the cake and she laughed. “Oh,” Selena said, sitting up. “You come early.” Ethan sighed as if he was tired. “Aria,” he said. “You should knock.” “I did,” Aria whispered and her voice shook and then her eyes moved from Ethan to Selena and back. “W-what is this?” she asks. Selena then stood and fixed her dress slowly and she walked toward Aria with a smile that hurt. “What does it look like?” Selena asked and Aria stepped back. “Ethan?” she said. “Tell me this is not real.” Ethan then got off the bed, he did not look guilty and he did not look sorry, he just looked annoyed. “It is real,” he said. “You see it with your own eyes.” Aria’s throat burned. “You said you love me,” she said. “You said we will become Alpha and Luna one day.” Selena laughed again. “Luna?” she repeated. “You?” Aria then looked at her and Selena’s eyes were sharp. “Did you really think an omega without a wolf can become Luna?” Selena asked and each word hit like a slap and then Aria shook her head. “Ethan chose me.” Ethan let out a small laugh. “Chose you?” he said. “Aria, I dated you because I felt bad for you.” Her breath stopped. “What?” she whispered. “You follow me around like a lost dog,” Ethan said. “You have no wolf, no rank and everyone laughed at you and I just did not want to look heartless.” Aria felt her knees weaken and then Selena walked around her slowly. “You should thank him,” Selena said. “He gave you three years of fake love.” Tears then gathered in Aria’s eyes. “Fake?” she asked Ethan. “All of it?” Ethan shrugged. “You are easy to control, you listen, you never complain, but I am future Beta and I need a strong Luna beside me.” He then reached for Selena’s hand. “Not a useless omega.” The word useless echoed in Aria’s head. “I did everything for you,” she said. “I waited for my wolf. I believed you when you said it will awaken.” Ethan’s face then turned serious. “It will never awaken,” he said. “Everyone knows that, you are broken.” The room then felt small and Aria’s chest hurt and then Selena leaned closer to her ear. “Tomorrow,” Selena whispered, “he will reject you in front of the whole pack.” Aria pulled back. “No.” Ethan nodded. “Yes. I planned it already, the Alpha knows.” “You cannot do that,” Aria said. “You promised.” “I promised nothing,” Ethan replied. “And after I reject you, I will announce Selena as my mate.” Selena then smiled sweetly. “Future Luna Selena Vale. Sounds nice, right?” Aria then looked between them. “You are my sister,” she said and Selena’s face changed. “No,” she said softly. “I am your better.” Silence then filled the room and Aria felt something inside her broke into pieces and her voice came out small. “Why?” Selena then looked at Ethan, and then back at Aria. “Because I hate how you look at me like you are equal,” Selena said. “You are not equal to me, you never will be.” Aria wiped her tears quickly. “You will regret this,” she said, but her voice had no strength and Ethan walked to the door and opened it wider. “Leave,” he said. “I do not want drama.” Aria stood still. “Leave,” he repeated and she turned slowly and her feet moved on their own. Behind her, she heard Selena laughed again. “Close the door, Aria,” Selena called out. “Do not let people see.” The door shut and the hallway spinned and then Aria walked without knowing where she went and her ears rang. “Broken. Useless. Omega without a wolf. Fake love. Public rejection.” The words chased her and outside, a dark cloude r gathered her and thunder rolled and she reached the pack gate before she realized it. A guard then looked at her. “Where are you going?” She did not answer and rain began to fall and she ran. “Aria!” the guard shouted but she did not stop and the forest opened before her, trees swayed and wind howled. She ran deeper and branches hit her arms, mud covered her shoes and rain soaked her hair and clothed but she did not care, she just kept running until her lungs burned. Finally, she stopped in the middle of nowhere and rain poured harder and she fell to her knees. “Why?” she screamed into the sky and thunder answered. “I did nothing wrong!” she cried. “Why am I born like this?” Her hands pressed against the wet ground. “I wish I disappear!” she shouted. “I wish I never exist!” Her voice then broke and tears mixed with rain. “I am tired,” she whispered. “I am tired of being weak, I am tired of being nothing.” Silence then followed and then something changed and a strange heat rose inside her chest. She gasped and the heat spread through her veins and her skin tingled. She then grabbed her shirt. “What is this?” she whispered and the heat grew stronger, there was no pain, no sickness and something else and her heart beat faster. The rain around her felt different and the wind shifted, she heard something, a sound, it was low and deep, like a growl. But it did not come from the forest, it came from inside her and her eyes widened. For the first time in her life, something answered her pain.