I was consumed by an overwhelming sense of dread as Aldrake approached, his gaze sharp enough to pierce through my very soul.
Every step he took toward me seemed calculated, purposeful, as if he could read my thoughts before I even thought of them.
My breath caught in my throat, my heart hammering in anticipation of the worst.
"A-Aldrake… help me!" Amber's sudden cry cut through the tension. She clutched her foot, her voice trembling with pain.
Instantly, Aldrake's attention shifted. Concern softened the harsh edges of his features as he knelt beside her, his hand gently brushing her ankle.
"Are you alright? Does it hurt?" His voice, filled with genuine care, made my chest ache with resentment.
I felt my stomach twist in frustration. There he was, kneeling, tender, attentive—lavishing care on Amber while barely sparing me a glance.
And then, finally, his eyes turned to me—but the warmth was gone. In its place was a darkness that froze me where I stood.
Before I could react, his hand slapped across my cheek with a force that made my head spin. Pain exploded across my skin, and my knees nearly buckled.
Gasps and whispers rippled through the crowd. Every eye seemed to pierce me, every murmur a dagger.
I stumbled backward, tears welling in my eyes, humiliation burning through me.
"What did you do to her, huh?!" His voice was thunderous, and his grip on my arms tightened like iron, bruising the flesh.
"A-Aldrake… you're hurting me! Please, let me go!" I cried, struggling to free myself.
But his hold was unyielding, suffocating—like he wanted to imprint his dominance on me in every possible way.
"It hurts… please!" I begged, but his glare only deepened. His eyes flashed with a storm of anger and betrayal.
"Does it hurt? That's nothing compared to what you did to Amber! What did you do to her this time?" he demanded.
"I didn't mean to!" I tried to explain, my voice shaking, but Amber intervened before I could continue.
"She pushed me, Aldrake! You saw that," Amber said, her tone carefully practiced, teetering between fear and innocence.
"What made her push you? Tell me," Aldrake asked, his voice suddenly soft and almost solicitous—as though Amber's comfort mattered more than my presence, my pain.
I could feel the triumph radiating off Amber. She knew exactly how to manipulate him, how to bend his perception. I knew what was coming. I knew the lies she would spin.
"Aldrake—" I tried to reach him, to speak the truth.
"She pushed me because she's angry that I'm spending time with you," Amber sobbed, her voice shaking. "She's angry because you're introducing me to your friends. She's angry because you prioritize me over her, even though she's your wife. She's jealous because she thinks I'm taking everything from her. You know I would never do that to her, Aldrake, don't you? I'm her sister—why would I take what belongs to her? I don't know what I did wrong, why she's angry… she even said she'd hurt me worse if I continued to approach you!"
The words hit me like ice water. My chest constricted, my mind struggling to grasp the betrayal that Aldrake seemed willing to believe.
"No! Aldrake, please listen! I didn't do anything! It wasn't intentional! She's lying—she's twisting the truth! She approached me, not the other way around!" I cried, my voice raw and desperate.
But his grip only tightened, searing into my skin. I flinched and tears streamed freely. My pleas bounced off a wall of cold indifference.
"You're really this desperate, huh?!" he spat, his words like venom. "I'm warning you, Livia! Don't you ever hurt your sister again! If you're jealous of her, you should try to be like her! Then maybe you'd have what she has. You're nothing but a disgrace to my pack!"
His words cut me deeper than his hand ever could. I opened my mouth, desperate to explain, but he was finished.
With a shove, he released me, and I fell to the floor, my knees hitting the hard ground as sobs wracked my body.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Aldrake lift Amber into his arms, cradling her with a devotion I would never feel from him. He didn't glance my way—not once.
Whispers and murmurs of the crowd reached my ears, each one a judgmental echo.
"Isn't she the Alpha's wife?"
"Yes… arranged marriage, I heard."
"No wonder he treats her like that."
"Do you know who he's carrying?"
"Her stepsister. Apparently, she's always jealous of her."
Amber smiled at the crowd in all the ways I could never, her image polished, perfect. And there I was—the villain in everyone's eyes, the failed Luna, the shadow of her brightness.
I sank to the floor, head in my hands, tears streaming unchecked. The hallway was cold, the laughter and chatter outside a cruel soundtrack to my humiliation.
And then—something shifted.
A strong presence approached, quiet but undeniable. I looked up and met the gaze of a man I had seen before—the one at the bar counter earlier.
His expression was unreadable, but his presence alone seemed to calm the chaos inside me.
"You alright?" His voice was deep, steady, and cold in a way that cut through my panic.
I shook my head, my voice trembling. "I… I want to go home. Please… help me leave."
"Let's go," he said simply. I nodded, relief flooding me for the first time that night.
I tried to stand, but my legs shook violently, nearly buckling under me. His hand shot out, catching mine before I could fall.
"I don't think I can walk," I admitted, shame and exhaustion weighing down every word.
He didn't respond verbally. Instead, I felt myself lifted into strong arms, my body cradled as though I were fragile glass.
I realized then it was him—the stranger who had watched over me silently earlier.
"Where are you taking me? This isn't the way out," I murmured, peering down the hallway.
"There's a way out this way," he replied calmly, and I fell silent, trusting him to lead.
Eventually, we emerged at the back of the estate. A gate opened into a vast, quiet forest, dark and endless. My heart lifted slightly at the sight of freedom.
"You can put me down… thank you," I said softly, sniffling, still trembling from my earlier tears.
"When you exit the gate, follow the forest path. You'll find a high wall covered in vines. There's a hole to pass through, and a small hut nearby. Ask the person there, and they'll direct you home," he explained, his voice precise, calm, and certain.
I nodded, amazed by his thoughtfulness. "Thank you… truly."
As I turned to leave, he spoke again. "What's your name?"
I looked back at him, managing a small, tentative smile. "Livia. And you?"
"Aldus," he replied, his gaze meeting mine. The name stirred something faintly familiar in my memory, though I couldn't place it.
"Thank you again, Aldus," I whispered, my voice soft but sincere, before stepping toward the forest path that promised safety.
For the first time that night, I felt… hope.