Ella's POV
"What?"
"Are you deaf too? The wedding will be in three days, you have three days to get rid of as much of this disgusting fat as possible!"
I was so baffled that I didn't even react before her hand jolted out and pinched my stomach. I winched and stumbled back, swatting her hand away as the pain flashed through my skin.
"You are insane. Did William forget to give you your sanity pills today? This year even?"
"You don't get to use his name. He is Alpha to you,"
She stepped closer, and the threat was obvious in her dark eyes as she scowled at me. I haven't seen these people in ages. I'm not even sure I've had the pleasure of meeting Lauren before, but here they are. Cornering me in my Nana's dark living room after work.
"I'm not doing it, no matter what you call him. He is nothing to me."
"Oh, I know,"
She sneered with a malicious grin before she continued as she stepped right up in my face. With my back already pushed up against the wall, I felt rather helpless.
"You are nothing to him! Never was! Never will be! And that's why you are going through with this wedding. It doesn't matter to us what happens to you. Or what do you think of it? But, if you ever want to see your dear old grandmother again. You will go through with this marriage,"
I clenched my jaw and fists as Lauren flashed a wicked grin.
"You should be thanking us even! A girl like you, I mean, who would want to marry you? Your ex? Oh, wait. His family despises you! And guess what? Last I heard, so does he. Ryan is rich, good-looking, and the future Alpha of his pack. A man of such caliber wouldn't even clean his shoes with filth like you,"
My heart was pounding, and my eyes were burning. Her words were not true! But they hurt as hell.
All my life, I had been that orphan hybrid. Humans disgusted or scared of me, the wolves? They were no better. To them, I was nothing. I didn't exist, and if they were confronted with my existence, I was considered filth: an accident that should never have occurred, a disgrace for their rase.
I didn't belong anywhere, and when my mom died, my dad turned his back on me. Like the death of his mistress erased my very existence. All I had was Nana and my work. I could not picture a life without either. They both defined me; that was what I was. The only thing I was. I swallowed hard, glared back at her, and refused to blink. I could not cry, not in front of her!
"It is easy. You will marry Ryan as Aria. Take her place. You will never lack anything, even have a husband and a place to belong. I am graciously offering you to be better than your mom ever was,"
"Don't you ever talk about my mother!"
I spat back, not able to control my anger. My body was trembling with rage, and she only laughed me straight in the face.
"Your mother was a skank! A good-for-nothing whore that tried to ruin a happy family! Easy and stupid! She got exactly what she deserved! That woman was pure evil! A good-for-nothing slut who fucked every…"
"That is enough, Lauren,"
William's voice boomed, filling the room like a raging drum, but neither of us looked away. She smiled with a raised brow and slowly stepped back. My throat was tightening, and a single tear trickled down my cheek.
But I only stared at her, Lauren: my dad's mate, stepmom. The word made me feel sick. I watched as he stepped up beside her and wrapped his arm around her waist; she leaned into him, all the while smiling like a cat.
"The wedding is this Sunday. You will be ready to be picked up outside here early Friday. This is not a request, not an offer. You will do this, or you will never see that old human again. She won't come back before the marriage is official. If you don't, we will send her back to you in pieces. Come, darling, and this place makes me feel itchy."
They left me alone in the dark, and I curled up on the floor. For the first time since I was a little girl, I cried. Heaving for air as my lungs felt like exploding, my world crumbled around me as their cheerful voices cooed at one another in the distance. A happy couple, with no regret, trotted over the grovel and drove away in their fancy car.
I didn't even remember the days between; they had faded away as the emotional rollercoaster inside stilled. With a blank stare, I waited for the heavy double doors to open. Church bells chimed all around me, echoed off the wall, and vibrated in my chest, but I was just numb. No tears left to cry, no words left to shout, there was nothing. I felt defeated.
As the bells stopped, the doors were opened. William's stone-cold face was the first thing to meet me. Without a word, without even bothering to look at him, I walked up next to him and grabbed the arm he offered. My heels clacked against the cold hard floors and were the only sound made as I walked down the aisle with my father.
My fingers clenched around the little bouquet in my hands, the only thing I had to hold on to as I walked towards my doom. My beautiful ebony white dress sparkled with diamonds in the dimmed church light, and my trail was like white waves flowing down the church floors. Ridiculous expensive, to revealing the dress fitted me almost perfectly. The firm fabric pressed around my waist and ribs, pushed around my breasts, and flared out from my hips like a magical princess dress.
"Smile!"
My father's harsh voice whispered in my ear as he leaned down next to my ear,
"It is not a fucking funeral! Yet!"
With a deep breath, as much as the dress would allow, I straightened myself up and plastered on a slight smile. It was painful. An unsatisfied growl left his lips as we stopped, and he walked over to his seat.
Alone.
I felt so alone in a room filled with people. Helpless and hopeless as my eyes met the priest's unsympathetic eyes. Cold, grey, and careless. Not even a little support from gods representative and the spot next to me? It was empty.
No groomsmen, no groom. He didn't even bother to show up to his own wedding and left me alone here to be even more humiliated.
I was not accepted or wanted, not even as Aria.
I spaced out and was far away already when I heard myself say yes and something cold being forced down my finger. It was like I wasn't even there. Hands grabbed my shoulders and forced me to face the room filled with people, but I didn't see them. I stared out into nothing as my eyes landed on the golden painting high on the wall, and a rush of defiance came over me. It is a contract, just like any other contract.
A business deal.
I lifted my chin high; I could do this for Nana. A rich, spoiled fuck boy won't break me. I won't allow a cold-hearted brat to ruin me or my life.
Not even a fucking wolf!
My confidence grew, and a new determination found roots as a deep voice far behind me declared us husband and wife.
