Chapter 149 You're Nothing

Chapter 149 You're Nothing
Isabella's POV

I left Marcus once, and I've spent these five years trying to make up for it. But now he's hooking up with some bitch again.

Ashley: [Got a photo. Sending now. Also managed to get a partial license plate from the parking lot footage - ran it through my contact at the DMV.]

The image loaded slowly, and when I saw it, my wine glass nearly slipped from my fingers.

Silver-blonde hair, big innocent eyes looking up at Marcus like he hung the moon. The girl had her hand on his arm, tears glistening on her cheeks while Marcus looked down at her with an expression I recognized all too well.

The same expression he used to give me.

"That manipulative little whore," I snarled, my free hand clenching into a fist. "Crying to get his attention, making him feel like her fucking protector."

Ashley: [Address is 847 Maple Street, Apt 3B. Her name is Mia.]

I stared at the screen, my anger making it hard to think clearly.

I downed the rest of my wine and grabbed my keys.

Me: [I'm going to have a conversation with whoever lives there.]

Ashley: [Isabella, maybe you should wait-]

Me: [I don't want to wait.]

Twenty minutes later, I was standing outside a modest apartment building, my anger simmering just below the surface. Ashley's DMV contact had traced the car back to this address, and every fiber of my being was screaming for confrontation.

I climbed the stairs, my heels clicking against the worn steps like a countdown to war, and knocked on apartment 3B.

Footsteps approached the door, and it opened to reveal the exact face from the photo.

Silver-blonde hair, delicate features, those wide eyes that had been looking up at Marcus like he was her savior. Up close, she was even more infuriating - all soft curves and innocent vulnerability that made Alphas want to protect her.

"Can I help you?" she asked, her voice small and uncertain.

The sweet, breathy tone made my wolf snarl with territorial rage. This was the voice that had been whispering in Marcus's ear, manipulating him with fake tears and damsel-in-distress bullshit.

''Mia?'' I stepped closer, backing her into her own doorway. "I'm Isabella. Marcus's girlfriend."

"What do you mean?" she asked, confusion flickering across her features.

"Don't what? Don't know who I'm talking about?" I followed her into the apartment, uninvited. "Because I have a very interesting photo of you crying all over my Alpha yesterday. Touching him. Making him comfort you like some pathetic little omega who can't handle her own problems."

"It's not like that. He helped me when I was in danger," she whispered, but her voice cracked with obvious guilt.

"Oh, isn't it?" I circled her slowly, like a predator sizing up prey. "Let me guess - you needed help with something? Had some big scary problem that only big, strong Marcus could solve?"

Her apartment was small, cramped, the furniture obviously secondhand. The scent of her fear was already filling the space, mixed with something floral and annoyingly sweet.

"He's just... kind," Mia said, wrapping her arms around herself defensively.

"Kind?" I laughed, but there was no humor in it. "Honey, let me explain something about Alphas like Marcus. When they're 'kind' to pretty little omegas, it's not charity. They want something in return."

"That's not... Marcus isn't like that."

The way she said his name - soft, protective, like she had any right to defend him - made my vision flash red.

"You don't know anything about Marcus," I snarled, stepping so close I could see the flecks of gold in her eyes.

She shrank back further, bumping into her kitchen counter. "Please, I never meant to—"

"To what? Steal him from me?" I grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at me. "Because that's exactly what you're trying to do, isn't it? Playing the helpless victim, batting those pretty eyes, making him feel needed."

"I'm not trying to steal anything," she whispered, tears starting to gather in her eyes.

Without warning, my hand flew across her face in a sharp slap that echoed through the small apartment. Her head snapped to the side, and she stumbled, pressing her hand to her reddening cheek.

"Don't lie to me," I hissed, my voice deadly calm.

Mia looked up at me with wide, shocked eyes, tears now flowing freely. "I... I'm not lying..."

"Get on your knees," I commanded, my Alpha authority rolling off me in waves.

"What?" she breathed, backing away until she hit the wall.

"I said get on your fucking knees." I grabbed a fistful of her hair, forcing her down. "You want to play the victim? Fine. Let's see how good you are at it."

She dropped to her knees on the hardwood floor, trembling as she looked up at me with terrified eyes.

"This is where you belong," I said, crouching down to her level, my grip still tight in her hair. "On your knees, begging for mercy. Not standing beside an Alpha like Marcus Sterling."

"Please," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Please what?" I yanked her hair harder, making her gasp. "Please let you keep throwing yourself at my Alpha? Please let you continue your pathetic little fantasy that someone like him could ever want someone like you?"

"I... I didn't mean to..." she sobbed.

"You didn't mean to what? Fall for him? Seduce him? Make him think you're something special?" I released her hair with a disgusted shove, standing back up. "Let me make something crystal clear, you worthless little omega. Marcus Sterling is mine. He's always been mine, and he always will be."

I walked around her kneeling form slowly.

"You live in this dump, drive that piece of shit car, can barely afford to keep the lights on," I continued, my voice dripping with venom. "And you think you're worthy of the Sterling heir? You think you can just waltz into his life and take what's mine?"

"I never thought... I never wanted..." she stammered through her tears.

"Shut up." I crouched down again, grabbing her chin roughly. "Here's what's going to happen. You're going to stay away from Marcus. Forever. No more crying sessions, no more playing the poor little victim."

Her whole body was shaking now, tears streaming down her face and dripping onto the floor.

"Because if I see you anywhere near him again," I leaned in close, my voice barely a whisper, "if I even hear that you've so much as breathed his name, I will destroy you. I will make sure you lose what little you have left. Your job, your apartment, any friends stupid enough to associate with you - all of it will disappear."

I stood up, smoothing my dress with practiced elegance.

"And next time," I added, looking down at her still-kneeling form with cold satisfaction, "the slap will be the least of your worries. Do we understand each other?"

She nodded frantically, unable to speak through her sobs.

"Good." I headed for the door, pausing to look back one final time. "Oh, and Mia? If you're thinking about running to Marcus with this little sob story, remember - he chose me five years ago, and he'll choose me again. You're nothing but a temporary distraction."

I left her there on her knees, broken and sobbing, and walked out of that pathetic apartment with my head held high.

Some lessons needed to be taught the hard way.