\[Denali's POV\]
"Yes! Harder! Harder!"
The muffled moans rouse me from the sleep I am so desperately trying to fall into. Along with them comes the banging of her bedframe against the wall. Sighing, I roll over and wrap my pillow around my head hoping to block out the noise.
Honestly, I shouldn’t be so surprised that she took advantage of my parents’ absence for the evening to bring someone home; after all, this was pretty normal for her. Since she was the daughter of an alpha, everyone wanted a piece of her, and Anastasia didn’t hesitate to take advantage of that.
Feeling my annoyance flare over having my sleep disrupted, I sit up and raise a fist, ready to bang on the wall and tell her to shut up, but stop as a muffled male voice reaches me. Frowning, I try to determine where exactly I’ve heard the voice before and why it leaves an odd feeling in me.
“That’s it, Alexander!” Anastasia wails, causing my heart to drop. “Just like that.”
Alexander… Did she just say Alexander? No. She couldn’t possibly have said that, there was no way.
Remaining silent, I continue to listen as the bangs from her bed increase and the moans and grunts of passion grow louder.
“Just like this?” The one having his way with her asks, confirming my biggest fear and causing me to move before I can even stop myself. As I head out of my room and into the hallway, a single phrase keeps repeating in my mind.
It can’t be him.
It can’t be him.
There was no way it could be him.
Not my Alexander. Not the very man who brought color to my world and restored my confidence. There was no way that he could be betraying me like this, right? No. He wouldn’t. Not when he would definitely propose and finally freeing me from the hell that I was living the very next day.
With this certainty in mind, I creep down the hall until I’m standing in front of Anastasia’s room. Her door is cracked just enough to let the noises inside drift out and allow me to peek inside.
Holding my breath, I move closer until I can see the man standing at the edge of the bed fucking my half-sister hard and fast.
Instantly, I feel like my world is crashing down around me as I recognize the wolf tattoo on his back.
Alexander.
It was actually my Alexander. He was here, betraying me with my sister.
As I watch on, my head spins as my precious memories with the man I’m watching ruin everything we have appeared.
“Don’t worry, Denali.” He told me. “I’ll certainly give you everything you could ever want. I’ll treat you the way you deserve to be treated.”
“You’re my most precious treasure.” He murmurs, kissing me gently. “You mean more to me than everything in this world.”
“You’ll never feel like dying is your only way out.”
“I love you so much it hurts.”
“I would give my life just to see you smile.”
Again and again, the words he told me and the smiles, sighs, and expressions he used only with me appear. They’re like tiny daggers stabbing into my heart, causing me to feel like I’m truly dying.
Clutching my chest, I bite back the sob that wants to escape while tears prick at the corner of my eyes.
“Why?” I whisper, collapsing against the ground just as a loud moan of satisfaction escapes Anastasia.
“I’m cumming!” She groans as Alexander slams into her. “OH GODDESS, ALEXANDER, I’M CUMMING.”
“Me too!” Alexander growls, pulling Anastasia against him. “Fuck!”
“No more.” I rasp, attempting to get to my feet. “I can’t…”
I don’t finish my words as my elbow hits the door in front of me, drawing Alexander’s glowing gaze toward me.
It’s like the world disappears while he stares at me, trying to make sense of what he is seeing. In the moment, I feel like I’m staring at a complete stranger since he can’t possibly be the man that I knew and loved.
“Denali.” He whispers, releasing Anastasia and turning toward me so I can see his still-erect dick, which is dripping with Anastasia’s juices. “Why are…”
I don’t wait for him to finish before I’m turning and heading toward the stairs so I can escape the sight in front of me, but before I get the chance to even take the first step, the front door is opening and my father is entering.
Gasping, I turn around and consider taking another route of escape, but Alexander, who is now wearing pants, heads toward me, blocking it.
Slowly, I look from him to my father and back before deciding that facing my father was much easier than facing Alexander at the moment.
Opening my mouth, I prepare to call out to him and move, but stop as my stepmother and a man I don’t recognize walk in together.
“Thank you for coming.” My stepmother says happily. “We have been so excited about this engagement.”
Engagement? What on earth was she talking about? Who was engaged, and to whom? As this thought hits me, I feel a hand touch my shoulder, causing me to jerk away and give away my presence.
“Denali!” My father calls, bringing his gaze to mine. “You’re just in time. There’s somebody that I want you to meet.”
“Me?” I repeat, my confusion growing. “I don’t quite...”
“This man works for the alpha of Crystal Fang. He has come to collect you.”
Collect me. Why on earth would he be collecting me?
“This is her?” The man asks, eyeing me and then shifting his gaze to Alexander, who stands silently behind me. “And who is this man with her?”
For a moment, my father doesn’t speak, as he just realizes that I’m not alone.
“He...” he begins, looking from Alexander to me.
“Is my fiance!” Anastasia announces, joining us. “Sorry if we are interrupting something important.”
Fiance.
Did she really just call the man who was supposed to propose to me her fiance? Was this the important thing he wanted to tell me the following day? Was I truly disillusioned this whole time?
“Alexander.” Anastasia pushes, wrapping her arms around his arm. “Come along. We don’t want to interrupt.”
“R-right.” Alexander says slowly, as if he is just snapping out of a daze. “Sorry.”
I watch in disbelief as he looks at me and mouths sorry before following Anastasia away, making it clear that he was choosing her over me.
I keep my gaze fixed on his retreating form until it disappears into Anastasia’s room, and then slowly shift it to my father and the man who is watching me.
“Please, miss.” He says boredly. “Pack your things and meet me outside. My master isn’t a patient man and is waiting.”
"Waiting?" I gasp, preparing to argue, but stop as my father shoots me a look.
"You will do as instructed; do you understand me?"
His voice drips with warning, and I know if I am to fight back or go against what he wants in this moment, I will certainly end up suffering.
"Yes, sir." I say quietly, feeling all hope of a real future fade away from me. "Understood."