A Liar

A Liar
Staring at Karen's serious expression, I knew that she wasn't kidding, and a part of me wanted to run as far as I can, away from her… away from whatever she had to say because I knew… I knew that I wouldn't have the strength to give in to my father's wants if I start having second thoughts.




"I don't need proof. I need you to get out of my way." I told her.




At that moment my phone buzzed, and I anticipated who message I just received which left me scared to look at the screen.




Pretending as though she didn't hear a thing I said, Karen pulled out her phone from her purse and mumbled, "Just listen."




"Karen, move!" I raised my voice at her as fear squeezed my heart.




"Are you sure you want to get violent when the entire pack is downstairs?" 




"Can you just stop…"




The careless look in her eyes told me that I was going to hear this whether I like it or not, and I brace myself for it.




After taking a long look at me, she focused on her screen, and a couple of minutes later, I heard Karen's voice, "Killain, you must be kidding me! Blake! Are you seriously settling for someone like her!"




 "It's not like I have a choice, Karen! Luna refused to acknowledge the bond that we share, and she has her mother's backing on this!!" Killian's harsh voice echoed from the speaker.




"Have you tried talking to them! I will accept anyone right now, but Blake…. Maybe if you put more effort into Luna and…"




"Don't you think I have tried! Apparently, we are not wealthy enough for her daughter's standard. That's what Loretta said to my face. So Blake is my last option." 




"Killian!"




"I know what I felt when I saw Luna at that party, and I know that she felt it too. But I can not force the truth out of her… not when Loki and Loretta are her parents."




My phone buzzed again, and my teeth sank into the skin of my bottom lip as I tried to shut down my thoughts.




"The rest of the recording is just me shouting at him about how much I detest you and don't want you as my sister-in-law, and him trying to convince me why he doesn't mind marking you," Karen said after pausing the audio.




A third buzz echoed from my phone, and I held back my breath, looking at Karen, staring back at me as though she was waiting for me to say something.




"I have listened to your recording, now can you step aside." I calmly uttered, squeezing my phone.




"Okay. So are you going to leave my brother alone since you know he doesn't belong to you?!" Karen let out with a frown.




"I would, but the decision is not mine to make. Like Killian, my hands are tied. Now move."




A frown settled on Karen's face as she glared at me. Then she tightened her lips in a firm line, looking really pissed before walking out of the room, slamming the door hard.




My chest raised high and then dropped as I fought against my emotions, feeling stuck in a dilemma that felt like my worst nightmare.




It took a while for me to get my emotions together, and I was ready to go back into the grand hall when my phone buzzed again, I finally gained the strength to take a look at the screen and click on Nero's texts.




After reading through them, I rushed out of the bathroom, headed downstairs, ignoring the grand room, and rushed for the front door.




But I immediately stopped halfway down the corridor when I heard Killian's voice, "Blake?"




Feeling hesitant, I stopped, slowly turned, and gazed at him, faking a weak smile.




A look of confusion clouded his expression as he mumbled, "Where are you going? Everyone is waiting for you in there." 




"Huh…" I whispered.




The sound of footsteps interrupted my thoughts, and then I heard Nero's voice, "Blake," 




His last message said that he was coming inside to find me. But I didn't expect that he would leave his car so quickly.




'Don't turn around, Blake.' I cried in my head.




"We should head inside. Your dad is restless, and I assured him that I was going to find you." Killian said, his cold eyes focused above my head. "You too, Karen!"




A sense of nervousness swept through me when I heard Karen's heels sound, approaching me from the back. 




When she walked past me and her brother, heading for the grand hall, I couldn't help wondering what she was doing with Nero, and if it was a coincidence that they were together.




Clutching onto my purse, I walked over to Killain, refusing to gaze back, knowing that it was way too late to amend and reenact my decision to leave Nero.




We headed into the grand hall together, and after Killain and I joined Loki and his father, I heard Luna call out, "Babe!"




'Don't look, Blake. If you don't sacrifice for what you want, what you want becomes the sacrifice.' I mumbled in my head, giving Loki a faint smile as he grinned at me.




At that moment, Luna's soft giggle echoed in my ears followed by her words, "I am glad that you are here. Now the ceremony can start."




"But what do you want, Blake?" I whispered, pinching my dress.




The answer was so freaking selfish the instant I realized it, and I finally turned around, meeting Nero's gaze immediately.




His eyes were calm as he stared into mine, and I knew right then and there that I had made the worst mistake of my life by walking away from him.




"Now that we are here as a pack, I feel satisfied to announce that tonight my daughters have legally become an adult and are old enough to be marked by their mates," Loki announced.




Then he eyed Killain and me, smiled, and said, "And the good news is, they have found their mates."




Feeling his eyes on me, my focus shifted off Loki, and I gazed back at Nero, realizing that he was looking solely at me.




Why did I hesitate to believe that he loved me and that he would protect me? Maybe it's because, with him, I was never sure… certain about us. To be fair, he didn't give me much to be confident about. 




It's wrong what Luna is doing to Nero, and I want to believe that he doesn't know that she is deceiving him… that Karen didn't tell him what she told me. But will it be right of me to walk up to him and kiss him right now?




Even though I was suppressing my urge to do it, I wanted to do it so badly… to claim Nero openly. But is that what he wants? I am scared… afraid to drag him in my mess. With Luna, things would be easier for him, unlike me getting him deeper involve in shitty life.

'I think I have cost you enough headaches. It's better this way… that you don't know how much I am dying inside slowly at the thought of being with someone other than you.' My brain tortured me with these words as I darted my gaze away from Nero.




"Tonight, we will all be witness to my daughter Blake getting claimed by Killain Noble, and Luna marked by Nero Fang," Loki announced, and cheering aroused in every corner of the room.




The tears I had been holding back wet my cheeks as I stared at Nero, and my shaking lips curved into a weak smile. But he frowned at me, and his eyes burned with anger.




Looking down at Luna's hand around his arm, he grabbed onto her wrist and gently pulled her hand off him.




"When were you going to tell me that you have been lying to me all this time?" Nero blurted out as he glared at her when she looked up at him.




"Wh-at… what is going on?" Loretta cried, looking as confused as I was.




For a second, Nero eyed me, giving me a hard look. Then he gazed at Luna and said, "Shouldn't you be getting marked by Killain?"




"What?" Luna whispered.




Well, I guess Karen snitched on Luna to him too. She must really despise me to doing something like this and putting Luna in such a state.




"I know I haven't been totally open with you, and that I never told you that I am cursed. It's a generation thing, and I don't have the ability to find who my mate is. That's why I trusted you when you said that I was your mate!" Nero uttered calmly.




"What!" Luna blurted out with fear dancing in her eyes.




"But did you have to make a fool of me, making me believe that I was your mate?" 




"I… I ne-ver… I never lied to you." 




Silent fell between both of them, and that's when I realized how dead the room had become.




"Well then, between you and Miss Noble, one of you guys is lying because she claimed that you are her brother's mate, and you are only with me because of my cash," Nero said, frowning at her. "So who's the liar here?"