I didn't know what Uncle Ray was thinking to make such a rash decision by accepting Mom and Dad's arranged marriage. He didn't even know the woman who would soon become his Luna.
That woman was the daughter of the alpha king from the other country, who had previously tried to win Uncle Ray's heart in the warrior coronation ceremony. Uncle Ray knew exactly what I was doing and just laughed at the time.
He promised me that he would never marry that woman because I had exposed her secret. But now, the opposite was true.
"You must be happy because your uncle is getting married," said a voice that I didn't expect at all. "He's your favorite uncle, and you must wish him happiness."
To me, a sentence that might be considered a positive comment from a friend to someone was the dirt she deliberately threw at me.
I scowled, about to leave, but another sentence stopped me.
"Do you dislike my relationship with your twin brother?" she asked, folding her arms across her chest with a sarcastic smile. "I'm not surprised. You would have done the same thing to me as you did to the princess who wanted Alpha Ray. But I'll tell you first so you won't be surprised."
The bitch eroded the distance between us, then brought her face close to my ear. "You won't be able to do it because Isaiah and I have marked each other."
Fuck! Why did I hate hearing her say that? The best friend who used to be supportive of whoever I was in a relationship with, and vice versa, now I felt hatred like an enemy.
I wanted her to stay away from my family. A bully didn't belong in the Dawns family.
"You can say whatever you want, Lyla. But I can assure you that you and Isaiah won't last long. The Dawns family has a purity where we can feel sincerity and will eventually be kept away from scum like you," I said calmly. "Maybe Isaiah is doing something stupid now. However, soon, he will throw you out of his room."
I was about to turn around, but Lyla grabbed my arm and pushed me so far that I slammed into the door.
I let out a low squeal, trying to get up, to get back at her for what she had done to me, but in the nick of time, Isaiah arrived and pulled me away from his slutty lover.
"What are you going to do with her?!" Isaiah's grip on my arm grew so strong that I could feel it burning. He did have powers that not many werewolves had. However, using power against a sister should never be done by a warrior.
"I don't know what's gotten into her. I was just saying she must be happy for your uncle's wedding today, but she attacked me instead." Lyla shifted behind Isaiah's body. "I'm afraid of your sister. What if she finishes me off like your uncle's pack members?"
Isaiah looked at me with flashing eyes after hearing Lyla's words. He dragged me away and led me into a room where Mom and Dad were already there.
Apparently, he had contacted them using a mind link earlier. I couldn't believe he would do something this cowardly.
"I don't know what happened to you, Ioris. Why did you attack your brother's mate?" asked Mom, who didn't want to hear my explanation first but immediately lashed out with vicious accusations.
"I didn't do anything to her," I replied, rubbing my reddened arm. "It was her who pushed me hard, Mom. Please believe me."
I turned to my mom, but all I saw on her face was a look of disappointment. I then turned to look at my dad. "Dad, you believe me, right?"
"I don't know, Ioris. I've heard so much about your mischief. I don't know if I can keep you here."
"Wh-what do you mean? I didn't do anything to Lyla, I swear!" Mom and Dad just left without listening to my explanation or explaining what they meant.
Can't keep me? What did that mean? Were they going to exile me somewhere just because they believed in a false accusation?
***
I stood in the corner, watching Uncle Ray's pledge and the woman in the fancy dress who kept clinging to his arm. I didn't like seeing that scene wildly when the woman kissed Uncle Ray as if to swallow his whole lips.
I've never even seen Uncle Ray do that with another woman. Or maybe not directly.
Mom had told me before that Uncle Ray had a relationship with a warrior, but it didn't last long. They were both hardened, making it impossible for them to be together.
I had hoped Uncle Ray would marry that woman or remain unmarried until I found my mate. However, what happened was exactly what I had always feared.
The second kiss would be after her coronation as Luna. I didn't want to look at them any longer, so what I did was move away. I looked for a space where I could breathe air freely. The balcony of the hall was the perfect place.
I could see the warriors practicing in the arena and the view of the mountains in the distance. We looked the same height. Nothing made me feel so small anymore. This would probably be the case with me and the other werewolves.
I would always feel small in front of them unless I had managed to find the wolf and my extraordinary power.
"You're not small at all," a voice said. I turned my head and found thick smoke billowing around me. He could hear my thoughts. How was it possible? "You can't feel small. You just don't get your powers as fast as they do."
"Who are you? Why do you keep coming at me? You're the one who made them think that I have evil sorcery."
The sound of laughter echoed, laughing at me, or was it to what I said?
"They're stupid, and you're not. All the best things always come too late. But it's never too late unless a fool says it."
"I'll believe you if you show yourself. Otherwise, stop seeing me!" I snapped. Yet again, he laughed. This time, his laughter sounded soft and made me, who had been feeling poor and about to feel sorry for myself, forget what I had just felt.
"Of course. I will appear before you, but not now. For now, I can only protect you in this way."
Nonsense. I had never trusted anyone's word since Uncle Ray returned to his word.
"There's no need to worry, Ioris. No one can hurt you, and I have good news. We'll be meeting soon, so prepare yourself. Don't let anyone touch or possess you; you are mine, Ioris. No one can have you but me."
The smoke briefly hovered above my head before disappearing into the wind.
Regarding the mysterious creature's words... why did he say that—that I belonged to him? Does that mean he was my mate?