My Sister Replaced Me as Luna—Now the Alpha Is Begging for My ForgivenessChapter 2

"Elena, if it weren't for you, Emma wouldn't be this weak!"

My mother's voice shook, sharp as broken glass.

"If you want to blame someone, blame yourself. You were never worthy of being our Luna!"

Something in my chest tore open. The pain ripped through me so hard my whole body shook.

So this was all it took for a heart to die.

I lifted my hand to my burning cheek—and then I laughed. Before I knew it, I was crying.

Christopher frowned at me, his voice edged with open impatience.

"That's enough. Go home and think about what you've done. When you're ready to apologize to your family properly, we'll talk."

Then he took Emma by the arm and led her into the bedroom.

The door to my brother's room opened, and when Belle stepped out, my chest tightened.

Ever since Belle had married my brother, she had been the only person in this house who ever stood up for me.

I opened my mouth to speak, and she pulled me straight out the front door.

"Elena, you know now, don't you?!"

"Emma's been sickly since she was little because of you. She's finally been given Lucia—think of it as your way of making it up to her. Stop causing trouble."

I stared at her, disbelief crashing over me, and my gaze drifted—without my meaning it to—to the long scar on the left side of her face.

Years ago, she had been attacked by members of another pack, her cheek slashed open with a knife. I was the one who had charged in and pulled her out.

Afterward, eyes red, she had sworn she would never forget what I'd done, that she would never let anyone treat me badly.

Now she stood in front of me, and her words cut deeper than that blade ever had.

Behind me, Christopher's voice.

"Elena, you're hurt. Let me take you to the hospital."

I pulled my hand out of Belle's grip.

"I'm fine."

Christopher rubbed his forehead, clearly impatient.

"Can you please stop making a scene? Do you have any idea how exhausting this is?"

"Oh, I'm sure keeping up this act is exhausting."

Christopher went stock-still, then his brow drew tight.

"Watch your tone."

"Everything I've done has been for you. Emma is unwell—someone had to look after her and Lucia. I thought if I handled it quietly, you'd never have to deal with any of it."

"We kept it from you because we didn't want to hurt you."

It was almost funny.

He'd slept with my sister, and somehow the whole thing had been done for my benefit.

Christopher shook his head with a weary sigh and stepped forward as he'd done a thousand times before, pulling me into his arms.

"Come on. Enough of this. Let's go to the Elders' Council and bond. From now on I'll make more time for you—alright?"

I pushed him off, twisting out of his embrace.

"There is no 'us' from now on."

I turned to leave, and his next words nailed me to the floor.

"Elena, what's that supposed to mean? Are you refusing to be my Luna?"

I closed my eyes, forcing the tightness in my chest back down.

"Christopher, you were the one who betrayed me first."

He took a step closer, softening his voice.

"I admit lying to you was wrong. But not once did I ever think about calling off the engagement."

I didn't want to hear another word of it. I started walking again.

Christopher caught me from behind, his arms coming around me in a panic, his voice unsteady.

"I know you resent Emma. Three years ago, when she got pregnant by accident, she was crying, begging me. Her body's fragile—she might never carry another pup as long as she lives. I felt sorry for her. That was all."

He tightened his hold. His breath was warm against my ear.

"Elena, I never wanted to be apart from you. Let's go to the Elders and complete the bond now. We can hold the ceremony later, once Lucia is older. Alright?"

Rage shot straight to my head.

I wrenched free of him and slapped him across the face as hard as I could.

He turned his face back to me, and instead of anger, he caught my hand.

"Feel better? Consider that slap payment for the three years I lied to you."

"And don't talk about ending the engagement. You wouldn't want your grandmother's last wish to go unfulfilled, would you?"

Every ounce of strength drained out of me all at once.

Becoming Christopher's mate had been my one obsession, because it was the only thing my grandmother had asked of me before she died.

For that promise I had poured my own strength into helping him defeat every rival, into carrying him through the full-moon trial of adulthood, into becoming Alpha—and I had waited for the day he asked me to marry him.

That was why he was so certain I would never truly walk away.

When I didn't answer, he seized my wrist and pulled me toward the parking lot.

"Then it's settled. We're going to the Elders now."