One Lie, My Death, My Lycan Mate’s RegretChapter 2

I stand outside the hall and think about the past eighteen years.

I hate the cold, so Father has extra fireplaces built into my room.

I love sweet cream pastries, so Damon always brings some back whenever he travels.

Nolan teaches me to run in wolf form. When I injure my leg during training, he carries me back to the Pack healer.

Gavin argues with me more than anyone, but whenever I am punished, he secretly helps me finish my work.

They used to hold me in the center of their world.

Then, one month ago, Pearl is found.

She is Alpha Rowan Blackthorn’s biological daughter.

I was adopted.

She has spent eighteen years away from her family and suffered badly.

Father and Mother can barely sleep from guilt.

My brothers want to give her everything she missed.

So do I.

I give Pearl the room I have lived in for eighteen years.

I lay out Mother’s jewelry, the property Father gave me, and every gift my brothers brought home.

I tell her to take whatever she wants.

She takes nothing.

Instead, she looks at me with red eyes.

“You had my parents and my brothers for eighteen years.”

“Are you going to keep my mate too?”

That is when I realize Pearl wants Lyden.

On her way back to Blackthorn territory, rogues attack her.

Lyden happens to pass by with his guards and saves her.

Her clothes are torn, so he tosses her his cloak before leaving.

It means nothing to him.

Pearl never forgets it.

But my mating ceremony is already set.

Lyden takes my hand in front of the entire Blackthorn family.

“I saved you because you are April’s sister.”

“April is my mate.”

“She is the only she-wolf I will claim.”

Pearl faints on the spot.

When she wakes, she refuses food and cuts her wrist.

Mother stays beside her bed crying all night.

Father and my brothers take turns trying to calm her.

Pearl only repeats one thing.

“As long as April is here, I’ll always be the extra daughter.”

After that, everyone starts asking me to give in.

Father sighs.

“We’re only trying to calm her down.”

“Once she feels secure, everything will go back to normal.”

My brothers say the same thing.

“You’ve always been the sensible one.”

“Pearl isn’t like you. If we push her too hard, she might really hurt herself.”

Even Lyden goes quiet.

They all tell me it is temporary.

Once Pearl understands that no one will abandon her, everything will be fine.

And now, they are still saying the same thing.

Pearl holds the kitten Gavin gave her and asks softly,

“What if April refuses to leave you?”

Lyden tightens his grip on his glass.

“She won’t.”

“April cares too much about her family.”

“She thinks the Blackthorn Pack is suffering because of her. She’ll call off the mating ceremony before she lets them suffer.”

Tears fill Pearl’s eyes.

“Are you blaming me?”

“Will April always matter more to you than I do?”

Lyden is silent for a long time.

“I didn’t say that.”

“But you still can’t let her go!”

Pearl jumps to her feet, crying.

“If none of you can let her go, why are you even trying to comfort me?”

“When she comes back tomorrow, all your attention will go back to her again.”

“Father will feel sorry she spent a night in the dungeon.”

“Mother will hold her and cry.”

“My brothers will blame me.”

“And sooner or later, you’ll claim her!”

Father puts down his fork.

“No.”

“Pearl, we gave you our word.”

Damon speaks gently.

“After April leaves Lyden, we’ll send her to one of our estates for a while.”

“She can come back when you’re ready.”

Nolan frowns.

“April has always cared about you.”

“She gave you everything you wanted.”

Pearl knocks her cup off the table.

It shatters on the floor.

“She only did that because she looks down on me!”

“She thinks she can throw a few expensive things at me and I should be grateful?”

The room goes silent again.

Gavin sighs.

“Fine.”

“We won’t talk about her.”

“Tonight is for you. Stop crying.”

Lyden takes a gold pendant from his neck and places it in front of Pearl.

I recognize it immediately.

The royal crest is carved into it.

The late Lycan King gave it to him, and Lyden never takes it off.

“I promise you.”

“After April calls off our mating ceremony, I won’t take her back for a year.”

“And if you still can’t accept it after that…”

He pauses.

“Then I’ll let her go for good.”

“She can choose another wolf as her mate.”

Father changes the subject.

“Everything at the Royal Dungeon is arranged?”

Damon nods.

“I sent three thousand gold coins.”

“The cell was cleaned. There are blankets, braziers, and hot water.”

“One of the guards tonight is someone I know. Grandmother and the others won’t suffer.”

Nolan adds,

“Mother is weak, so I arranged for a healer to wait outside.”

“We’ll bring everyone home tomorrow morning.”

Father relaxes.

“Good.”

“Your grandmother has always been forgiving. When she learns the truth, she’ll probably yell at us.”

“Your mother is kind too. She knows how much we owe Pearl. She’ll understand.”

Gavin smiles.

“My mate won’t stay angry either.”

“Lila might cry, though.”

“I’ll buy her a box of candy tomorrow. That’ll cheer her up.”

They have even decided who will pick up whom.

Father will bring Grandmother home.

My brothers will each comfort their mates and pups.

Lyden will take me away himself.

He has prepared a private house outside the Royal Capital.

The garden is filled with my favorite flowers.

He plans to stay there with me until I stop being angry.

Every one of them believes that when the sun rises tomorrow, everything will go back to normal.

My spirit stands frozen outside the hall.

All I feel is sadness.

None of them know the three thousand gold coins never reached the Royal Dungeon.

The servant Damon trusted was bought by Pearl.

There are no blankets.

No braziers.

No hot water.

No healer.

Pearl takes the money too.

Then she uses it to hire three rogue males.

She orders them to ruin me so completely that Lyden will never want me again.