Diego, who seemed to feel sorry about me, suddenly lashed out, "Ariana, what the hell did you do? Has something come loose in your brain?"

"I don't give two hoots, sir," I shouted and turned to Camela, "and you'd better keep your mouth checked around me."

"There a problem, my lord?" a guard spoke from outside.

I held Diego's eyes, daring him to order his guard on me. He didn't. And I knew why he wasn't acting like the ruthless Alpha he was known for.

Diego had one secret, a secret that was so sacrilegious it could cost him his alpha position. If leaked, it would cause an instant revolt. His own guards would turn against him, his Beta and Gamma would shift form and attack him viciously. It might be an even fight — Diego was extremely strong—but not when the whole pack got involved! They wouldn't spare as much as a hair from Diego's skin.

A hint to this: his parents "died of natural causes".

I was there that night in the blowing snowy winter, hiding behind the oak. I saw him do it. He realized, when it was too late, that I saw him. But he wasn't so sure, as I had blended so well with the snow; I was a white wolf. And when, the next morning, he cunningly asked where I was last night, I denied it.

He was confused. His Alpha senses never lied to him. Neither did I. He tried to snip the truth off my eyes, but my wolf, Agresh, had a way of hiding from his gaze. If she stared too long at Diego's wolf, she'd give in to the mate pull and begin to blubber everything.

Oh, another truth: it was after that night that he suddenly agreed to marry me — it wasn't really about my pestering. He'd pushed me to the bed and made furious love to me. Hours later, he told me to begin making wedding arrangements.

So, Diego was constantly torn between treating me nicely and not.

Why didn't he just push me away when I rejected him as my mate? Yeah.

Camela was relentless. "Was I wrong, bitch? If your mother hadn't pretended to be sick and threatened Diego, how could he marry... you?"

I turned to Diego. "Do you think so, too?"

He didn't answer. And I didn't need his answer.

When my mom had begged that I got married to my mate, I had gone miles to convince Diego. I'd cried and begged and told him that I also wanted to be married to him. I knelt down, weeping for his ring.

And one night, he just said, "Wait, Nicole, do you in any way think I'm a fool? C'mon, I know a sick person when I see one. Pulling such a trick to force a wedding is plain stupid." He turned to the window, tossing a coin. "I had so much respect for your mom."

During the prom night in high school, when the history of the school was broken because the Alpha Prince, Diego, had chosen me, a mere omega, as his mate, I was willing to retain this delicate position. I forced myself every single moment to please Diego. I didn't want him to think I didn't worth him.

Diego liked submissive women, so I licked his ass and followed him around like a maid. And, on his drunken nights, he'd make me sit between his legs, grind on him till he was rock hard, and I'd proceed to give him a massage — a sloppy massage with my mouth.

And what did I get in return? A cold, indifferent attitude. I was constantly terrified of Diego Rockarm.

But after meeting Camela, I realized that he could be gentle.

Camela could put up childish acts, laugh very loud and hold his hands, even in serious situations. The very things I died inside to be allowed to do. My heartbeat doubled when Camela was around.

One time, I held his palm, sniffed on it and told him, "I want to do your facials, Diego. Let me give you baby treatment." I had a teenage-girl grin on my face, my hopes held on a knifepoint.

He leapt from the couch, glaring at me like I was a madwoman. "Never, Ariana, in your life repeat this. Damn." He went ahead to wash his face.

I didn't recover for the next two weeks. After that, I never acted petty to him again. He didn't care, either.

But Camela was always glued to his skin and Diego was happiest when that happened. He paraded her anywhere he went, introducing her as his "lil baby", and this was killing Agresh, my snow wolf.

To most people, he and Camela were a couple, and I was probably their P.A. With him, I had nothing except the title of girlfriend.

If it hadn't been for my mother's limited time and her repeated requests, there would never have been that heart-wrenching wedding.

Now, I stared at Diego with agony, tears filling my eyes.

This was the man I had loved for almost ten years. Was he really my mate? Was there something going on that I didn't know? Was he keeping me close so I wouldn't spill his secret? Why wouldn't he just kill me then?

Slowly, I realized there could be more to this than met the eye. Diego harbored secret plans about me.

I really had to leave now.

"Diego, come check if my face is swollen," Camela cried out, immediately snatching his attention. "How could she be so beastly? My face hurts like hell."

I employed so much force in that slap, and I left visible finger marks on her face.

Diego suddenly turned sore. "Ariana, apologize!"

Silence. A full minute passed. Agresh was aggrieved, pulling me to please apologize.

Finally, I sighed and walked up to Camela.

"And if I don't, my lord?"

"What if you don't?" Diego slowly said, his eyebrows crinkled in great surprise and disbelief. I could hear the growl of his wolf. His eyes, albeit normal to Camela, gave sparks of fire.

The room trembled with his aura.

I stood there, stubbornness gnawing at my heart. I didn't want to do this, but the disrespect had gotten too much. I'd end up a lone, sad hag if I didn't take drastic action. I didn't want to be like my mother!

The next moment, Diego's anger was hidden by his wolf, who didn't want to me to get hurt. He said in a calm but not imploring voice, "Ariana, don't make me angry."

The indelible fear for Diego came creeping back into my throat. Mental flashes of the times he punished me returned. I was the greatest lickspittle in the Blood-Rain Pack, pushed around by people I could send to the ICU if I shifted form.

My wolf, albeit ranked an Omega, was of the toughest breeds, Lycans. But I buried her within my meek body, causing a constant grumble inside my head.

Agresh, on so many occasions, wanted to pull out, to grind her teeth into the neck of my oppressors. But I chained her down, choosing to walk around like a smiley idiot.

All because I tried to please a man who didn't love me and who had a dirty secret.

Before now, I didn't want to lose him. But with my mom buried never to live again, what was there to care for anymore? I'd leave the Blood-Rain and find a life for myself. Enough of all this!

Camela's eyes were fixed on me, her puny face oozing revenge "Diego, I don't need her stupid apology." Her eyes were blazing, her jawbones tightening. "No one hits me and goes scot-free."

'Let me out!' Agresh suddenly cried in my head, almost knocking me out. I ground my teeth, fighting to regain control again.

Diego seemed to have caught the scent of this, so he pierced his eyes into me in warning. He'd have no option but to do whatever request Camela gave, his eyes said.

But I was too choked up with anger and betrayal to care.

The Alpha finally gave in. With a snap of his fingers, two bodyguards burst into the room and held me down.

I didn't care about what they did, I was only focused on keeping Agresh in. You might get hurt, I warned it. Just let me deal with this.

Camela walked up to me in gaily steps, raised her left hand and smacked me directly in the eye. The gash of pain was more than I'd expected. I squirmed and moved my face away. I direly needed to use my hands.

'Let. Me. Out!'

I raised my face again only to be attacked by Camela. She scratched my skin, tore at my hair, pulled at my eyelids and punched me severally.

Blood flowed from the corners of my mouth and from the cuts on my face.

But she wasn't done yet.

From her purse she fished out a pepper spray bottle. My eyes went wide. Diego took a step but stopped.

One puff of the liquid onto my bloody face and I went crazy. I pulled my arms from the guards' iron grip, easily destabilizing them. I staggered for a while and collapsed to the floor. I didn't scream. If I did, Agresh's appearance would end the first note.

Camela fled back to Diego's side. He didn't hold her. His eyes were on me, prepared.

I sobbed silently for a long time, my body trembling.

"Ariana, apologize to her and I'll pretend none of this happened," Diego said.

I stopped moving. From the small slit of my tormented eyes, I saw my fingernails begining to shoot out. I tucked it in.

Diego's voice took up heat, "Ariana, as long as you are obedient, I can give you everything you want, including marriage. Have you really thought it through?"

"Oh wow, that's so wonderful, I thank thee for thy generosity," I mumbled.

"What was that?"

I forced myself to my feet. My face was red, both from internal and external blood. I couldn't open my eyes. When I spoke, blood gushed out.

"The moon goddess bears me witness, I reject you and will never get married to you. To me, you are dead, Alpha Diego."

I saw his face go pale in disbelief. His eyelids fluttered, convincing himself something must have crashed into the building from the sky.

He couldn't wrap it around his head that I was rejecting him, of all people! It was unheard of.

He sneered, convincing himself I was being stupid. "What? You do not want to fulfill your mother's dying wish? It's what you've always wanted, Ariana. Let me hear you answer that."

His words reeked of contempt. Agresh was overwhelmed.

Camela thought I was having the moment. She came again, "Great Alpha, I did say she was lying to you. If her mother was really dying, how could she have such an attitude? Don't be fooled by this nonsense."

Diego chuckled and dialed his Gamma. To make sure I could hear clearly, he turned on the speaker.

"Rodre, I asked you to contact Grand Bonds this morning. Cancel it."

Grand Bonds was known for planning exclusive events for the royals, grand dinners and weddings.

"And cancel Mrs. Kane's surgery."

"Ariana's mom?" Rodre asked.

"Yes."

All these while, his eyes were on me, convinced that his threats were eating into me.

I just stared at him, deadpan.

Rodre hesitated for a moment, his voice cracking. "Alpha Diego, Mrs Kane died three days ago, on the night of your wedding!”