~Eleanor Black~

My husband sat in his study, head down and confiding with his best friend, “I can't wait to give Deborah the reign that belongs to her rightfully. She's carrying my child. She should be the Alpha of the pack, not Eleanor.”

He spoke with such glee that it churned the insides of my gut. I was speechless. The Alpha of Rivermoon, my mate and husband, was out there impregnating not just anyone but my own sister's daughter.

“She deserves her rights back.” He added proudly.

“What about Eleanor? She's been recovering from the war for four years. Wouldn't she be upset?” His best friend, our beta James said.

“Eleanor knows she isn't worthy of her title. She's disabled, after all. No one wants a blind amputee to lead their pack.” The words flew out of Nate's mouth like venom.

***

The day they'd declared surgery was successful for my eyes, I planned to surprise my older mate with the news. He was a divorcee when we married, aged 35 and I was 18.

Two years before my marriage, I was kidnapped and brutally tortured by my culprits. They found joy in putting substances in my eyes. My absolute endurance was tested. Five days and nights of torture ended when I escaped with a little girl who was with me.

The little girl was no one but my late elder sister's only daughter, Deborah.

Being royalty always comes with a cost.

Nate belonged to a prestigious pack, but not as prestigious as ours. We were the BlackMoon pack, a royal bloodline of the King of Alphas.

My legs were infested, so they had to amputate. My eyes were blinded by substances, so they had to take them out. I lost so much but only gained so little from my so-called family.

For a decade, I relied on my other working senses to survive.

But who could've told me that blindness came with a curse of not knowing what was really going on around me?

Nate was 44, and Deborah had yet to turn 23. Deborah was married to a mysterious man of a mysterious descent. He was a werewolf but with an interesting lineage.

Nate was a devoted husband, and I foolishly believed in all his lies.

I wasn't prepared to learn the girl I saved from misery a decade ago would steal my fated mate. I would have saved myself from all the years of torture from my family, my parents.

"This doesn't feel right. And I'm speaking to you as the beta and the father of two girls. Alpha Nate...do reconsider." Beta James held his hand over his knee. Nate retracted.

"I know what to do, James. Not everything has to feel right. Love wins over everything." There was this innocent smile as he spoke. My lips wobbled. I didn't know if it was anger or disgust or both.

Did he love Deborah more than me?

Was she better than me?

I looked at the cane I brought home to abandon. I wanted to tell Nate that I didn't need it anymore.

Guess I will be needing it for a little longer.

I was at the door. Thanks to my sharp hearing as a Gamma rank, I could hear their conversation crystal clear. Sighing silently, I shut the door normally to announce I was back at the packhouse.

"She's here," Nate whispered softly. I heard footsteps, and I was looking down.

'Leo, you know what to do.'

'On it,'

Leo, my female Gamma wolf retracted the eyes back into the sockets. Iwatched Nate rush towards me with a huge grin to welcome me back home before losing vision painfully. I held my grunts in. It hurt like hell…

"Hey. You're back home," Nate hugged me dearly, I could feel his chest thumping. With a wide fake smile, I held his chest and said,

"It's very loud." I muttered with a palm on his chest.

"Because my heart is happy to see you, Eleanor. Come. Let's get you showered and ready for dinner. I cooked your favorite." Said Nate.

I resisted raising my eyebrows. I felt his movements under my highly dexterous hands. He bent down to take my sandals off, letting me slip into house slippers. I thought I was imagining it, but he lingered holding my prosthetic feet for a second too long. He was staring at my swollen, red knees to where my prosthetics attached.

"Beta James is here to discuss scope of our project. Our warriors are growing stronger by the day." Nate said with a grand chuckle. Beta James, though knowing I'm blind, bowed to me. I walked into the kitchen.

"Amazing. But I smell a lot of food." I said, gliding my hands across bigger containers of food.

"My parents are coming to visit, my love. Their business trip—" his words were cut short,

"They're coming to celebrate Deborah's birthday tomorrow. And her gender reveal." I said, sparing him an evergreen explanation.

"That's right." He kissed my forehead adoringly and started setting up the table. I sat down by the table with my cane, my hideous eyes covered with sunglasses.

Few moments passed. The commotion of his mother walking in, full of complaints was heard right by the door.

"...such weird flight seats! I told you to book the entire flight home, didn't I!?" His mother yelled.

"Uh-huh. And who was going to pay for the costly affair?" My father in replied,

"Our rich, useless daughter in law right here." His mother pointed to me and mouthed to her family. They burst out laughing, not knowing I could read their lip movements.

My lower lip wobbled. But I held it all in.

“What are you doing standing there? Serve us food.” My mother in law barked. Everyone settled and I got to my duty. Serve them before serving myself. Although, I always ate scrapes from their plates and whatever was leftover.

"I'm gifting her shares of the biggest construction company. She will grow with it's success." Father in law gleamed after taking a bite, discussing Deborah's gifts for tomorrow.

"And I'm gifting her a private jet I worked hard to get my hands on!" Nate's sensible younger brother said.

"And I'll be giving her all my jewelery! My daughter in law looks...questionable in them. She doesn't even go out. So it's onky fair the prettiest woman gets to value my jewelery." That was my mother in law's words.

A tear accidentally slipped from my eye. I was quick to wipe it off.

I wish I could wipe off the pain in my heart too.

~Eleanor Black~

Blackmoon packhouse was never decorated this grandly for as long as I've lived there. My niece's presence had truly brightened up the evening it seems.

"Don't stray too far from me, honey. I can't take care of you otherwise and I don't want to lose you in the crowd." Said Nate.

"Is the crowd that huge?" I asked.

"Yes. Alphas from all around the world are here to celebrate her birthday and you know...pregnancy." Nate's heartbeat had risen when he said that. Hiding a scoff, I intertwined our fingers as he walked in with me.

Behind the shades, I could see everything.

The truth, The lies.

"Uncle Nate!" Deborah's excited voice greeted my husband. Her voice felt like stones being dragged on a chalkboard. I grimaced silently.

Nate let her hug him deeply. He sniffed the air around her. I was disgusted.

"Let me borrow my favorite uncle for awhile, aunt Eleanor~" Deborah said. I looked down at my feet. Didn't Nate just tell me to stick by his side for the whole evening?

Well, he left me all for the demons to surround.

I was sitting by the edge of the huge garden all by myself. And then, the voices started pouring in.

"If I were her, I wouldn't even show my face to Deborah."

"I'm really speechless by her act. Not only did she ruin Deborah's pregnancy three months ago, she came back to ruin it once again. Has she no shame?"

Two women gossiped behind my back, somewhere in the crowds. Leo, my wolf was growing agitated.

'Are you letting them speak to us like that?'

She asked.

'No. But I'm not interfering either. They must believe in their own lies before truth slaps them across the face. Very soon.' I said to Leo and she calmed down with assurance.

"There you are! I was searching for you—" Nate came back sweaty and panting. He was smelling of intense pinewood. His scent is of luscious cedar otherwise.

"My feet ached standing for too long." I cut him off with my reason.

"Oh my Goddess. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have let you worn those heels." An upset expression settled on his face.

Nate pulled my heels off my feet and replaced them with his own shoes.

"You'll feel better now." He said.

"What about you?" I asked.

"I'd have a pair or two lying around in the packhouse. I can go fetch..." He was talking, but the voice of those two alphas wives was heard again,

"Tch. Look at the royalty she's still being served. That too from a charmer like Nate. He's too good for her."

"He's giving her service even though she cannot even give him a heir or royalty status. It bothers me to know he's still with her. He should leave her."

They spoke within themselves. I subtly turned to observe Nate's reaction. His eyebrows were crushed.

"Did you...hear that?" He asked, his expression of annoyance clearer on his face than in his voice.

"Hear what...?" I pretended not to know.

"Nothing. Let's get you back inside. It's getting colder." Nate said and put his coat over me, coating me with his warmth.

"Sit here. I'll get my shoes." He said. I sat in my old bedroom, which was converted into a closet of a sort.

From the corner of my 'blind vision' I saw Deborah enter quietly. She tip toed towards Nate who was to my right, searching through the lower drawers for a spare.

I had to pretend not to see Deborah on her tippy toes, arms wrapped around his shoulders as she kissed him passionately, silently.

"Nate..." I called out,

The two flinched.

"Y-Yes, my love?" Nate answered, eyes wide and looking at me.

"Is there...someone else in this room?" I asked, my voice on the verge of breaking. I surprised myself with how stable I sounded.

"N-No, Eleanor. It's just you and me."

He lied.

Of course he would, for the woman carrying his child that he wanted ever since we got married.

"Alright. We can go back now. And this time, I'm going to stay with you no matter what." He said moments later, kissing my forehead affectionately. In hindsight, I should've never trusted anything that came out of his mouth.

Because the moment we stepped outside, he waved at an old friend and walked away.

"Hmm." I jumped my eyebrows, done with his empty promises.

I tried to entertain myself for the night. It was still too young and I wanted to enjoy myself of this luxury that was never a part of my life since I got married.

Soon, we were asked to gather around the birthday girl to sing. While I wasn't supposed to look, I glanced at Deborah's royal gown. It was handstitched by the same royal tailors who serve the pure blood royalty.

The red silk fabric with golden embroidery would've blown my mind away otherwise. But I'm supposed to be blind.

We clapped and sang an unconventional happy birthday tune. It sounded like a perfect orchestra, and Deborah was our conductor.

I watched as my in-laws gifted her numerous gifts. My mother in law couldn't hold her gaze away even for a second. She looked at Nate and Deborah, her gaze dancing between them for a while. She was excessively enthusiastic when Nate fed her the piece of cake.

Did my mother in law know about their intimacy? Or worse, was she supporting them all along?

I didn't care.

I knew I wouldn't be called up on the stage to wish her and feed her the blue cake - she was having a boy.

Even if I wanted, my parents would never allow me back there. I was their daughter's killer, after all.

So I braced the solitude and sat by the end of the garden all by myself, yet again.

"You're all alone here."

The female's voice made me turn to her.

She had her jaw clenched and arms folded over her little protruding belly.

"I am." I answered shortly, looking away. I made it clear that I didn't want to continue talking.

"Why do you even do this to yourself? My parents are questioning your husband about you. They're scared you'd do something to me again." Deborah said.

"You were the cause of your own miscarriage last time," I stated confidently.

"Yes. But someone had to take the blame. It was your fate that you were there to push me down the stairs." I sighed hearing her accusation again.

"For the last time, you should tell everyone I caught you doing drugs and not that I pushed you down the stairs which forced the miscarriage," I said to her in a tired voice.

"You shouldn't have come up to my room, you blind bitch." She muttered under her breath.

"Yeah. I shouldn't have." I replied.

Deborah didn't quite like my response.

"Why so indifferent now? What's changed?" She was pissed. Her arms folded over her chest again.

"I've changed," I answered with a fake smile.

"Well...I'm here to make sure you won't feel the change. I need you in a constant state of pain and betrayal, Eleanor. I need you to hurt yourself and possibly...die. Only that way, I'll ensure my success." I heard her say.

I rolled my eyes, feeling not a shred of threat from her.

However.

"AH! MOMMA! AH!!"

Out of nowhere, Deborah threw herself into the pile of rose thorns beside the bench.

Hearing her petrified screams attracted the crowd forth. My eyes widened. It felt like deja vu...Because I was about to be framed again.

"S-she pushed me! She pushed me!" She screamed a terrified finger pointed at me. I stood up despite the pain in my knees from the prosthetics.

"I didn't. She threw herself—" I was about to explain myself calmly, but should've known no one would believe me either way.

"Threw herself!? THREW HERSELF!? LIKE THIS!?" My birth mother, the one who should take care of me enraged. Her anger knew no bounds as she pushed me forcefully into the shrub of rose thorns.

Blood curdling screams flew out of my mouth, silencing the crowd. For a second there, Deborah wiped her tears and looked at me straight. But then, pity wasn't in her eyes. It was the lust to bring me down glimmering in her eyes.

"Eleanor..." Nate tried to approach me but stopped himself by Deborah's side.

"You shouldn't have pushed her into the shrubs. I know you're jealous...but this isn't the way. I'm sorry. You're on your own." My eyes widened.

"I- I'm in pain..." The words barely slipped out of my mouth.

"And you deserve it.' My older father, who was my best friend until 16, said and turned his back.

"Papa...mama..." I moaned in pain. The crowd started diluting slowly.

My prosthetic legs flew out due to the impact of her pushing. I couldn't remember the times my Gamma mother was this ruthless towards me.

"Someone...help..." I cried.

The movement of me trying to get to my feet was piercing each of those thousand thorns deeper into me. I could feel my face flush red, itchiness spreading all over my body like a wildfire.

I was allergic to roses.

I opened my blurry eyes to see the silhouette of a man passing by. He had a long cloak on, to battle the chill air he always brought with his presence.

My wobbly lips tried to ask for help, but they were swollen with fluids, allergy symptoms.

"Eleanor Black," He took my name. Was I that unrecognizable? I nodded, feeling the piercing thorns on my neck.

"Ah—!" Suddenly, he pulled me up to my legs and made me stand on my prosthetics. That's when I saw his glowing emerald eyes.

"Adam..." I muttered under my breath.

He spoke to me!? He took my name!?

Adam is Deborah's mysterious husband. He's of royal descent as well, but his mother's side was into magic. He was half a wizard.

With a calculated push on my chest, he let all the thorns fall off my back and every surface.

Once the thorns were gone, my wolf tried her best to remove all the bad blood as the allergy was suppressed. It would leave a thousand scars on my back, but I'd heal soon.

"Thank you—" Before I was about to show my gratitude, Adam lifted my tilted sunglasses and looked deep into my eyes.

I was terrified of his gaze. Glowing emerald eyes, rich heritage of powerful witches and wizards...I was feeling threatened. But then, he smirked.

And walked away.

What was that about?

His presence made even me - a Gamma Rank, the highest rank right below King of Alphas - shudder in my skin.

Breathing out softly, I realized I had no place here.

I turned on my heel to leave, and Adam was entering the party of his wife's birthday and pregnancy. They were in for a shock.

Adam was never home. Constantly travelled for business. Adam was selectively mute, too. There's something which happened to him in his childhood which broke him forever.

But that resolve also made him the strongest wizard in the world.

That explains the chill aura he always emitted.

As I stepped out of the fence, I heard the guards mumble behind my back,

"She gets help from whoever wants to help her. She really has no shame." They said. They didn't know me any better, or my past with Adam. So I left without a word of reply.

What goes down at the party when they realize who had come home was none of my business.

Because I was leaving.

Forever.

I was done.