VERA.

I ran as fast as my legs could carry me without looking back or turning around to see who might be tracing me from behind. I was too heartbroken to think about my health at this point. Everything was happening so fast and the fact that I just confirmed from Alpha Eric’s mouth that he didn’t love me, made me hate myself the more.

“Is it now a crime to fall in love with genuine intentions?” I questioned myself inwardly trying to wrap my head around the garbage that he spewed.

My step-sister who I trusted with everything and whom I saw as my only confidante when I was dealing with the trauma of being barren based on the misconception that Eunice had about me went behind my back to have an affair with my Alpha.

“Where the hell is that bitch?” I stormed into my family apartment in aggression.

“Excuse you?” My mother erupted from the kitchen, holding in her hands a wooden spoon, “Is this how you welcome someone you haven’t seen for some years, Vera?” placing her hands on her waist she asked me hesitantly.

Ignoring my mother's indignation, I pestered my words, “Mother, I need to see Cyndy right now.”

“What does Cyndy have to do with what I had just said about you not welcoming me properly, Vera?” She arched her eyebrow waiting for me to do the needful before she gave me a verrified answer.

“Everything Mother!” I lost my patience and angrily banged my fist on the wooden table as it split into two pieces.

Seeing the scene that unfolded before her eyes, my mother quickly dumped the spoon she had in her hands over to the kitchen sink and walked to me, “What exactly has gotten into you, Vera?” her eyes reddened as she asked me in anger.

“Cyndy has gotten into me, mother!” I screamed back at her as I broke down in hot tears, “She went behind my back and was having sex with my Alpha. Mother, I swear with my blood, sweat, and tears that….”

“Will you shut up that little pit you call a mouth?” My mother swept me under my feet by shunning me up before I’d say a word, “Instead of you being grateful that your step-sister is helping you to cover your shame of barrenness you are here frolicking your mouth like a fool.”

“Mother?” I looked at her in shock and amusement at the insult running out of her mouth, “Is this what you have to say? After all that I have done for you.”

“What have you done, Vera?” redirecting back her question to me she asked, “The only thing you have done is to bring more shame and embarrassment to me.

I tried mumbling out some words to defend myself but it wasn’t coming forth. I was so devastated to hear all of that coming from my mother’s mouth and that made me confirm that she might be the one that orchestrated the plan.

“Use the door and don’t you ever come back to this place without my consent since you want to forever remain ungrateful.” She dropped her two cents and pushed me roughly from behind slamming the door right in front of my face.

Her words trussed on my face like the sting of a bee as I thought about her words while the weight of her rejection rested on my shoulder. Where else could I go? The place I once called my home, has cast me out.

With a heavy heart and a sinking feeling in my stomach, I turned and walked away heading back to the pack while shame and disgust burned within me.

I hadn’t even entered the pack’s house when Alpha Eric sighted me from afar and ran to give me a warm embrace, “Welcome back my love.” he murmured right into my ears.

“Did he just call me his love? After all the disgusting words he said to me?” I shook my head waving off my inner voices.

He saw the tiredness and heaviness in my eyes due to the endless tears that kept gushing out, “What’s wrong, my darling? You looked troubled and sick.”

“I’m doing okay, Alpha Eric.” Slightly removing my hands off his wrist I answered him and began walking into my chamber when his words stopped me.

“Cyndy is coming back today and I have decided to welcome her properly by throwing a homecoming party?”

I raised an eyebrow in surprise, “Cyndy is coming over and she decided to tell you without informing me her sister.” releasing a deep sigh of frustration, I continued, “Is there something happening between both of you that I’m not aware of?”

“Vera, nothing is happening at all between me and your step-sister. I’m not supposed to tell you because she wanted it to be a surprise but I couldn’t do that without you being involved.”

“Surprise me?" I scoffed, "Why didn't she tell me? I'm her step-sister."

Eric gently placed his hands on my cheeks, his gaze searching mine. "She wanted to make it a special surprise, my sweetheart. Please, try to understand."

His words which were meant to ease the little trauma and pain he has afflicted on me made me feel a little bit uncomfortable.

How could she, after these years, expect me to simply accept her return without any communication? When I'm fully aware that they have something going on between each other.

It felt like a betrayal and a heavy slap to my face, “Could this be the day where he'd mark her as his Luna?”

VERA.

The following morning I was woken up to the soft kisses of Alpha Eric on my face with his hands wrapping around my waistline as he drifted me closer to his side.

“You shouldn't be sleeping this long knowing fully well that today is your sister's homecoming, Vera.” he muffled his words into my ears.

“Step-sister, Alpha Eric.” I corrected him swiftly not giving him any room to rub their foolishness on my face.

“I don't care how you chose to address her, Vera. All I want from you is your cooperation with her. I don't want you to ruin this party for everyone.” He kissed my left ear before excusing himself out of the bed as he slammed the door aggressively.

The moment he was done with his words of warning, I knew from that moment that today would be a long day for me. If not because I didn't want to act as if I knew everything that was being said about me behind closed doors I'd have neglected the offer of welcoming my step-sister.

Standing up from the bed, I reached for my wardrobe and picked up one of my favorite dresses that brought out all my curves. I don't mind looking all sexy for Alpha Eric maybe he'd have a rethink about his decision.

I could hear the loud blast of music oozing out and the loud cheers of people who had come to celebrate with us, “I hope things end well this time around.” I said to myself, grabbing the doorknob to exit my room.

Immediately, I stepped out of my room, heading straight to the ballroom where the celebration was held, my eyes were fixated on Cyndy. She wore a skimpy purple dress that revealed her cleavage and the tightness of her thighs. Her lips were filled up with cherry red lipsticks that complemented the straightness of her hair.

I was star-struck by her beauty but I didn't want my expression to be obvious so I braced myself up and walked past her without acknowledging her presence.

“Is this how you welcome your sister that you haven't seen for years, Vera?” She held me by my wrist, pulling me back to where she stood.

I bursted out in a sarcastic laugh, shaking my head in awe of her boldness, “How best do you want me to welcome someone who wasn't there in times of our need?” I arched my eyebrow up waiting for her to say a word before I defended myself but she kept quiet.

“Don't you have anything else to say?” I asked her jeering her up from her silence.

“When mother was battling with a life-threatening disease where were you?” I raised my voice at her, giving her a scornful stare.

“She was there for your mother in cash, Vera.” Alpha Eric interfered in our conversation by giving me a weird response even when I didn't ask for it.

“I don't care about her money, Alpha Eric. All I'm asking from her is to be emotionally present and stop hiding behind her closet. I don't even know why I'm entertaining her bullshit.” I walked away from their presence in anger as a means to escape from the suffocating atmosphere brewing between us.

“You should be grateful that I helped with my money because If I hadn't your lazy ass wouldn't have saved our mother.” she fired back at me in mockery.

The steps I had taken away from her seemed to freeze, my legs rooted to the ground. Her words came out like a burning fury as they kept on echoing in my ears. I opened my mouth to retort, to defend myself against the unfair accusations, but the words caught in my throat.

“I don't know why Alpha Eric revealed that piece of information to you. I've always known you to be an ungrateful bitch and that's the reason I didn't want to waste my time explaining myself to you.” my fist clenched together in anger as I listened to her disregard my efforts.

“After running left and right looking for validation from people that don't deserve you, how does it feel to be a low-life Omega and a barren woman at the age of twenty-five, Vera?” Her lips twisted in disgust at the mention of the word barren.

“I know your mother-in-law is sick and tired of having you walk freely around the pack when your womb is too weak to carry a child, Vera.” She looked at me with contempt as if she had been waiting for this day to come.

“Cyndy…is this what…you have to say to…your sister?” my eyes welled up in deep tears, my teeth shaking in fear as I questioned her.

“This isn't all that I have to say, Vera. Your mother-in-law is growing old and you haven't given her son an heir to the throne. Is it when she dies that your womb would come to life?”

“Shut up!’ I screamed at her, running towards her as I grabbed her on her dress rudely.

I could vividly remember how I toiled the earth to ensure that Cyndy had a good life after the death of my father so she wouldn't feel the hardship I was feeling and here she stood running her mouth on my face. When I and Alpha Eric were going through our tough moment just because I couldn't conceive a child for him, she was the only one I was open to about it and she kept on assuring me that everything was going to end well but seeing her use my secrets and weakness to attack me was too much for me to handle.

“I see no reason why you are still here with Alpha Eric.” She laughed at me, spitting her words directly to my face, “If I were you I'd have packed my things and run without looking back because you are just too useless for this pack.”

My grip loosened away from her dress as I felt so weak and livid at the nonsense I was hearing her say about me. My steps faltered and I lost my composure, breaking down in deep tears of embarrassment.

“How about I allow Alpha Eric to tell you the truth before you break down fully?” she looked into his eyes, a mischievous smile spreading across her face, waiting for him to address me.