ARIA’S POV
I was dreaming of a peaceful place, a meadow filled with wildflowers and warm sunlight, when a sharp, and relentless ringing dragged me out of my sleep.
I blinked groggily, as I stretched my hand and fumbled for my phone on the nightstand, my mind still fuzzy with sleep.
When I finally grabbed it and looked at the screen, my heart dropped into my stomach.
It was my mother calling.
I hesitated for a moment, with my thumb hovering over the answer button, but I knew I could not ignore her.
She would only get angrier.
My heart was already pounding, and I had not even spoken to her yet.
Then I took a shaky breath and answered, my voice still thick with sleep.
“Hello?”
“Aria!” Her voice was like a whip, sharp and cutting through the phone.
“You slut!
Where are you?
You have been gone for days!
Do you have any idea what people are saying?
Do you have any shame at all?
I have been humiliated in front of everyone because of you!”
I opened my mouth to respond, with my mind racing around for an explanation, but before I could get a single word out, she snapped again, her voice even louder than before.
“Return home immediately!
Do you hear me?
Now!
I will not have you bringing any more disgrace to this family!”
Then the line went dead.
I stared at the phone in my hand, with my heart pounding against my ribs, and my mind spinning with fear.
I knew this was not going to be easy.
I took a deep breath and got ready, with trembling hands as I dressed.
I had to go.
I had no choice.
I could not run from this forever.
When I walked through the door of my mother’s house, the tension hit me like a wave.
My mother was standing in the middle of the living room, with her arms crossed and her face twisted with anger.
Aurora was sitting on the couch, with her legs crossed comfortably, and wearing a small smirk on her lips.
She looked like she was enjoying this, like she had been waiting for the moment she could watch me crumble.
Mother turned to me, her eyes blazing with fury and snarled, “Where have you been, Aria?
Do you have any idea what you have put this family through?
People are talking!
They are whispering about you!
They are saying you have run off and disgraced yourself!
And I have to sit there and pretend I do not know what my own daughter is doing!”
I kept my voice calm, even though my heart was racing.
“I have been at Mira’s house.
I told you I needed some space.
I needed time to think.
I was not doing anything wrong.”
My mother narrowed her eyes suspiciously, and asked in a voice dripping with disbelief.
“Mira’s house?
Is that where you have been hiding?
And you expect me to believe that?”
I turned to Aurora, hoping she would back me up.
“Tell her, Aurora.
You know I was at Mira’s house.
You came over there yourself.
You saw me there.” I nodded at her.
Aurora looked at me with wide, innocent eyes, and asked sweetly, “Who, me?
Please, sister, if you are going to lie, at least make it convincing.
I have not seen you in days.
I have no idea where you have been.
You disappeared, and I was worried about you, but you did not even call.”
I stared at her, with my mouth hanging open.
She was lying.
She had been at Mira’s house.
She had mocked me and insulted me.
And now she was pretending she had never been there.
Before I could say another word, my mother crossed the room and slapped me hard across the cheek.
The sting was sharp and immediate, and I stumbled back, with my hand flying to my face.
“Do not you dare try to drag your sister into your mess!” Mother screamed, her voice shaking with fury.
“You are a disgrace to this family!
A disgrace!
Aurora would never lie to me.
She has always been the good one, the obedient one.
You are the one who has always caused trouble.”
I held my stinging cheek, with hot tears pricking at my eyes.
“How am I a disgrace?
What have I done that is so terrible?” I cried in pain.
My mother stepped closer, and lowered her voice into a venomous whisper.
“By staying out of this house as an unmated she-wolf!
That is how!
You are bringing shame to us!
You think I do not know what people are saying?
You think I do not hear the whispers?
You are ruining your sister’s chances!
You are ruining everything!”
Aurora laughed softly from the couch, and asked coldly, in a mocking manner.
“Return where, Mother?
Or have you forgotten?
You want her to bring the bastard she is carrying into your house?
She is pregnant, Mother.
Aria is carrying a bastard pup.”
I felt the blood drain from my face, and instantly, my hands started to shake.
“What bastard?
What are you talking about?”
My mother reached into her pocket and threw something at me.
It landed at my feet, and I looked down.
It was a pregnancy test.
A positive pregnancy test.
The same one I had hidden in my drawer.
My knees almost buckled, but I forced myself to stay standing.
I could not let them see me break.
I could not let them know the truth.
Especially not that it was Zane’s
I forced a laugh, even though my voice was shaky, and said, “Mother, are you sure that is mine?
I mean, we all know Aurora is the most desired among the two of us.
Perhaps it belongs to her?”
Aurora shot up from the couch, her eyes blazing, and shouted, “What?!
How dare you!
I am not the one who has been sneaking around like a common whore!”
I ignored her and turned to my mother, and softened my voice, with a pleading look in my eyes.
“Mother, think about it.
You know I am plain.
No one has ever looked at me twice.
Even Gavin broke up with me because I was not good enough.
He said I was not pretty or interesting enough for him.
Who would want to have a child with me?
And we never even had sex throughout our entire relationship.
So how could that test be mine?”
I paused and looked at my mother, with my voice getting stronger every second.
You will find pregnancy prevention drugs and a pregnancy test kit.
She has been taking them, Mother.
She is not as innocent as she pretends to be.”
My mother widened her eyes in shock and she looked between me and Aurora with confusion.
Aurora’s face turned red with anger, and she hissed, “That is a lie!
She is lying, Mother!
Do not listen to her!”
My mother looked at Aurora, then back at me in confusion and asked in a whisper, “Aurora, is this true?
Have you been taking pregnancy prevention drugs?”
Aurora’s mouth opened and closed, but no words came out.
She looked panicked, and I knew I had struck a nerve.
I saw my chance and took it.
I let my voice crack, and I let the tears fall freely down my cheeks.
I looked at Aurora with wounded eyes and spoke, in a trembling voice.
“Why do you hate me so much, Aurora?
What have I ever done to you?
You have everything, beauty, charm, the Alpha Prince as your mate.
Everyone adores you.
Everyone wants to be you.
You are the most desired one in this family, in this pack.
I have nothing.
I have never had anything.
So why do you want to destroy me too?
Why do you want to pin this on me and take away the little I have left?”
Aurora stared at me, her mouth hanging open.
She looked shocked, like she could not believe what I was saying, and then asked, “What are you talking about?
I am not—”
I cut her off, with a loud shriek.
“I have always stood in your shadow.
I have always accepted that you are the one everyone loves.
I have never tried to take anything from you.
So why are you doing this to me?
Why do you hate me so much?”
My mother stood frozen, her eyes moving between us.
She did not know who to believe.
Then Aurora finally found her voice, and snarled sharply with a defensive finger pointed at me.
“You are twisting everything!
You are the one who is lying!
You are the one who is pregnant!
If you are so sure it is not yours, then let us go to the family clinic right now.
Both of us.
We will take a test and let the doctor tell everyone who is telling the truth.”
I looked at her, with my heart pounding so loud in my ears, but I kept my voice calm and steady.
“Fine.
I am ready.
Let us go.
But you should be ready to explain to the doctor why the future Luna is taking a pregnancy test.
People will know you are no longer a virgin.
And everyone knows a Luna-to-be is supposed to be chaste until she ascends the throne.
They will also know that if you are pregnant, it is not for Zane.
What will the pack think then?”
My mother stared at me, her face pale as a ghost.
“No,” she whispered.
“No, we cannot do that.
That would ruin everything.”
Before anyone could say another word, a maid hurried into the room, looking so breathless, and said urgently.
“Ladies!
The Alpha Prince is at the entrance!
He is here!”
Everyone froze.