Ficorpio
The Betrayal
Chapter 1
Leila POV
‘shhhh," a familiar voice hissed from my bedroom. And outside, my hands froze over the doorknob. ‘Stop, someone might hear us,"
It sounded like my best friend Alessia. I felt a sickening knot tie in my belly. As soon as I heard my fiancé, Damian reply her.
‘And who cares if they do?"
Through the keyhole on my door, I could see them lying on my bed, with Damian caressing her, urging her to consent to his erotic desires.
‘What will the pack say when they find out?" Alessia purred, darting her eyes at him. Her tone, seductive as she trailed her finger across Damian’s luscious lips. ‘Apha Xander hates a fuss in the pack and Leila would be heartbroken when she finds out what we are about to do."
‘I’ll protect you from all of them, remember I am your knight in shining armor." Damian said, lowering himself to kiss her forehead. He sounded confident.
I had seen enough and in a burst of emotions, I flung my door open. Pulling my bag as I sent it flying to the back of my fiancé head.
The sound of the bag making contact with his face caused him to groin in pains.
‘Ahhhh Leila calm down." he said, in a quivering tone. I felt a wave of mixed emotions wash over me, my heart broke into a million pieces as all the dreams I had built around my union with him, vanished instantly. Dreams of finally leaving my toxic family behind, and being mated to a man I would have sacrificed anything for, all fizzled into thin air.
Damian left the bed, coming towards me, but I moved backwards, creating some distance between us.
‘I’ll chop your head off, if you come any closer" I sneered at him. choking up a sob.
‘This is not what it looks like, Leila" he said quickly.
‘Yeah right," I said through gritted teeth, as I rolled my eyes. ‘Enlighten me Damian."
‘I came here looking for you" he stammered. ‘I um, saw Alessia crying and I came in to console her when you walked in."
‘Right, you were consoling her with your hands all over her," I scoffed. ‘Let me guess, she passed out from all the crying and you had to give her CPR by kissing her right? "
I zeroed in on the other culprit, Alessia Filanii, who everyone knew as my best friend.
She had a triumphant smirk on her face as she didn’t fail to display the hickeys that Damian had left on her neck and cheek. Like a trophy. At that point, I knew, she had done this to spit me, to prove to me that she could take what belongs to me.
‘Leila," she started softly. ’ Damian and I didn’t mean to hurt you. It just… happened." shrugging her shoulders.
‘shut up you bitch," I yelled, racing towards her, but Damianl yanked my arm from behind pulling me into his arms.
‘Leila, you know I love you," he said.
I clenched my teeth, rubbing my chest to soothe the increasing pain I was feeling within.
‘What happened was a mistake, nothing even happened to be honest, please stop acting like a child will you, and let’s settle this. "
A wave of nausea washed over me as I began to slowly understand what was unfolding before my eyes. These two have been sleeping together for awhile now behind my back.
For years, I had imagined what a happy ever after with Damian would be like. A nice house on the island, far from the pack, with a garden where we can grow old together as we raise our kids. Where we can all roam free and hunt.
Tears of humiliation sat heavy in my eyes, but I battled it off. And in that moment, I decided I was done with Damian and the mating ceremony.
‘He’s all yours, Alessia". I said, shaking my head in disbelief. ’ You two deserve each other. You’ve won."
‘What!," Damian’s face cracked at the thought of what I just said. ‘You can’t be serious, Leila. I am your mate, your best shot at a happy marriage life. No one would settle for you"
His words stung, because he was right. But I wasn’t prepared to break in front of him. Not today.
‘Guess I’ll have to take my chances then." I replied behind gritted teeth.
As I sauntered to leave, opening the door to my room I met the shocked face of my father, step mother and my step sister.
I froze not knowing how long they’ve been there or what they must have heard.
From their joint expression, I could tell, they had a hint of what was going on.
‘What’s happening here leila? " Father ordered.
The room was silent as I told them everything that had happened. My father’s face tightened.
‘Was that what happened Damian?" Father asked, his gaze furrowed at my finacé.
‘I..um.. I walked in here searching for Leila when I saw her friend Alessia crying… so.. I umm. I… I…" he stammered.
‘The mating ceremony is off" I blurted out. ‘This is who Damian true is and I don’t want to spend the rest of my life with a man like him." with teary eyes.
Damian tried to speak in his defense but a stern gaze from my father was enough to shut him up.
‘I understand Leila, but I don’t think that will be possible.Everyone already knows about your relationship and there are promises to keep. Our family name will be soiled in the dirt if you back out now." father said.
‘No" I said begging. ’no, no, no, please dad, don’t make me do this. I fell to my knees before him.
‘This will ruin my life dad, don’t you understand. I caught him cheating on me with my best friend." I retorted. My voice strained from crying.
‘I wish it was that simple child." father said in a stern voice.
‘No dad, this is one sick joke. I can’t marry someone who would cheat on me with my best friend." I snapped in defiance.
‘I have spoken and my word is final Leila!." father growled, as he stormed away.
Dad In Action
*Leila POV
‘You pathetic failure" Damian growled. Before he could say another word to me, my father grabbed him by the collar, pulling him close enough that their foreheads were almost touching each other.
‘Mention Leila’s name again and I will see to it that I hunt you down. Even if you hide under a rock." Dad warned, in a cold, menacing voice.
Watching my father now, it was easy to tell that Carlson Romanov was the Beta of Black Pool pack. This made my face flush with emotions.
I felt proud of his show of strength, but also hurt because his solution to my own predicament was to marry me off just to save the family name.
Damian waved my father’s hands off his collar, taking a couple of steps back.
‘Oath breaker!" Damian yelled, a frown creased across his forehead. ’ Your family is a disgrace, a bunch of liars and cheats. You deceived me into this relationship with your daughter." looking at us through hard, flinty eyes.
Before he could continue, my father interrupted him.
‘Alpha Xander will soon be here, you know he won’t tolerate all the despicable things you’ve said so far."
The effect of his words struck Damian instantly. Damian’s face turned pale at my father’s words. His jaw dropped, which left his mouth wide open, like a fish that just got out of water as he tried to mumble up a reply but nothing came out. A smile danced at the side of my lips.
Any wolf with half his brains intact, would do well to fear Alpha Xander.
The leader of the Black Pool Pack, was a man I’ve known for most of my life. Yet I could barely count the numbers of times I’ve seen him speak outside of pack functions.
Xander oozed power from his every pore. Tall and imposing with deep blue eyes, he had broad shoulders, even as a predator, he was a ruthless beast. Forgetting that was a danger in itself.
‘Bullshit!" Damian yelled. It was clear to me that he was intimidated.
‘Everyone will know about this dishonorable family" before shoving his way out of the room.
I prayed that this would be the end of his madness. But as soon as Damian flung my door open. He started calling me names, calling my family a cheat, calling us trickstars.
‘Damian!" Sonia, my step mom yelled at him. ‘Stop this madness already. You are causing a scene."
She had her arm around Amelia’s shoulders, my step sister. The both of us never really got along since we started living together . She shot me a small smirk before sauntering away with her evil mother.
‘I am just getting warmed up," Damian replied, his eyes shooting daggers. As he strolled into the courtyard where the packs normally gathered for announcement. He yelled at the top of his voice.
‘The Romanov family are fraudsters!" Eyes swiveled at us. ‘Carlson and Sonia do not deserve to be the Beta’s of Black pool pack"
The atmosphere was cloaked in silence, I could feel my heart thumping inside my chest. As my legs trembled.
‘Despite knowing she was an irreparably damaged wolf, they tricked me into an engagement with their daughter, Leila."
I felt a tsunami of mixed emotions wash over me. My heart clenched in pain as I dropped to the ground. Inside me, my wolf lea, now fully awake, growled.
‘Leila’s wolf is disabled.it lacks its sense of smell and can’t transform. She can’t possibly sense her mate. Knowing this about herself, she lied to me with promises of love, and how we were destined to be together. Which all turned out to be lies." Damian added.
Several people around me gasped, as I felt the weight of their gaze closing in on me. Damian knew about my weakness and chose to use it against me. ‘What a shitty life" I murmured to myself.
In a race to paint himself as the victim, Damian lied to the people when he claimed he was ignorant about my disabilities.
I felt a pool of tears building up in my eyes, my throat dried up from exhaustion. I froze at the spot, just staring at Damian in total disbelief. Inside me, Lea whimpered.
‘Leila, I apologize. If I wasn’t damaged, you wouldn’t be in the situation,being dragged because of me.’ she whined in a tone, heavy with grief.
‘It’s not your fault’ I assured her in a firm tone. Even though my vision was blurry, just like Lea, I never asked or wished for any of this to happen. But here it was, happening right before me.
There were cries of outrage in the crowd as most members of the pack sided with Damian on his claims, hauling insults at my family. They called me all soughts of names from disabled to liar, to a scheming cheap slut. The insults just kept coming.
‘Leila! How could you do this to Damian?" my father yelled. ‘How could you be this wicked? You disappoint not just me, your father but the entire pack as well" he said, as he slowly distanced himself from me. I stood there confused, trying to make sense of what was happening before my eyes. What was he talking about? He knew I confided in Damian about my challenges.
The realization soon hit me. I felt my knees buckle. Father was putting the entire blame on me just to save the family name. I felt shiver run down my spin as I gasped.
‘Please Dad," I begged weakly, but he remained unfazed. I let out a hoarse sob, as tears streamed down my face.
All I had ever wanted was to live in peace. But time and time again. I was reminded that good wasn’t my Destiny.
I cried, not sensing the new arrival. The crowd parted to let him through until he stood in front of my family.
‘What is happening here," Came a thundering voice.
My breath hitched in my chest as his powerful voice washed over me, sending cold chills all over me.
I turned slowly, to see who it was.
The Alpha’s Intervention
Chapter 3
Leila POV*
Alpha Xander was observing the scene before him with displeasure. His lips pressed against each other.
There was dried blood splattered all over his face, shirt and hands. Which meant he just came back from a battle.
‘Don’t let me repeat myself." he ordered, his voice was frosty cold. I noticed my father’s posture stiffen slightly from behind me. But he soon regained composure. Stepping away from my step mother and step sister, he moved towards Xander.
‘Alpha, welcome back," he said.
‘I am sure you….."
‘Don’t waste my time, Carlson." Xander replied cutting him off. I felt my face flush at his thundering command. Inside me, Lea whinned, hiding her face in her paws.
‘Yes Alpha," my father replied, slowly lowering his head in a show of respect.
‘This is a simple matter, I am sorry that this dishonorable scene is the first thing you’re seeing upon your return."
The atmosphere was enveloped in silence for what seemed like forever. I could see the rage burning in Xander’s eyes as he clenched his fist.
‘Leila," Alpha Xander called my name.
My heart sank in fear as I felt a wave of anxiety wash over me. How did he know my name, all this year’s I never thought he would notice me. I slowly lifted my head up even though I refused looking him in the eyes.
‘Look at me," he commanded. And my gaze snapped to meet his immediately.
‘Tell me what happened?"
I parted my lips to speak but no words came out. I felt my vision go blurry as tears pooled down my face.I manged to compose myself. ’ I am leaving Damian because, he.."
I didn’t sense Damian creeping through the crowd towards me, until the sound of him dropping to the ground near me, interrupted my speech.
Damian scrambled on the floor, holding my feet, his face was full of fear and regret. I was stunned. Using this opportunity to his advantage, Damian spoke.
‘Although, Leila lied to me, that she was my mate despite she been unable to smell or shift into a wolf, I forgive her and still love her. So we can continue our relationship." his voice barely above a whisper.
‘As you can see, this is all a misunderstanding" my father interjected, trying to convince Alpha Xander ‘Leila and Damian will be getting married as planned. Preparations are being made as we speak."
I felt a boiling sensation in my stomach,as father spoke those words. I had just walked in on my fiancé together with my best friend in my room, all alone.
How stupid does my father think I am, how does he expect me to marry someone who already cheated on me with my best friend.
’ I will not marry Damian Rockmeishire." I yelled at my father through gritted teeth, shaking my head vehemently. Angry tears pooled down my cheek as I continued. ’ He is an opportunist, a coward and a cheat."
‘He’s what?" Alpha Xamder asked, his eyes wide open. His jaw dropped as he shot a dangerous look at Damian who quivered in fear like a little mouse. There was no doubt Alpha Xander was furious.
‘Dont listen to her Alpha Xander" My dad spoke up.
‘Leila had a difficult day, she walked in on a situation which she totally misinterpreted. The mating ceremony will go on as planned."
I felt a knot tie in my belly at my father’s unbelievable betrayal. He didn’t love me that much which I already knew. But for him to disgrace me in the presence of the entire pack members was unbelievable.
‘Alpha, I will never marry Damianl. I would rather go rogue first before agreeing to such a union." I retorted, dabbing the tears from my face.
my father sneered, besides me as I watched his nostril flare. He lifted his hand to strike me.And out of no where, Alpha Xander stretched out his muscular bloodstained hand and pulled father by the arm.
‘How dare you do that in the presence of your Alpha?" He roared. For a moment, I could only watch in horror as this two men stood, towering over me.
‘Alpha, am so sor…"
’ I came home after a victorious battle" Xander continued, cutting my father in his tracks. ‘And this is what am greeted with upon my arrival?"
‘The law remains that,this pack will never force a person into a relationship against their will." he continued.
I felt a wave of relief and calm wash over me as I parted my lips and sighed.
‘The mating ceremony between Leila Romanov and Damian Rockmeishire is off." he commanded, pausing briefly to let his words sink in. In front of me, my father closed his eyes for a split seconds as he drew a quick breath, struggling to compose himself again. Obviously, he wasn’t pleased with the Alpha’s decision.
‘I am disappointed in all of you, creating a fuss like this, and throwing our pack into a choas like you’re some bunch of pups" Alpha Xander growled. Each of his words, dripping with venom and disdain.
‘Carlson, you’ll have to take responsibility for this. You, and Damian will all be punished with double pack training, for creating such a scene."
father nodded, as he gave me a dangerous gaze.
‘You may all leave" Alpha Xander ordered.And immediately everyone dispersed. I spun to leave when I heard him call my name.
‘Leila," he called out, which made me freeze in my tracks.i felt my heart sink to my stomach as I pursed my lips.
‘Come here." this time around, his voice was compassionate. He held my chin, raising my head to meet his gaze. I felt a wave of anxiety wash over me as I stood there in fear. Was he about to punish me too? What was my offense?.
‘Follow me to my office," he said, before dropping his bloodstained hand and taking a step away from me.