I stared at myself in the mirror as I got dressed for Enzo and Leilani's wedding. This was a wedding that I simply didn't want to attend.
It was the full moon and we had all had the mandatory shift. I thought that Enzo and Leilani would get married before the full moon and he would mark her because there's a ritual that needs to happen when an Alpha marks someone. But this pack does things differently as usual.
There's a curse when an Alpha marks someone or when someone marks an Alpha without a specific full moon ritual. What happens is that every full moon afterwards, both parties are sent into excruciating pain. But apparently, in this pack, the Alpha and Luna are supposed to stay in pain for three full moons and only after that, will they be allowed to complete the Alpha curse.
The pain is meant to make them stronger. I just think it's unnecessary.
I stared at myself in the the mirror as I placed the crescent moon earrings on my ear. I had draped my light blue organza shawl over my neck, trying hard to hide the hickeys that glistened on my neck from my encounter with Enzo the night before. They were so prominent that I knew that all of my attempts to hide the red splotches was a complete waste. Enzo did a complete number on my neck. Even the bite from before was still there - two distinct canines against otherwise clear velvety skin.
I stared at my dress. The marvellous light blue tunic with golden embroidery suited me like a glove. Then my hands went to my Assassin's ring. I stared at myself in the mirror once more. This short blonde hair and black eyes wasn't me. It wasn't me at all. I missed my sleek long black hair and dazzling blue eyes.
I missed looking like myself. I missed being myself. I hated this persona. I reached for my Assassin's ring with the intention to take it off. I just needed to see my true form just once. I needed to remember who I was because I was losing myself in this pack.
I twisted the ring around my ring finger as I contemplated taking it off or not. The 'R' shone. I pulled it off partially, about to complete the deed when Willow barged into my room. She startled me and I pushed the ring all the way back up.
"Let's go," Willow told me as she waved me towards the door. "The ceremony is about to begin,"
I readjusted my shawl and hair over my neck before turning towards Willow. We walked out together. Yesterday, after meeting Enzo, I had met Willow because I had changed my mind and decided to drop the plan.
Leilani wasn't so bad. As much as it pained me to say it, Leilani in her own way would make Enzo happy one day. She would be a good Luna. She would be everything for Enzo that I could never be. All I wanted was for Enzo to be happy. And Enzo being happy didn't have to be with me although I wish it was.
For this reason, I decided to let him go. Let him marry the woman who was groomed for the position that I could never occupy. Tomorrow, I would leave with Ronan while Enzo would start his life with a woman who actually deserved him.
If I lived to see tomorrow, I would be starting a new life in Ronan's pack. I doubted that I would do this successfully as the time that Nessa had given me elapsed tonight.
I walked with Willow down the stairs. Then I pulled her in. The whole mansion was decorated with lilies.
"You dropped the plan right?" I whispered into Willow's ear but Willow ignored me. I shook her this time. "Willow, answer me! Did you drop the plan?"
Willow's gaze became darker and dread filled me. I had decided not to do this in order to give Leilani a fair shot with Enzo. She didn't deserve what I had planned to do to her.
"No, I didn't drop the plan," Willow looked at me head on with a determination that sent shivers down my spine. "You held the key to my retribution. Why would I ever give that up?"
The minute those words left Willow's lips, two things simultaneously happened to me. Firstly, regret filled me because if Willow went through with what I had planned then this was going to be a shitshow.
Secondly, it finally hit me. I knew exactly where the blue moonstone was. I was so dumb. It was right in my face this whole time.
A scream invaded the halls from upstairs and fury filled my gaze as I stared at Willow. She only patted me on the shoulder and leaned in to whisper; "one day, Raven, you will thank me for this,"
Everyone rushed up the stairs including Willow. I stood there on the stairs as people rushed passed me and towards the commotion. This was my chance to get the stone and get the hell out of here. But I couldn't. I had to go and see the consequences of what my jealousy had caused to befall on Leilani.
With a deep breath, I rushed upstairs to the third floor - the Alpha's floor. I had to bite my bottom lip to force my face to remain steady when I saw Leilani on the floor at Erica's feet begging her.
"I didn't do anything!" Leilani was crying, her curly hair in disarray and her dress torn from the shoulder.
It was Enzo who terrified me. He had Jude up against the wall. Jude was in a bloodied, pathetic state, punched in the face all over. He looked barely conscious while Enzo's knuckles were bleeding.
I had asked Willow to craft letters between Jude and Leilani. The letter was meant to call Jude to Leilani's bedroom right before the wedding. I knew he would go there and I banked on it. While in the room, Willow had done her witchcraft thing to keep the pair in the room long enough so that during the wedding, Leilani would be missing and when Erica and Enzo went to look for her, they would find her with Jude in her bedroom and no explanation that either of them would give would suffice. Leilani would be ruined and the wedding would be called off.
Except, I had changed my mind on this plan and I had told Willow that yesterday. She reassured me that she was going to drop it but obviously, the little witch wanted her revenge on Jude. He ruined her and now, she used me to ruin him, banking on my jealousy against Leilani. Guilt entered into every aspect of me.
Enzo was still holding Jude by the neck against the wall. Enzo was in a feral state with his golden eyes bulging out, his veins poking out everywhere and he scared the life out of me. He was going to kill Jude. Erica pushed Leilani off her feet and rushed to her brother. Indigo rushed to Leilani but took a step away from her and stared at Enzo. I understood then that Enzo told her to get away from her.
Erica held Enzo's arm and no doubt pleaded in their link for Enzo to let the nearly unconscious Jude go. Erica started to cry and just like that, Enzo dropped Jude. Then, he wiped his sister's tears. I stood there in the background and watched everything. Willow couldn't even hide her smile. I felt sick to my stomach.
This was not what I wanted.
I hadn't realised that Enzo would react this badly. I forgot that Jude was after all his beloved sister's husband. The same sister whom he worshipped the ground she walked on. Maybe he could forgive his humiliation but he would never forgive his sister's. I fucked up big time here.
Erica fell into the arms of Enzo and wept. She cried so loudly that the sound of her tears overrode Leilani's. Jude laid lifelessly on the floor. Enzo had beaten him black and blue as his blood spilled out over his face like a bad car accident. It didn't help that today was the full moon and Enzo was at his most powerful state.
Enzo held his crying sister.
"Enzo, Erica, I didn't do anything!" Leilani began to plead again. The knot in my belly wrung around tighter.
"Shut up!" Erica pulled away from her brother's chest to scream at Leilani.
"Please beli-" Leilani started but Enzo's voice boomed out so deeply that it shook the ground we were all standing on.
"BE SILENT!" Enzo's voice echoed like a dynamite and Leilani began to tremble. He squeezed his sister. "Don't tell me any more lies otherwise I'll forget that you are a female,"
Enzo was so angry that he was vibrating. Erica started rubbing his chest and shoulder as if trying to calm him down.
"Enzo, I-," She started and then her gaze found the floor. "Let me explain-"
"Leilani, your beautiful face may have fooled Rhys but it never fooled me. It won't start now," Enzo told her and Leilani started to cry.
Indigo just stared at her sister helplessly, wanting to reach out to her but too afraid of Enzo to leave her spot. Ronan held Indigo by her elbow, as if scared that she would run to her sister and face the crossfire that was Enzo instead.
"Enzo, it's not what you think it is-" Leilani said through unending tears.
"One more lie, Leilani and I won't be able to control myself," Erica pulled her brother and dragged his face so that he would look at her. He didn't. His eyes remained on Leilani - the woman he now believed to have betrayed him.
Fuck. What would he do to me when he found out? I needed to get the stone and leave, quickly.
Erica looked intently at her brother and I understood that she was pleading with him about something. Soon enough, Enzo clenched his fists and left this area. Before I knew it, Enzo's bedroom door slammed so hard that it sounded like it would fly off its hinges. I was surprised that it didn't. Erica must have asked Enzo, well begged Enzo to go to his room.
Then, everyone started dispersing and two men even helped to carry Jude to his bedroom. Erica looked at Leilani with all the hatred in the world.
"I'll never forgive you, Leilani. Ever," Erica walked away with tears in her eyes and Leilani was left to weep on the floor. Ronan finally let go of Indigo's elbow and Indigo rushed to her sister who was wailing on the floor.
"I told you to be careful," Indigo whispered against Leilani as she set herself on the floor also. She pulled her sister into her and both of them cried. I started taking steps away when Ronan's eyes found mine. He shook his head at me.
His lips mouthed only one word; 'touché,' and I shook my head and stepped away.
"You did this!" Leilani screamed at me right before I could slip away and I found Willow on the other side watching us. I shook my head while Leilani screamed out with a painful wail. She stood up and staggered towards me. Indigo held her back. "You didn't want Enzo to marry me so you did this,"
I only stared at her because what was I going to say? I did do this. It was all my plan even though I had tried to drop it. So I stared at her with a clenched jaw knowing damn well that despite being an Assassin, the guilt in my eyes wasn't something that I could hide.
"I hope you are happy now. I'm out of your way now. You are free to be Luna," She croaked out through more hoarse tears.
"You were never actually in my way Leilani," I said honestly because it was true.
"Then why did you have to get rid of me like this? In such a way that I can't even show my face to anyone?" She stared at me with eyes so red, they looked like they were bleeding.
Because I was jealous that you were actually free to be with Enzo. Because I hated the fact that despite loving me, he was willing to mark you. Because the thought of Enzo touching you instead of me made my blood boil. Because you are beautiful and I felt threatened by you. Because I was afraid that he would one day love you.
I didn't say any of these things to her. It wouldn't make her feel better knowing and it wouldn't make me feel any less crappy over what I just did to her.
"You'll never be happy, Aoife. For taking away everything that was supposed to be mine, you will always fall short of happiness when you're about to touch it. This is my curse on you. Your heart will always be in a constant state of suffering and longing," Leilani's gaze darkened from green to black as she cursed me and then she pushed past me to get away. Indigo went after her and Ronan went after them both.
I exhaled harshly. Willow was the only other person left here and she walked towards me. When she took my hand, I pulled it back.
"She shouldn't have cursed you, Aoife. It wasn't your fault," Willow gave me a sympathetic glance and it took everything in me not to raise my hand to hit her.
"Yes, it was yours!" I fought back, shoving the little witch to the floor. She landed with a thud. "I had told you to drop the plan but your revenge was more precious to you than anything else,"
"One day, Aoife, you will understand why I did this," Willow stated as she sat up and pulled herself off of the floor.
"You did this for yourself, you bitch!" I screamed at her, a little too loudly.
"No, I did it for Enzo," I threw my head back at that statement and rolled my eyes at her. "Come what may, he's like a brother to me and Leilani didn't deserve him. That's why I did this. It really didn't have anything to do with you,"
"And you think that I deserve him?"
"No. You don't deserve him either but you've already dug your own grave, Raven,"
Before I could even get another word out, Willow left. I just stood in the middle of the hall on the third floor absolutely floored. I don't know what I had just done but the images of Enzo beating up Jude and Leilani's devastating state absolutely broke my heart. I shouldn't have plotted against her. I shouldn't have done this to her. But most of all, I shouldn't have trusted Willow.
"Fuck!" I cursed under my breath in deep regret. I wasn't used to regretting but I felt so horrible right now. The clock ticked and I saw that it was only 10pm. I needed to get the stone and get the hell out of here. My time was running out.
I had rushed away from the hall, on my way to retrieve the stone when I stopped myself. I couldn't just leave. I needed to clear Leilani's name before leaving. I needed to speak to Enzo. I had never seen him that angry before even when Tinley left, another catastrophe which I was also responsible for.
All I ever brought upon Enzo was heartache. Ugh!
I made my way to his bedroom door and knocked. Enzo didn't respond. I knocked again. Still, no response. But I knew that Enzo was there. I just knew it.
"Enzo, it's Aoife. Please let me in," I announced as I knocked again but still, no response. "Enzo, pl-"
The door swung open and Enzo stood there. I didn't need him to say anything because his emotions had infected his aura. It was angry and powerful. He stared at me with dark eyes, the scene bringing me back to the day he almost marked me.
"What is it?" Enzo was direct in his question.
"Can I come in?" I asked softly, my voice in a plea. "Please,"
With a deep inhale, Enzo let me into his bedroom. He slammed the door shut and locked it. He wasn't wearing a shirt, only pants and his clothes which had Jude's blood over it was lying on the floor. I reached for his knuckle which was previously bloodied from hitting Jude but now it looked almost healed. Perks of being an Alpha, I guess.
"What do you want, Aoife?" Enzo asked as he settled into his chair. He was so angry that it unnerved me.
"I know that you're upset right now but-" I started then stopped midway, scared of telling the truth. What if he directed all of his anger towards me instead? That was highly likely. It was still the full moon and the man wasn't in complete control of his senses at the moment. He was feral right now and acting on primal instinct. I took a seat on his bed so I was directly opposite him.
"Have you considered that maybe whatever you saw might be a misunderstanding? Maybe there was some mistake," I treaded cautiously.
Enzo shook his head swiftly. "There was no mistake,"
"Enzo, listen to me. Maybe, Leilani was set up or something. I don't think that she's capable of doing such a thing to you on her wedding day," I explained, trying to dance around the fact that I set her up. I couldn't bring myself to admit that one fact.
Enzo's dark gaze rested on mine and switched between gold and black. His gaze was so dominant that the familiar heaviness started at my spine once more.
I guess Enzo really didn't want anyone defending Leilani. Maybe I should just keep my mouth-.
"Jude has been sleeping with Leilani since she was fifteen," My jaw dropped when Enzo let that statement out. I suddenly felt how rough his woollen fleece felt against my fingers.
"W-what?" My voice was barely a squeak.
"Leilani is twenty-three now. He was in a relationship with her before he marked my sister. He was still sleeping with her after marking my sister. Leilani only ended her relationship with Jude after she found out that she was actually mated to Rhys. After Rhys died, he sought her out again and they started their affair once more. After getting engaged to me, she was supposed to stop. I thought she did until the day that you told me that you saw them speaking. That's why I was so angry when you said it that day,"
My eyes stayed wide. I felt dizzy. Everything made so much sense and yet, no sense at all. I...I didn't know what to think.
"How do you know all of this?" I looked away from Enzo, unable to understand.
Enzo sighed into his hands, utterly frustrated.
"I smelt him on her the moment I met her after becoming Alpha. His scent was so strong on her that I understood that she'd been intimate with him for years. I have no idea how she ever planned to explain it to my brother when he became Alpha because from the way I knew Rhys, he would have taken her life,"
"Didn't your father do anything about it?" I asked because if Enzo could smell Leilani then definitely, his father would have been able to as well.
"He didn't and I assume it's because he was indebted to Leilani's grandfather. Also, Leilani was Rhys's mate so who she slept with before that fact didn't matter to him or anyone. The fact that she was his mate was the only important factor. Also, my father had cheated on my mother so much that he probably wasn't too worried about Jude doing the same to his daughter. Whatever his motivations were, I don't know but it was a very well hidden secret,"
"So then knowing this, why were you still willing to marry her?" I raised my voice at Enzo. This wasn't a joke. His fiancée was having an affair with his brother-in-law and he knew all about it.
"I didn't have a good reason to reject her," He stood firm on that excuse, unable to meet my eyes as his head remained in his palm.
"She was fucking your brother-in-law, there's no better reason than that!" I stood up now, my hands finding its way to my hips. This was truly a shit-show.
"I didn't want to hurt Erica. You saw her today, didn't you? She's devastated. She adores that hooligan! She'll never leave him. Ever. Especially now that she has Enys. She took very kindly to Leilani because she was Rhys's mate and Rhys loved Leilani deeply. I couldn't break that kind of news to her. Erica's been through enough already,"
"So you were just going to marry the girl who was sleeping with your sister's husband?" My voice came out so incredulous that I didn't even recognise myself.
"I felt guilty about Rhys. Leilani lost her mate because of me. I felt guilty about hurting Erica if she found out about this. And Leilani had assured me that she would have no contact with Jude anymore. She actually kept that promise until today,"
Enzo shut his eyes and when they opened, they were golden again.
"You can't blame me for giving her the benefit of the doubt. Yes, my decision was foolish but I couldn't reject her without telling Erica the truth and I didn't want to be the one to break her heart,"
"So Leilani knew that you knew about Jude?" I questioned more. This was just too entangled.
Enzo nodded. "I never hid it from her that I knew. I hate lies. All Leilani ever wanted was to become Luna. I killed her mate, I needed a Luna. If she was willing to go through with ending her affair then I was willing to have her. My issue wasn't even her affair. Her affair was before me. My issue was the person she was having the affair with. But how could I blame a fifteen year old girl for falling in love with the wrong guy? A guy who deceived her into thinking that they were mates and she would come to know this in three years?"
The weight of the truth crushed me more than the power of Enzo's gaze. That's what Willow meant when she said that Leilani didn't deserve Enzo. She knew. That's why Enzo was never really nice to Leilani, because he hated her in a way. Everything made sense now; How Indigo said she had told her to be careful, the way Enzo confronted Leilani. How both Leilani and Enzo reacted that night when I had said that I had seen Leilani with Jude.
But then, why did Leilani place a curse on me? If she was actually having an affair with Jude afterall?
Then I understood it clearly; She had ended the affair. But what I did brought her skeletons out of the cupboard and Enzo just didn't trust her enough to believe that at least this time - she was innocent.
I walked away from Enzo, everything seeming too hard to process. This was madness. All that had happened. All that had been revealed was mind boggling.
"Are you leaving?" Enzo asked as I reached for the door knob.
"Yes, Enzo," I responded. I needed to breathe. I needed to get that blue moonstone. I was done with the secrets of this pack. In my wildest dreams, I never thought that I would wrongfully accuse someone of cheating only to find out that they actually were! And to top it all off, Enzo knew all along and was still going to marry her.
"Stay, Aoife," Enzo told me, his tone a bit desperate.
"Why? Why should I stay?" I asked, moving the key to open the door.
I didn't hear Enzo when he got up but I felt him when he stood behind me, trapping me against the door.
I shuddered when Enzo pushed my hair back and whispered, "you know why."
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I know this chapter was mostly unexpected but well, always expect the unexpected.
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