“Well…” A smirk curled her lips before she dropped three things on the table: a card, a bottle of wine, and a small packet. “An invitation to the alpha’s birthday tomorrow. Simond won’t bring you, for sure, but I am inviting you myself because I love you, you know,” she said, feigning sincerity.
I grimaced. Everyone pretended to care about me only because they needed me for their own benefit. No one was ever genuine.
“You’re up to something, Tati.”
She sighed, dropping her pretense immediately. Twirling her hair, she flashed a grin.
“I want to get married. Unlike you, I want a secured future.”
“To whom? The Alpha?!”
“You sound shocked,” she said, smug. “I have to surpass you, after all. If not the beta, then the alpha himself.”
My eyes flicked to the bottle and the packet. “And those? What are they for?”
“Hello? I just told you I need to marry him. And to do that, I need to bed him on his 27th birthday. That’s the time he finds his mate, and it should be me.”
At first, I didn’t understand what she meant. I wasn’t close to the ruling family. Simond never introduced me to them, nor did he ever take me to these parties. But when she pushed the items closer to me, it hit me.
“Is that a drug?” I asked, furious.
She remained unfazed. “Yes. And once we’re done mating and I marry him, I’ll give you thirty percent of my share in Dad’s company.”
I shook my head. I didn’t want any part of this. I turned to leave, but she grabbed me. My eyes widened when I saw the blade in her hand.
“T-Tati…” I stuttered.
She smirked and pressed it to her throat. “Fine. Don’t help me. But just know, I’ll take it as jealousy. That you don’t want me to be happy. So I’ll kill myself.”
A sharp pain stabbed through my chest. I didn’t want her to get hurt—but I couldn’t let myself get dragged into this either.
“If anyone finds out what we did, we’ll be punished! Even you know that—”
“—How will he know? You won’t speak!” She dared me. “And I’ll make him fall crazy in love with me and that’s enough to protect you, I promise!”
She clasped her hands together in mock sincerity. But I knew the truth. If I got involved, my baby and I would be scrutinized. The entire pack would turn against us. And if that happened, I didn’t think Simond would save me.
He would finally have the excuse he needed to be free of me.
Tears spilled from my eyes.
“Please, Tati, stop this,” I begged.