Chapter 6："I Wish I'd Never Married You"
883words
Nearly the entire pack gathered for the event.
Under the moonlight, they would pray to the Moon Goddess for Flora's health and safety.
In the manor's central courtyard, Dane escorted Flora to the altar with solemn dignity.
Mike flanked her other side.
They formed a protective barrier around her.
The pack members below whispered among themselves.
"The Alpha clearly loves Flora more than his own mate."
"Sophia's broken without her wolf spirit. She has no business being our Luna."
"Flora would make a better match, if only they weren't siblings."
I didn't attend the ceremony. Instead, I watched from the attic window, oddly detached.
He'd deliberately set up the altar where I could see it—announcing to the entire pack how Flora ranked in his heart.
He wanted me to understand that my defiance had consequences.
On the altar, Astrid wore ceremonial robes and held a vial of blessed water.
She anointed Flora's forehead, her prayers rising to the Moon Goddess with genuine affection in her eyes.
Such a grand ceremony had never been held for me—not even when I nearly died saving Dane.
Not once.
During the ceremony, Dane's eyes scanned the crowd below, searching. After a moment, he looked away.
Shortly after, my phone buzzed with a message from him—
"Sophia, where are you?"
I switched off the screen.
Soon after, spectacular fireworks exploded across the night sky.
The display continued for thirty full minutes.
With each burst, just before the sparks faded, Flora's name appeared in glittering letters against the darkness.
I shut the window and frantically searched the cabinet for stronger painkillers.
After days of continuous use, my body had built up a tolerance.
What once lasted a day now barely gave me two hours of relief.
Sharp, stabbing pain ripped through my body again.
My body trembled violently. As I opened the door, intending to somehow get myself to the hospital, I found Flora at the top of the stairs—who should have been at her ceremony.
She held a small cake, her voice sickeningly sweet. "Sophia, I brought you cake. It is your birthday, after all."
Her eyes crinkled with a smile, caramel-colored irises radiating false warmth.
The perfect picture of an angel.
If only I didn't know the devil behind that angelic face.
She'd probably stuffed it with dead insects or laced it with more poison...
She'd done worse since I married Dane.
At first, I thought she just needed time to accept me—that kindness would win her over.
Later I realized she hated sharing Dane's affection with anyone.
And each time, Dane would convince me to let it go.
I loved Dane so deeply that I forced myself to love his family and tolerate their behavior.
But after all that sacrifice, I'd only lost myself.
I pushed past her, ignoring the cake, but she grabbed my wrist and yanked me back.
I was in too much pain to fight back. "You've won. Why can't you just leave me alone?"
At my words, Flora's smile widened as she dropped all pretense.
"It's not enough. A pathetic, broken bitch like you never deserved an Alpha's love!"
She leaned in, her lips brushing my ear. "Want to know a secret? Dane and I aren't blood relatives at all. I kissed him last week, and guess what? He kissed me back."
"He only married you out of obligation because you saved his life. The night before he proposed, he cried in my arms about it."
Something inside me finally broke.
Everything suddenly made sense—Flora's hatred, Astrid's coldness.
And Dane's divided loyalties.
So from beginning to end, Dane never truly loved me.
Tears blurred my vision.
"I want you to lose everything and disappear from this world forever."
After her venomous words, she released my wrist and deliberately threw herself down the stairs.
I watched, numb, as she flashed me a triumphant smile on her way down.
Her piercing scream shattered the silence.
"Sophia pushed me! I just wanted to bring her birthday cake!"
Blood poured from her leg as tears streamed down her pale face.
Guards rushed in, and a blur of movement materialized beside her.
Dane.
He spotted the crushed cake at the top of the stairs, fury blazing in his eyes as he glared up at me.
"Sophia, how could you? You've disappointed me beyond words."
My fingers dug into the wooden banister so hard they left marks.
I forced myself to stand straight, enunciating each word: "I. Did. Not. Push. Her."
"Still lying! What happened to you? When did you become so vicious?" he shouted.
I'd always known his wolf considered Flora pack—family to be protected at all costs.
Dane scooped Flora into his arms. As he turned to leave, he looked back at me with cold finality.
"Sophia, sometimes I truly regret it. I wish I'd never married you."
My body went rigid as tears finally spilled down my cheeks. "Dane, I regret..."
I wish I had never met you.
Dane's back stiffened. He froze mid-step and said coldly: "Your regrets come too late—"
I cut him off.
"I, Sophia Swift, from this moment forward, reject Dane Smith as my mate."
Dane's eyes widened in shock as he stared at me in disbelief.
