"Ava! Stop being childish!" Frank barked, his voice laced with irritation.
"This gathering Alice organized today is especially for you to unwind. She even wants to sincerely apologize to you during this party. It's her way of showing she cares. Don't be ungrateful!"
Despite my protests, Frank all but dragged me out of the door.
As we approached the car, I rummaged through my small bag and pulled out a charmed mask. Just as I was about to put it on, Frank's hand shot out and stopped me.
He leaned in close, his eyes locking onto mine with a false sense of tenderness.
In that moment, he seemed like the hero of some twisted fairytale, but I knew better. "You don't need that, Ava. I believe in you, and you should believe in yourself, too. Trust me," .
Before I could react, his long fingers plucked the mask from my grasp and tossed it out of the car window.
Then, with a firm grip on my wrist, he hauled me out of the vehicle.
The sounds of raucous music and laughter from the ball filled the air, and I was thrust, unprotected.
The moment we stepped into the bustling bar, which was filled with werewolves from various packs, all eyes seemed to zero in on me.
Some werewolves' eyes glowed faintly, a sign of their heightened emotions, as they sized me up, no doubt thinking of the scandalous videos that had been circulating.
We stepped into the grand ballroom.
"Look at this slut!" a gruff - voiced werewolf roared, pointing directly at me.
"Those videos prove she's nothing but a cheap thrill."
Another snarled, "With a body like that, she was made to spread her legs. No wonder she's the laughingstock of every pack."
The mocking laughter was deafening.
I tried to hold my head high, but Frank roughly shoved me forward. "Keep moving. Don't make a scene."
Inside the private box,the air was thick with malice. "I'm sick. I want to leave," I pleaded, my voice breaking.
One of Frank's packmates, his eyes wild with lust, grabbed my wrist.
"Leaving so soon? We're just getting started."
He yanked me closer, his breath hot on my neck.
"You're not going anywhere until I'm done with you."
Frank just stood there, watching. "You brought this on yourself, Ava. Now, face the consequences."
I struggled, but the werewolf's grip was like iron.
"Please, let me go!" I begged, but my pleas were met with more laughter.
"Hey, sister - in - law? You gotta have some real fun with us," one of Frank's rowdy packmates jeered.
"We know you're not as innocent as you pretend to be, not after those videos."
I gritted my teeth, trying to hold back the bile rising in my throat.
"Leave me alone,"
He laughed, a cruel, mocking sound.
"Oh, come on. Don't be such a spoilsport. We're just getting started."
Just then, Alice popped out from behind the crowd, wearing a sickeningly sweet smile. "Oh, you guys, stop it! You're scaring my future sister - in - law!"
she exclaimed, her voice falsely cheerful.
But her eyes betrayed her true intentions as she roughly grabbed my arm. "Let's go, honey. We'll have a much better time in the middle of the room."
I dug my heels in, but her grip was like iron.
She ignored me, dragging me towards the center
"Nonsense. You'll thank me later."
The dazzling crystal chandelier above felt like a searing spotlight, exposing me completely, leaving me with nowhere to hide.
In my panic, I looked towards Frank, desperately hoping for some help.
He sat in the corner,casually swirling the wine in his glass.
"Frank, please," I mouthed, my eyes pleading.
He just smiled at me, that same false tenderness I had once loved. "It's okay, Ava. Just go along with it."
This was the man who had reduced me to the lowest of the low, a laughingstock for everyone.
As soon as we entered the dancing pool, a storm of malicious gazes assaulted me.
"Look at her, all prim and proper on the surface, but a total slut underneath," someone sneered from the shadows.
Another voice piped up, "Yeah, I bet she's loving all the attention. She probably planned this whole thing."
I wanted to run, to hide, but Alice still had a firm hold on my arm. "Smile, Ava. This is your night," she hissed in my ear.
