The days since I learned the truth about Bryce and Dorothy had blurred into one monotonous nightmare. I had become a shell of the woman I used to be, cold and robotic, following their orders without question.
Tonight, I was preparing for Dorothy’s birthday party—a grand spectacle Bryce had planned with no expense spared. It was a Friday evening, pack members and Bryce’s friends filled the space. The scent of expensive champagne, laughter, and the clinking of glasses filled the air.
The sound of my phone vibrating pulled me out of my thoughts. I glanced at the screen. Hannah. My sister.
I hesitated before answering. I hadn’t told her anything about my situation with Bryce. She thought we were still the picture-perfect couple.
“Hello?” I stepped out of my room, walking down the quiet hallway to avoid being overheard.
“Carsen, thank the Moon Goddess you picked up! There’s an emergency.”
My chest tightened. “What happened?”
“It’s Mom and Dad. The company’s gone bankrupt.”
“What?” My voice cracked, and I leaned against the wall, my head spinning.
“The tension between the packs has ruined their business,” Hannah continued, “They’re desperate, Carsen. They’re planning an arranged marriage for you.”
“What?” I repeated, my mind unable to keep up.
“Alpha Tyrell James,” she said. “He’s wealthy, powerful, and willing to merge packs with ours. They think this is the only way to save everything.”
I felt like the ground had been pulled out from under me. “Hannah, I can’t—”
“You have to, Carsen,” she cut me off. “This thing with Bryce… it’s going nowhere. Seven years, Carsen. Seven years, and he hasn’t even proposed. Do you think he’ll ever make you his Luna?”
I swallowed hard, my throat burning. “It’s not that simple.”
“It is,” Hannah insisted. “You deserve better. Break up with him. End it before it destroys you.”
After the call, I stayed in the hallway for a long time, staring at the floor. My mind was a whirlwind of confusion. What was I supposed to do? My family had no idea about the hell I was living in, and now they wanted me to marry someone else.
As if things couldn’t get worse, I had another secret weighing on me—a secret I hadn’t even told Hannah.
I was pregnant.
The realization still felt surreal. I hadn’t dared to think about it too much, too afraid of what it would mean. But now, with my family’s demands and Bryce’s betrayal looming over me, I felt like I was suffocating.
I forced myself to go back downstairs. The party was in full swing, the living room alive with chatter and laughter. My gaze was drawn to Bryce, who was standing in the center of it all, a glass of champagne in hand. Dorothy stood beside him, glowing with delight as he presented her with the diamond necklace, a gift so extravagant that it made my stomach churn. I couldn’t help but compare it to the cheap trinkets he had given me over the years.
“It’s stunning,” she gushed, running her fingers over the sparkling stones.
“Only the best for you,” Bryce said, his voice warm and adoring in a way he hadn’t spoken to me in years.
My chest tightened, jealousy and rage warring within me. I thought about all the times I’d been happy with a simple bracelet or a bouquet of flowers. Now I realized it wasn’t because Bryce couldn’t afford more—it was because he never thought I was worth it.
I couldn’t stay in this place. Not anymore.
The next morning, I met with Hannah at a small café outside of town. As soon as I sat down, the floodgates opened, and I told her everything.
Bryce. Dorothy. The lies. The humiliation.
Hannah’s face turned red with fury. “I can’t believe this! That bastard!”
“Keep your voice down,” I hissed, glancing around nervously.
“Why should I?” she shot back. “Carsen, this is insane. You can’t keep letting them treat you like this.”
“I don’t want to cause a scandal,” I said weakly.
“A scandal?” she repeated, her voice dripping with disbelief. “Carsen, you’re pregnant with his child! Do you think he’ll care? Do you think he’ll suddenly step up and be the mate you deserve?”
Her words hit me like a slap.
“You need to fight for your freedom,” she continued, her tone fierce. “And your dignity. You’re not some toy for Bryce to use and toss aside. You’re better than this.”
Tears stung my eyes. “What should I do, Hannah? I can’t just leave.”
“Yes, you can.” She leaned forward, her expression hardening. “I’ll help you. We’ll make him regret everything he’s done to you. You and that baby deserve a fresh start—and some payback.”
For the first time in weeks, a spark of hope flared in my chest.
That evening, I returned to Bryce’s house, determined to play my part one last time. They didn’t know I was leaving soon, didn’t know that Hannah and I were already making plans.
Bryce had packed a bag for a business trip and left without much ceremony, but not before warning me, “Don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone. And keep an eye on Dorothy.” As if she needed a babysitter.
After he left, Dorothy cornered me in the kitchen, her smile as sharp as ever.
“Don’t think for a second that Bryce will ever choose you,” she said, her eyes raking over me with disdain. “A man like him needs someone better, not…” She gestured vaguely at me. “not a trash.”
Her words stung, but I kept my face blank. I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of seeing me break.
