CHAPTER 5 No Longer Endure It She snorted quietly and leaned in to whisper in A*nâs ear.
âNo wonder Brad couldnât wait to be inside me, just look at the state of you.â She sneered.
A*n clenched her fingers into fists as she fought desperately to stop Maeve from launching at Ada and escalating this further.
âDonât just stand there and take this, the little b*tch needs to know her place. Let me teach her a lesson she wonât forget.â Maeve snarled angrily.
âMaeve, we canât, she doesnât have a wolf yet. You know the laws, it wouldnât be a fair fight, and the punishment..â
âScrew the punishment, A*n, let me just bite her a little bit, maybe remove one of her limbs. At least then sheâll have fewer appendages to wrap around other peopleâs mates.â She snapped viciously as she tried to surge forwards.
A*n closed her eyes tightly, clenched her jaw, and fought back against her wolf as Ada sniggered.
âAwww, whatâs wrong? Is your little wolf angry?â
It didnât take long for A*n to regain control, her wolf slinking off to slump in a corner and growl threateningly. Before long, the rage of her wolf had subsided and silence descended. A*n opened her eyes to glare icily at her sister.
âWhat do you think, Ada? You slept with her soul mate, the one who was intended as our perfect match! I know you hate me, but it was unnecessary.â A*n finally replied, her face calm and composed.
Ada frowned before her eyes darkened and her face twisted into an ugly mask of spiteful anger.
âUnnecessary? I think it was very much needed actually. If only to prove that I will always be better than you. You swan around here thinking that youâre little miss perfect. Mark my words A*n, Iâll make sure that you are nothing and have nothing by the time Iâm finished. Iâm sick of living in your shadow.â She hissed furiously.
âA*n! What is the meaning of this?! Why were you out so late?!â A Slimy, sickly sweet voice called out.
Narcissa, A*nâs stepmother emerged from the drawing room, with A*nâs father close behind.
A*n reluctantly tore her gaze away from her stepsister and focused her attention on Narcissa. The two stared at each other for a while as Ada sauntered to her motherâs side and tilted her head arrogantly as she turned to face A*n once again.
âI needed to clear my head.â A*n finally answered flatly, feeling like an exhibition on display with everyoneâs attention on her.
âOh but your dress came! How lovely!â Narcissa simpered with a poisonous smile on her face.
âIâm surprised you didnât hurry down to show your parents before you disappeared out into the night doing goodness knows what.â She continued flippantly, her eyes full of malice.
Before A*n could stop herself she found herself snorting, loudly.
âParents? I think youâre mistaken⦠donât you mean parent? My mother died a long time ago and you are not fit to share that honor with her memory.â A*n answered casually.
Narcissa gasped and covered her mouth as she turned to face A*nâs father with a horrified and hurt expression.
âYou ungrateful little cow! How can you speak to your stepmother this way?!â A*nâs father blustered.
âBecause sheâs the kind of stepmother that you read about in fairy tales. Sheâs not deserving of a place here.â A*n answered simply.
She was tired of this forced masquerade as a happy family. The family was supposed to be warm and inviting with a sense of comfort and security, not cold and unfriendly with the necessity of having to watch your back constantly with no support.
Her father lashed out at the wall next to him angrily as he began to advance toward A*n, growling a warning.
Ada rushed across to him and took hold of his arm with a sly smirk in A*nâs direction as she feigned an attempt to try to stop him.
âDad! Please! Calm down! Donât be angry! Itâs fine, weâre used to all the comments she throws at us.â
Ada whined.
A*n glared furiously at the trio as Narcissa joined her daughter in the pathetic act of caring for family members. How could her father not see through this charade?!
As Narcissa rubbed soothing circles on her fatherâs back she focused her attention on A*n again.
âPlease A*n, you know your fatherâs health isnât good. Letâs not trigger another episode with unnecessary nastiness, hmm?â She pleaded in a sickly sweet voice.
But A*n didnât miss the smirk that danced on her lips.
âYou should take a good look at your sisterâs demeanor, A*n. You might actually learn how to conduct yourself properly!â A*nâs father snarled.
âLearn what?â A*n laughed in disbelief, âLearn how to seduce and sleep with another femaleâs mate?
Maybe. She seemed to have the talent for it when she was f*cking my mate in her room upstairs!â
Her words hung in the air before a ferocious roar escaped from her father.
âHow dare you speak about your sister that way?! There is no way she would do such a despicable thing!â
âSister? Have you lost your mind, father? My mother only gave birth to one child.â An* sneered as she swept her gaze disdainfully over Narcissa and Ada.
âYou know something? Thereâs a popular saying, isnât there? Now, what was itâ¦Ah, yes! âThe apple doesnât fall far from the treeâ. It fits both Narcissa and Ada perfectly, donât you think? Her mother seduced my father and broke his mateâs heart, and now her daughter aims to do the same thing. Ironic really, isnât it?â A*n continued furiously, her face shrouded with contempt.
A cold silence descended in the hallway, her father, Narcissa, and Ada all frozen in shock at the words she had uttered.
For years, A*n had remained silent and now that her life was about to change so drastically, there was no need to keep up with the pretense anymore.