Candace
There was a question that I had always wanted to ask Deidre about that night.
3rd of February.
I ambled behind her, my eyes fixed on the jingling bracelets wrapped around her wrists, trying to ignore the searing pain on my back, or the stings from the wounds all over my arms and legs.
Now wasn't a good time, though. My hands were red and scalded from running Deidre's hot bath.
She had insisted the water had to be bubbling hot, making me dip my hand into it until it burned and scabbed. It didn't matter how many wounds and injuries my family inflicted on me; to them, it would never be enough.
I was a flea-ridden murderer that disgraced the Sinclairs' name, along with the rest of my family.
But again, Deidre was there that night. I had always wanted to ask her, for three years why she did what she did especially when I had just lost my father.
"Hi, family!" Deidre called, preening as we arrived at the dining hall.
Golden, glowing lights hung low from the chandelier in the middle of the ceiling. There was a huge family painting on one of the walls, in it stood my Uncle, Lady Elena, Deidre and Dylan. The painting used to be of me, my brother, and my parents, in one of the rose gardens Mom used to tend.
But now it has been replaced with a ridiculous painting of a family that pretended to be flawless but they were far from perfect. I limped to a corner where I wouldn't draw attention to myself, but I wouldn't be too far away to serve them.
The huge dining table was filled with my uncle—Beta Nathan and his wife, along with Deidre and her brother Dylan. Then Alpha Milan, Luna Ashley, and the triplets all dressed in immaculate black suits.
The rich laughter of Reign Pendragon, the second of the brothers, boomed through the air. A wistful smile tugged at my lips, my chest clenching in sorrow at what I had lost. I hadn't heard him laugh like that in three years.
It had always sounded like music, soothing and comforting. Now all it did was remind me of what I could have had and how it was all gone.
Reign sat next to Deidre, laughing at something someone had said at the table. His jet black hair was ruffled unlike Ragnor and Ryker's slick black hairstyle. Ragnor had always been a sucker for orderliness and we used to call Ryker his little copy cat because he always seemed to do whatever his big brother did.
Reign had always been a wild card and my heart grew heavier, watching his hazel eyes gleam with mischief.
He tossed a wink at Deidre who giggled, blushing from his attention. A pair of black studs adorned his ears. I had held his hands when he got them pierced four years ago.
"...Come on Reign, don't monopolize all her attention," Ragnor's sweet baritone voice sent shivers ripping through my skin.
"Yeah, talk to me too baby, why does Reign have to get all those smiles?" Ryker demanded, pointing a fork at his brother as he chewed rapidly. His scent was the strongest in the room, the delicious citrus and worm wood scent driving me heady.
"Y'all had your fun with her, it's my turn," Reign snickered, pulling Deidre into his lap, earning a boisterous laugh from my Uncle.
"Ugh, can you all go do your PDA somewhere else?" Dylan scoffed, rolling his brown eyes. He wasn't as tall as the Alpha triplets, or as huge and always seemed to have a permanent look of scorn on his face.
Those brown eyes moved across the room locking gazes with me and my spine froze immediately. His lips pulled in a wide grin, smacking his lips, Dylan licked the dripping sauce on his food, tossing a smug wink at me. "Some of us are trying to have dinner,"
I shifted uneasily, fear curling at the base of my spine. I knew that look.
Goddess, I hoped Dylan would just leave me alone tonight. I was battered and bruised and bleeding. I just wanted this night to be over and I could curl up on the stack of hay I slept on in the horse stables.
"Where's that stupid slave?!" Aunt Elena demanded and in ten fast strides, I walked briskly towards her keeping my head bowed low, fighting the tears that stung the corner of my eyes from every one's stares boring into me.
"Oh, you still keep the runt around?" Alpha Milan chuckled darkly, his dark grey eyes roaming over the wounds on my body.
"What can we do?" My uncle sighed wistfully, sloshing the wine in his glass around. "She's family even if she's worthy of death."
My father would have died for both of them and instead, to repay his love and friendship, they turned me into the lowest of all animals.
"Don't just stand there, serve the tea," Aunt Elena ordered, narrowing her eyes at me, daring me to disobey her just so she could find another excuse to punish me.
Shrinking further into myself, I grabbed the tea kettle by its handle, steadying my trembling hands before pouring tea into the white ceramic cups on each saucer. My legs wobbled as I served the triplets, shaking furiously when I finally reached Reign's chair.
His scent of dark amber, vanilla bourbon and dark coffee drifted into my nostrils, carrying memories of our mischievous games when I was still the Alpha's Princess and they—the Beta's boys. Tears burned the corner of my eyes as I poured tea into his cup.
Deidre was plopped in his lap, holding her cup up at me. I leaned down to serve her when she suddenly pushed my hand, causing the kettle to move and the hot liquid spilled over her hand instead.
"Oh my gosh, Careful Candy," Deidre cried, clutching her hand as she moaned in pain. "Oh my hand, it's scalding!"
My eyes widened and I backed away from her quickly.
What the fuck? She pushed me. Was she possessed?
"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Ryker bellowed, kicking his chair back, hot anger written all over his features.
I backed away even further in fear, my legs skidding a few steps behind me as he stormed over to a sobbing Deidre, grabbing her arm. His golden brown eyes blazed with contempt as he glared at me.
"Don't you have the common sense to be careful? Why does everything around you cursed runt have to be ruined?"
"Sorry baby girl, " Ragnor asked in a hushed tone, pressing soft kisses on the burn while Reign grabbed a jug of water from the dining table and slowly poured it over the burn.
My heart splintered in hurt, they had seen what she did, yet I was the one who was at fault.
"I… I didn't mean to, she—" I croaked, wincing when Aunt Elena slammed her spoon against the plate with a loud click.
"The stupid pig did it on purpose!" She screeched, rushing around the take towards me. Her face was livid with anger. I expected the slap, but the heavy blow still sent me flying to the ground.
"She pushed me," I cried weakly, unable to pick myself off the floor before Aunt Elena kicked me in the face.
"Are you calling my daughter a liar? You bitter stupid bitch. You wanted to scar my poor girl,"
"Oh no, mom, please, stop," Deidre whimpered, holding a hand out, her lips pulled in a sad,,innocent pout.
"Candy wouldn't do that on purpose. It must have been a mistake. Right, Candy? You would never want to harm me, your cousin, would you?"
This was who Deidre had always been ever since that night. She would act all innocent, the benevolent cousin who had begged for my life to be spared, while she was the incarnate of evil every time we were alone.
It stung, but what made it worse every time was how everyone, especially my mates always seemed to gobble up her lies, every single time, like blind fruit bats.
I understood that night had changed and broken them. It had broken me too. But couldn't they see Deidre for who she really was?
I sniffled, clutching my face as I watched them fawn over her.
"I'll be fine, She didn't mean it," she mumbled, wiggling her fingers in the air.
"I swear she should be punished for this," Ryker cursed, shooting death glares at me while running his hands over her hair. Reign pulled her tightly against him, her small arms wrapped around his huge frame.
"I'm sorry to have ruined the night for you guys," She whimpered, batting her lashes in that irritating manner that almost made me yank her hair.
"No, it's all her stupid fault," Ryker hissed, visibly trembling with anger, I feared that he would storm the few meters between us and finish what Aunt Elena started.
"I know what will make you feel better though," Ragnor said, straightening, his massive frame towering above everyone in the room. He reached into his suit jacket and fished out a box.
The world suddenly felt smaller and suffocating. My chest constricted in agony as I pressed my palm to it when Reign winked at Ryker and Ragnor popped open to the box.
"Oh my gosh," Deidre squealed as Ryker pulled her on her feet, the burn all forgotten. Reign rose as well, and all three of them stood before her, with Ragnor in the middle, holding the ring.
Aunt Elena gasped, fanning herself rapidly with her hands. "Nathan, it's finally happening!"
Tears welled up in my eyes at the realization of what was happening. Deidre was finally getting the happy ever after we had read about together when we were in high school. Only now, she was having it with my mates. My heart shattered as Reign broke the silence.
"These past years have been dark for us, but our sweet Deidre has been a beam of light through the darkness that made us incomplete." Reign spoke, holding her hands, pulling her closer. "Risking her life and her wolf even when it could have hurt her,"
It was a lie, I wanted to scream. It's all a lie. I managed to get back on my feet but my entire body froze in horror. I was petrified.
They had all rejected me a year ago before slamming the collar around my neck, to suppress my wolf because everyone was horrified that a cursed pack slave like me could be mated to the Alpha triplets. Now they wanted to propose to my cousin?
"We don't want to wait any longer, Didi," Ryker added, a boyish grin on his face. "We don't need to wait for a fated mate when the moon goddess already provided us with an angel."
An angel?
My eyes found the black studs in Reign's ears without meaning to, each word ripping through my punctured heart. I had held his hands when he got them pierced. He had pretended it didn't hurt and I had laughed at him for wincing.
Fresh tears lodged in my throat down my face. How could they do this to me? How could they be so spiteful and cruel, not caring that they drove a knife deeper into my chest every single time? They were supposed to be mine. They were supposed to love and cherish me.
"Would you do us the honor," Ragnor rasped, his eyes gazing tenderly at Deidre. "Of being our wife, our mate?"
"Yes, yes a million times!" My cousin screamed, jumping up and down in the dining hall. Alpha Milan and Luna Ashley rose off the table, clapping excitedly.
The collar on my neck tightened, choking me and the tears fell. Ragnor's impassive gaze connected with mine, but he ignored me. Again.
My heart broke further, pain lancing through my chest in beats. I couldn't afford to cry before them all. Dropping the kettle, I turned on my heels darting out of the dining hall, unable to bite back the sounds of anguish that tore from my throat.
I ran to the one place I could let it all out unaware that hell was about to break loose.