Alpha Nocturne's Contracted Mate

CHAPTER 5 No Longer Endure It

The shocked silence lasted only a matter of seconds before her father exploded angrily, shouting incoherently as Ada and Narcissa did their best to calm him down.

Ann watched their struggle emotionlessly. It was about time they all heard a few home truths.

"Ann, that's enough you've gone too far! Look at the state of your father! After everything I've done…" Narcissa snapped as she grappled with her husband, trying desperately to soothe his wolf.

"Everything that you've done?!" Ann laughed incredulously.

"Tell me which part I should be thankful for Narcissa? The part where you seduced my father into breaking his sacred mate bond? Maybe the part where my mother finally lost her fight and gave up on life? Or perhaps I should be grateful for the times that you've pushed me out of this poor excuse for a family and excluded me in favor of your own blood?" She spat disdainfully.

Ada did her best to appease her mother before she whirled furiously and stalked toward Ann stopping just millimeters away from her face.

Ann glared back coldly, the hatred between the two of them almost electrifying in the air.

"You have no right to speak to my mother like that. You're right in what you said earlier though." She snarled, a sardonic grin playing at the edges of her mouth,

"Oh really? I'm surprised you would agree with me on anything." Ann s snorted and narrowed her eyes warily.

"I'll happily admit if there's any truth to what you say. 'The apple doesn't fall far from the tree' wasn't it? You're absolutely right." She smirked and threw her head back arrogantly, glaring down her nose haughtily.

Ann steeled herself for the words that Ada was about to throw at her. If she agreed with anything, it was only because it served her purpose.

"You were right with that statement, do you want to know why?"

"Not really, Ada. Your little theatrics bore me quite honestly. I have better things to do with my time" Ann answered casually as she turned to leave.

Ada's arm shot out and she gripped Ann's arm painfully, digging her fingernails into the soft flesh with a smile.

"Oh, you'll stay and listen you weak little bitch." Ada hissed quietly so no one could hear but the two of them.

"You and your mother are the same. Weak-willed, insipid wretches that can't hold onto their men. When they've stolen away, they blame everyone but themselves. Look at you, you're as pathetic as she was." She snorted.

Before Ann could stop herself, she had reacted on impulse and brought her hand around in a swift arc, the sound of the slap she landed on Ada's face echoed sharply.

It seemed to happen in slow motion as her hand connected and Ada's head snapped round, the force of the impact knocking her off balance as she staggered to the side slightly and let go of Ann's arm.

Ann was breathing heavily as she tried to reign in her own anger. She had never wanted to pummel someone as badly as she did Ada right now.

Ada turned her head slightly to grin at her from the floor, and the madness on her face startled Ann momentarily as she stared back with wide eyes of disbelief.

"Do you know why Brad chose me over you?" Ada laughed, the sound a little unhinged as she drew in a long breath slowly.

She stood unsteadily, and faced Ann again, staying a little out of arms reach this time as her eyes danced with a hostile fire as she smoothed her clothes down.

"It's because I'm carrying his child." She giggled coyly.

Ann froze as a chill swept over her. It couldn't be. Then, that would mean this had happened more than once.

As she wrestled with her conflicting emotions and stared blankly ahead of her in shock, Ada smirked as she began to slowly circle her.

"Such a pity that of all the years you spent with him, he simply couldn't get me out of his mind. You weren't enough Ann, you'll never be enough. When he left you in the evenings he came to warm my bed. All you ever were was a title to him, a means to inherit a kingdom." Ada intoned quietly, her poisonous words etching their mark painfully into Ann's heart.

Then, all of the times he left hurriedly were because of Ada. There were never any assignments, family meetings, or pack business… it was all hastily concocted excuses so that he could lay with her step-sister... and she had been ignorant to it the whole time. 

She felt like such a fool.

As much as she wanted to scream and cry and rage, Ann managed to retain her composure and tried her best to close her heart off from the pain. She dug her fingernails into her palm to distract herself as Ada continued her rambling.

"Such a pitiful little wretch." Ada tutted with a sneer. "Don't worry though, I'll talk with my father soon enough, and then it will be Brad and me that are married." She smirked happily as she ceased her predatory circling and stood in front of Ann again.

She swept her gaze over Ann once more, the disdain and contempt oozing out of her very being, and leaned in close in an effort to intimidate her.

"I told you, Ann, I will take everything from you and there is nothing that you can do to take it back."

Ann stared at her and felt all of the fights leave her. Why should she care now? She had a new plan and that didn't include ever seeing Brad or Ada ever again.

As a strange sense of calmness settled over her, numbing the aching pain in her heart, she smiled serenely at Ada and almost laughed at the look of confusion on her face.

"You can have him, Ada. He's not worth my time or my energy. I have bigger and better things to do right now than play your little games. Good luck with your new child and your impending marriage. I hope you don't regret your actions."

With that, Ann gathered her skirts in her arms once again and turned to begin the climb up the staircase.

The sooner she was out of this stupid dress, the better.

Chapter 6 - Alpha Nocturne's Contracted Mate