Melissa.

Caleb's voice tore through the crowd, "You are our mate!"

The word mate did not come with awe or reverence. It came wrapped in a growl, heavy with contempt. He stepped forward as he said it, boots striking the ground with purpose, his eyes locking onto mine, not with recognition, not with longing, but with naked disgust, as though the bond itself offended him.

Before I could even breathe, Cypril scoffed.

"How hilarious, brothers," he said, his lips curling into a cruel smirk. "This weak thing was mated to us." His gaze dragged over me slowly, deliberately, as if measuring how unworthy I was. Then he laughed, sharp and mocking. "Does the Moon Goddess take us as a joke?"

His glare cut deep, pinning me in place. It felt like every flaw I'd ever had was suddenly visible, magnified beneath his stare. My chest tightened as my eyes flicked from one face to the next-Cain, Cypril, Caleb, the others-each expression reflecting the same emotion. Revulsion. Disbelief. Shame... for me.

I swallowed hard, my throat dry, my heart pounding so loudly I was sure they could hear it. This was not how it was supposed to feel. The bond, the moment every wolf dreamed of. Instead, all I could feel was humiliation crawling beneath my skin.

I wished, suddenly and desperately, that I had never been chosen.

The thought came unbidden, sharp and terrifying.

Would they reject me?

Just imagining it sent chills racing down my spine. A rejection wasn't just a refusal, it was a scar that never healed, a mark that followed you for life. My fingers trembled at my sides as the fear settled in my bones, heavy and suffocating.

Then Cain laughed.

It wasn't loud at first. Just a low, amused chuckle that made my stomach twist. He stepped closer, invading my space until I could smell him, power, dominance, judgment. Before I could react, his hand shot out. Rough fingers grabbed my chin, forcing my face upward. His grip was firm, uncaring.

With a sharp twist, he tossed my face to the side, like I was nothing more than an object he was done inspecting.

"This is really a joke," he said coldly. "She can only pass as our maid."

The words landed like a slap.

For a heartbeat, the world went silent.

Then laughter exploded around me, loud, merciless, echoing from every direction. It swallowed me whole. I felt dozens of eyes burn into my skin, stripping me bare, feeding on my humiliation. My chest ached as I stood there, frozen, unable to defend myself, unable to disappear.

Somewhere in the crowd, a whisper rose, soft, but sharp enough to reach me.

"Can you imagine?" a voice sneered. "She just went from a thief to a reject."

The words pierced straight through my heart, sinking deep like a thousand needles at once. My breath hitched. I blinked rapidly, fighting the sting behind my eyes, fighting the weakness threatening to drag me down.

More laughter followed, cruel and endless, until it felt like it was ringing inside my skull. My ears burned. My face burned. Everything burned with shame.

I wished the ground would open up beneath my feet.

I wished it would swallow me whole and spare me this moment, this bond that felt more like a curse than fate.

My father rushed forward before I could even gather my thoughts, his movements hurried, almost desperate. He bowed low, his voice trembling as it rang out across the clearing.

"Forgive my incompetence, Alphas," he said quickly. "I am willing to make amends for my daughter!"

The words struck me like a blow.

Make amends?

My mind reeled as I stared at his back. What did he mean by that? What kind of mistake was I that needed correcting? Was it a crime...my crime...that the Moon Goddess had bound me to them?

My chest tightened painfully as the question echoed in my head, unanswered and heavy.

One of the Alphas–Cain spoke, his tone cold and sharp, slicing through the murmurs around us.

"And how do you intend to make amends, Beta Silas?"

The clearing fell silent. Every breath felt too loud.

My father straightened slightly, as though he had already made his decision long before this moment. There was no hesitation in his voice when he answered.

"I am willing to offer my other daughter to you all."

The world tilted.

My heart lurched violently in my chest, panic exploding through my veins. I stared at him in disbelief, my hands curling into fists as the meaning of his words sank in. Just like that, he had discarded me. Just like that, he had placed my sister on a silver platter and handed her over to the triplet Alphas.

Then what would happen to me?

The question screamed inside my head, loud and desperate. No one answered it. No one even looked at me. I was suddenly invisible, a problem pushed aside, a mistake erased.

Fear wrapped itself tightly around my lungs, making it hard to breathe. If Amelia took my place if she stood where I had been forced to stand, what was left for me? Rejection? Exile? A life branded by shame?

Even through the fog of my despair, my eyes betrayed me. They lifted, unwillingly, to the triplet Alphas.

And that was when I saw it.

The subtle shift in their expressions. The way their rigid disgust melted into something else. A smile, slow, satisfied, crept onto their faces, one after the other. It was small, but unmistakable.

My heart sank.

They would accept this. Of course they would. This was everything they wanted, everything they had been denied. Finally, they could be with the one they loved.

Tears blurred my vision as the truth settled deep in my chest. I had never stood a chance. I never did.

"I have always lost to you, Amelia," I whispered, the words slipping from my lips like a broken confession. They tasted bitter, heavy with years of silent defeat.

My father's voice rang out again, formal and final, sealing my fate without ever looking my way.

"I, Beta Silas, hereby announce and declare my daughter Amelia engaged to the Alpha triplets."

The word engaged pierced straight through my heart.

It hurt so much I nearly staggered.

Slowly, I turned my head, drawn by an ache I couldn't ignore. Amelia was looking at me. Her lips curved upward, her eyes shining, not with surprise, not with gratitude, but with triumph.

It was a smile I knew too well.

Her victory smile.

The Alpha triplets didn't waste a second. They stepped away from me as though I had never existed, closing the distance between themselves and Amelia instead. Their hands reached for her, gentle, possessive, reverent, holding her as if she were the rarest gem in the world.

And I was left behind.

They didn't tell me my fate. No words of acceptance. No words of rejection. Nothing.

I stood there alone, abandoned in the space between what I was and what I was no longer allowed to be. Neither chosen nor cast aside completely.

And I realized, with a hollow ache in my chest, that this, this uncertainty, this silence was the greatest torment of all.

Melissa.

"You shameless bitch!"

My father's voice thundered through the room, shaking the walls and my already fragile resolve. His eyes were locked on me, blazing with fury and disgust, as if I were something filthy that had stained his life. Before I could even lift my head, his hand swung.

The impact came fast and brutal.

Pain exploded across my face as his palm connected with my cheek, snapping my head to the side. My ears rang, my vision blurring for a moment as his words followed the blow, sharp and merciless.

"Why can't you just be like your sister?"

That question again.

It echoed in my mind, familiar and cruel, a sentence I had heard my entire life. I swallowed hard, tasting blood at the corner of my mouth as I stared at the floor. No matter how hard I tried, no matter what I did, I never fit. I was always lacking, always wrong, always the disappointment standing beside perfection.

My father paced in front of me like an enraged beast.

"You nearly cost me my head!" he roared. "Even the Alpha triplets couldn't withstand you! Do you know what would have happened if your sister wasn't in our lives?"

His words pressed down on me, heavy and suffocating. My hands trembled where they rested on my lap, but I stayed silent, my knees aching against the cold floor. I had been ordered to kneel the moment the ceremony ended, instructed not to move, not to speak.

I was still here because my punishment had not yet been decided.

Because, as they said, I had failed the family.

"She has always been a disaster, Dad!"

Fredrick's voice cut in harshly, filled with venom. I lifted my eyes just enough to meet his glare, a look so full of hatred it felt like it could pierce straight through me. There was no brotherly warmth there, no hesitation, only accusation.

I lowered my gaze again.

My body felt heavy, exhausted from holding in everything I wasn't allowed to express. Every muscle screamed in protest, but I stayed kneeling, just as they wanted, just as I had been taught.

Then Amelia spoke.

"Dad, please calm down. It isn't Melissa's fault."

Her voice was soft, gentle, wrapped in false kindness. It floated through the tension like a balm, and I felt every pair of eyes shift toward her. When I dared to glance up, I saw the expression on her face, a smile so carefully composed it could easily be mistaken for concern.

"Let's leave her, Dad," she continued sweetly. "I forgive her for stealing my necklace. The family is safe for now."

Those words did it.

I barely had time to flinch before another sharp sound cracked through the air. My head snapped sideways as pain erupted anew, hotter and more stinging than before.

My mother.

Luisa's hand had struck me hard, her eyes cold and unforgiving.

"How dare you steal your sister's necklace?" she demanded, her voice trembling with outrage. "How dare you shame this family even further?"

The room spun slightly as I fought to steady my breathing. My cheek burned. My jaw ached. But I said nothing.

There was no point.

I didn't try to explain. I didn't deny it. I didn't cry out in protest. I simply knelt there in silence, my head bowed, my hands clenched tightly to keep them from shaking.

Because I knew the truth.

They would never believe me.

No matter what I said, no matter how loudly I screamed my innocence, it would always be drowned out by Amelia's soft words, by their need for me to be the villain. I was the easy one to blame, the family's burden, the disaster they all agreed upon.

So I stayed quiet.

And let their judgment fall on me like it always did.

"Amelia, darling, there is no need to go soft on her."

My brother's voice cut through the room with practiced ease, smooth and confident, as if he were stating an obvious truth. He moved closer to Amelia, slipping an arm around her and pulling her into his chest, holding her like something fragile and precious. Like a baby that needed shielding.

"She deserves to be punished," Fredrick continued, his gaze flicking toward me briefly, filled with disdain. "Maybe then she'll finally learn how to act the right way."

The words settled heavily in the air, final and condemning.

"But Fredrick..." Amelia began, her voice hesitant, almost pleading, as though she were torn between mercy and duty.

She never finished.

My father straightened, his expression hardening into something cold and unyielding. When he spoke, his voice carried authority, no room for debate, no space for mercy.

"According to the family book of law," he said firmly, "Melissa is to be whipped thirty strokes."

The sentence fell like a death knell.

Before I could even process the meaning of his words, before fear could fully take shape in my chest, he turned and walked out of the room. Just like that. As if my fate had been nothing more than a line to be read aloud and forgotten.

The room seemed to freeze for a heartbeat.

Then everything moved at once.

In a split second, the guards stepped forward. Strong hands seized my arms, their grip unrelenting as they yanked me to my feet. My knees nearly buckled beneath me, the sudden movement sending a jolt of pain through my body.

I didn't resist.

What was the point?

They dragged me toward the door, my feet barely touching the ground as I struggled to keep my balance. The murmurs behind me faded, replaced by the heavy sound of boots and my own uneven breathing.

"Wait!"

Amelia's voice rang out suddenly.

The guards didn't stop, but I felt a tug in my chest as I realized she was following us. She rushed after me, her footsteps light and hurried, as if she truly cared.

"Melissa, I am so sorry," she said, leaning in close as we paused briefly in the corridor. Her face was inches from mine, her eyes wide, her expression filled with what looked like remorse.

For a moment, I almost believed it.

Then she lowered her voice, her lips brushing near my ear, the sound barely more than a whisper.

"The Alpha triplets have always been mine," she murmured softly. "You should have known your place. Think of this as a little gift of mine."

The words slid into me like poison.My heart shattered quietly, painfully, piece by

piece.

Amelia straightened, her expression shifting in an instant. The sorrow vanished, replaced by calm satisfaction. She reached out, brushing at my clothes as if removing invisible dirt, her fingers light and dismissive.

Then she turned her back on me.

Without another word, she walked away, her steps unhurried as she headed back inside, back to warmth, safety, and victory.

I was left standing there, restrained by the guards, being dragged forward again, down a path I hadn't chosen, toward a punishment I could not escape. My chest felt hollow, my spirit weighed down by misery and the cruel reality of my fate.

Why was I so unfortunate?

Melissa.

I was placed on the table in front of our house, my body stretched out like an offering meant for slaughter. The wood beneath me was cold and unforgiving, pressing into my skin as rough hands secured me in place. I could feel every splinter, every uneven edge, as if the table itself was preparing me for what was to come.

My father was already seated a few steps away, his posture rigid, his expression carved from stone. He did not look at me as a daughter. He looked at me as a sentence waiting to be carried out.

My gaze drifted despite myself.

Amelia clung to Fredrick, tucked into his arms like a fragile child seeking comfort. He held her tightly, one hand resting protectively on her back. They both looked at me, Amelia with wide, glistening eyes that reflected nothing but cold triumph beneath the surface, Fredrick with open disdain. Neither of them looked away.

"Start!" my father ordered.

The word had barely left his mouth when the first whip cut through the air.

The sound came before the pain, a sharp, whistling crack then agony exploded across my back. Fire erupted along my skin, searing and blinding. My body arched violently against the restraints as a scream tore from my throat. I was certain my flesh had split open, that my skin had already peeled away under the force of it.

I gasped for breath, my chest heaving as tears burned down my face.

Then came the second whip.

This time, the pain was deeper, heavier. It crashed into me with brutal force, driving the air from my lungs. A sickening numbness spread through my body, replacing the sharp agony with something far more terrifying. I heard a sound, sharp, unmistakable.

A crack.

My breath hitched in panic. Fear flooded me, cold and paralyzing. What if I never walk again? The thought screamed through my mind as my legs trembled uselessly beneath me.

Inside me, my wolf roared.

She stirred violently, pacing, snarling, her pain mirroring mine. I felt her shift uncomfortably within me, her fury and fear clashing as she strained against the bonds holding us both captive. Her anguish only amplified my own, doubling the torment.

The third whip came down before I could recover.

By then, I was no longer fully present. The world blurred at the edges, sounds becoming distorted, distant. Faces melted into shadows. My cries weakened, fading into hoarse, broken sounds as my strength drained away. My vision swam, darkness creeping in like a slow, merciless tide.

My eyelids fluttered.

I fought to keep them open, fought to stay conscious, but my body betrayed me. Everything hurts.

Then came the fourth whip.

My body jerked violently against the table as unbearable pain tore through me one final time. Something warm filled my mouth. I choked, coughing as a mouthful of blood spilled from my lips, splattering against the wood beneath me.

I couldn't hear anything anymore.

I couldn't see.

The world slipped away as the last bit of strength left my body, and darkness swallowed me whole.

Splash!

I gasped as icy water crashed over me, shocking me awake. My eyes flew open instantly, my body jerking as the cold seeped deep into my bones, biting and merciless. Every nerve screamed in protest. Pain rushed back all at once, hot, overwhelming, unbearable, layered over the numbing chill that clung to my skin.

I blinked rapidly, my vision swimming, until two familiar eyes came into focus.

Fredrick.

He stood over me, looking down with nothing but contempt etched across his face. There was no concern there only disgust.

"Weakling," he sneered, his lips curling cruelly. "You couldn't even take the fifth whip, and you think you can escape?" He gave a short, mocking laugh. "Dream on."

His words cut deeper than the cold water soaking into my clothes. My chest tightened painfully as I tried to move, only to realize my body barely responded. I was still strapped down, still exposed, still powerless.

Fredrick turned sharply, his patience clearly exhausted.

"Give me the whip," he ordered the guards coldly. "I'll discipline her myself, as her brother."

The words shattered something inside me.

Tears streamed freely down my face as I turned my head slightly, my gaze locking onto him. My vision blurred, but I could still see him clearly enough. I had always known Fredrick didn't like me. His indifference had long since turned into open hostility.

But this?

I never imagined he could hate me this much.

My lips trembled as I tried to speak, but no sound came out. Only a broken sob escaped my throat, swallowed by the open air.

Whoosh!

The sound came fast, violent, slicing through the air before I could even brace myself.

The fifth whip landed on my back with devastating force.

Agony exploded through me, brighter and sharper than before. I screamed, a raw, broken sound torn straight from my chest. The pain was unbearable, far worse than the guards' strikes. My wet clothes clung tightly to my body, plastered against my skin, giving the whip nothing to soften its impact. It cut deeper, burned hotter, tore through me like I was made of nothing at all.

My body convulsed violently against the restraints, every muscle locking up as my breath came in ragged gasps. Tears poured down uncontrollably, mixing with the water still dripping from my hair and clothes.

I couldn't take this.

I couldn't survive another one.

Fredrick raised his arm again.

Just before the sixth whip could fall, a powerful voice thundered through the space, sharp and commanding.

"STOP!"

The word echoed, heavy with authority.

My body froze, not from fear this time, but from shock.

Summoning what little strength I had left, I forced my head up slightly, my neck screaming in protest. My vision swam, but then I saw them.

The Alpha triplets.

They stood there, their presence impossible to ignore, their expressions hard and unreadable. Cain was at the front, his eyes blazing as he stepped forward.

"Stop!" Cain shouted again, his voice cutting through everything.

My heart pounded wildly in my chest, confusion crashing into me all at once.

What was going on?

Hadn't they discarded me? Hadn't they turned their backs on me, chosen Amelia, erased me from their fate?

So why were they here now?