Ariana's eyes widened at her own boldness. Did she really just do that to the eldest on the council? She had basically told him, fuck you. And the terrifying part was how slowly she mouthed those words — so deliberate, it needed no sound to cut deeper than any insult.
Not to mention, this was the first time she had ever used a curse word — and she rarely mouthed anything at all. But they had pushed her to her limit.
Finally, the man spoke, his voice heavy with judgment.
"This lady needs to be taken to the King for punishment. We won't just punish her here in the council any longer; the King himself will decide her fate."
Ariana's body trembled as tears streamed down her face — not from fear, but from anger.
How dare they speak to her unborn child this way? And now, for defending herself, they wanted to take her to the Alpha King?
It was one thing for them to disrespect her, but to insult her baby? She wouldn't stand for it.
And then there was the curse that weighed on her. She was cursed simply for being human. Her sister, Eva, was a wolf — prized, powerful. But Ariana? She was a wolf-less human. An abomination in their eyes. Cursed beyond measure. No one expected a wolf-less girl to give birth — and yet here she was, carrying life.
Compared to her, even the wolf-less were better off. She was now a human without a mate. Normally, a wolf needed a mate to seal their fate. But since she was human, the only exception was for her to be married before she turned 21 — which was tomorrow. That was her only chance, the only loophole that allowed her to remain as she was. And it was the opportunity her father had clung to — to finally make Federick marry her, so his debt would be paid. That was the moment she finally became useful.
Her twin, Eva, had a wolf — so what made Ariana wolf-less? Why did she have no wolf? What was different about her? It was like she had been cursed from birth.
Not to mention her sickness. She was also regarded as bad luck. On the day her mother had rushed to the hospital to get medication for Ariana's illness, she had gotten into an accident. That was what had led to her death.
The hate Ariana received was so deep, it would've been better if she were an orphan than have a family like hers.
And now, she was to meet the Alpha King himself — a man rumored to be the most brutal and heartless king alive — for her punishment.
Oh, what had she done?
If only she had kept her temper in check.
Just as she turned to leave, a sharp slap cracked across her cheek. Her skin flamed red, and her father stood there, rage written all over his face as he spoke:
"Get out."
Ariana's ears rang from the sting. She blinked back the shock, biting her lips to hold herself together. The shame. This man had disgraced her not just in front of people but the council.
Even though her child was only two weeks old, she would not let anyone insult them — not now, not ever.
And so, she prepared to face the Alpha King for her trial.
Could things get any worse?
Ariana sat quietly in the back seat as her father drove, his face twisted with anger.
"How could you talk to the council that way? Of all things to say, that was your choice?" he snapped.
But Ariana hadn't really spoken — she had only mouthed the word.
Her father's voice dropped lower, laced with bitter pain that made Ariana's heart ache.
"You're mute. You can't speak. And the first thing you do — the first chance you get — is to curse at someone?"
He shook his head, voice hardening.
"You'll be meeting the Alpha King tomorrow. And you know he doesn't care. He has no heart — no mercy — even with the fact you're carrying a child."
"If you had been respectful back then," he continued, bitterness sharpening his words, "the government might have taken care of you and your unborn child — before the punishment came. But no, you're just an ungrateful child. Bad luck."
His eyes narrowed as he turned to face her.
"Did you kill him?" her father asked in an angry tone.
Ariana shook her head. Why would she even do such a thing? She had been wondering how she would tell him about her pregnancy — only to hear the news that her husband had died while being rushed to the hospital after an accident. An accident that had happened while he was trying to visit a friend.
"You got pregnant by someone else? And you didn't even tell me. Not a word. Who is the father?"
He stopped the car abruptly at the side of the road and fixed her with a harsh stare.
"I'm talking to you. Who is the father?"
Ariana raised her hands helplessly, moving her fingers in a signal that said she didn't know.
Her father's smile was cold and angry.
"So you have no idea who he is, yet you had the audacity to ta—"
He paused, anger glaring through him.
He restarted the car and drove on, but the car wasn't theirs — it was a rented vehicle. He drove as an Uber driver.
Then her father spoke again — quietly, but with venom laced in every word.
"I had my reasons," he said. "The only reason I ever raised you was so you could be useful — very useful — by marrying a husband. A husband, Ariana. That's why you married Federick. To remove shame." He let out a bitter chuckle.
"You cursed…"
His voice rose slightly, filled with frustration.
"There was only one way, one reason, to make you useful — and you messed it all up."
He slammed his palm against the steering wheel.
"Your sister — your sister — might be finding her mate tomorrow. All because of you. Mates are supposed to be taken at eighteen. Eighteen years!"
He shook his head in disgust.
"But thanks to you, the process was delayed. You're twins, so her movement was tied to yours. And now, while your sister finds her future tomorrow, you…" He sneered.
"You'll be preparing for the burial of your husband. Because you're the one who had it. Not to mention the child. The shame."
He looked at her through the rearview mirror with pure contempt.
"And now you're just a filthy widow. With an ex-husband. A cursed one."