The Princess Who Left the Alpha Family Chapter 02

The Princess Who Left the Alpha Family Chapter 02

“Do it.”

They surged forward. Bats and clubs came down hard.

I heard my bones give. Sickening cracks. Wet snaps.

My white wedding gown bloomed red. Gory. Unmistakable.

They didn’t ease up. It felt like they wouldn’t stop until I was a corpse.

“If I die in here, the Nightwind Pack will flay every last one of you!”

“Princess? Please. You’re a switch-up. A stray the Alpha and Luna keep around out of pity.”

“They wanted you gone the second Calyra came home. Lucien’s the only reason you’re still breathing. He said to keep you like a goddamn house pet.”

“And you think you can steal Miss Calyra’s fiancé? Delusional.”

A laugh ripped out of me. “So this was never about the ceremony. You came here to kill me.”

“A tragic accident. She tried to run. Tripped. Fell. Has a nice ring to it, don’t you think, Miss Veyra?”

Fear. Pure ice in my veins.

I could die. I wanted to die. But not like this. Not cheap and messy.

And this wasn’t the death I chose. What if it didn’t bring me back? What if I got stuck?

I don’t know where the strength came from.

I lunged. Slammed into the nearest Gamma. Knocked a candle flying.

It hit the curtains. Flames erupted.

The pack house went up.

“You crazy bitch! She lit it on fire!”

They panicked. I ran.

I dragged my shattered leg across the floor and out the door. Blood smeared behind me.

Too many cameras outside. They couldn’t chase me without getting caught.

I limped onto the street in my ruined, blood-soaked gown. Tried to flag a taxi to the hotel.

No one would stop. I looked like a horror movie extra.

Finally. A woman pulled over. “Do you need help?”

I begged her. She drove me to the hotel.

My father owned it. The staff knew my face.

Security and the front desk saw me. They didn’t dare touch me.

I made it to the grand hall.

My brother. My parents. All of them there.

Laughing. Smiling. Playing perfect hosts for the biggest Mating Ceremony in the country.

Then they saw me.

Every smile died.

Media crews swarmed. Cameras flashed. This ceremony was a national story, and I’d just walked into frame covered in my own blood.

Lucien stormed over. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Useless morons. Can’t even keep one girl locked up.”

“Jesus. Look at you. You did this to yourself? Just to wreck our day? You’re that hard up for attention?”

Mom rushed over. Her eyes were terrified. “Veyra! What happened? Is that… is that blood on your dress?”

“Yes. My blood. All of it. Calyra’s people beat me half to death. I barely got out.”

My father’s hand cracked across my face. Blood filled my mouth.

“You ungrateful little brat. Can’t stand it, can you? Watching your sister get one good thing?”

Mom grabbed my arm. “Veyra, you said Calyra ordered this?”

Lucien yanked her away. “Bullshit. It’s paint. She loves pulling stunts for the cameras.”

He seized my wrist and hauled me forward.

I stumbled. Crashed to the ground.

My leg twisted. The bone punched through skin. White shards. Red meat.

The crowd gasped. Everyone froze.

I’d been standing there on a leg that was barely attached.

Mom’s hand flew to her mouth. “Veyra! Oh god, your leg!”

Even my father flinched. “What did you do to yourself?”