“God love your soul and your aching bones

Take a breath, take a step, meet me down below

Everyone's the same, our fingers to our toes

We just can't get it right, but we're on the road.

---

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Cindy screeched as she tried to get up, but her pencil heels slipped on the washroom floor, and she fell back on the floor.

I didn't pity her one bit.

"This one's for calling my mate yours," I growled as my hand made contact with her face, slapping her.

The slap sent her face flying in the other direction and a red imprint formed on her face.

I am proud.

"This one's for hurting my best friend and being a power hungry wench!" I pulled her up by her collar again, and this time I punched her nose.

A cracking sound reverberated in the room and a wave of satisfaction flowed in my body.

This wasn't me. I knew it. I could never be so brutal. No matter how much someone had hurt me, I can never hurt them back this much.

I am not the violent type.

But apparently, my wolf is.

Because as I said, this wasn't me. This was my wolf taking control.

I whipped my head around to take a look at my image in the mirror.

I looked so different.

My cheeks were more flushed than usual, my pupils were dilated to an unnatural extent, my eyes were steely grey in place of hazel green and my eyesight and auditory senses had sharpened.

I gasped as I took in the changes in me. My hands felt more in control, yet were more trembling than usual. I could see better, hear clearer and my reflexes had definitely sharpened as I turned around the moment I felt Cindy move behind me.

In a flash of a second, my body twisted and my hand caught hers as I blocked her attack on me. She was going to raise her hand at me.

Bitch, you thought.

She snarled at me, but I growled. My fingernails digging into her flesh mercilessly. She really thought she'd try hit me and get away with that?

Hah! Mutt.

"So you finally dropped your innocent, angel facade, huh?" Cindy spat at me, wiggling as she tried to free her hand but I tightened my grip.

"I am not the one with a facade here. You and I both know that. You are the one who's pretending to be an innocent, defenseless and vulnerable lone wolf. You are the one who's trying to steal away mates. Not me. I don't have any facade on." I replied to her and I let go of her hand.

I didn't want to touch her. She disgusted me in every way possible.

Cindy just stood there smirking, and didn't reply to me. Her nose had healed- unfortunately due to werewolf healing but dried, crusty blood was still there. I doubted she was hurting anywhere.

What I did might be a lot for humans. But for werewolves, those wounds would heal in matter of seconds.

That thought made me feel both relieved and annoyed at the same time.

Also, I realized that my soul had shifted back to my normal self and my wolf was no longer controlling me.

It was good because I had a better grip on myself and I could think more rationally now.

My mind was no longer clouded by the thoughts of ramming her face against the sink and I could think straight.

I remembered that I had wanted to talk to her. So that's what I did.

"Listen, Cindy. I came here to talk to you. But then—"

She snorted and pursed her lips at me as she gave me a bitch glare but I ignored her and continued talking.

"— but then you started spewing bullshit about Chance being yours. And let me make this 100% clear to you girl. Chance is mine. He's my mate. Moon Goddess destined us together and I am not letting you or anyone for that matter— ruin it."

My speech was cut off by her obnoxious laughter as she threw her head back and guffawed mockingly at me.

"Oh gosh! What did you say again?" She laughed, "Lord! You didn't tell me you were a comedian too, olive oil. I would have thrown some money at you for such an amazing attempt."

Her viscous voice returned in the end and my nostrils flared at the disrespect in her tone.

What the hell did she just call me!

"I am not money hungry. You are!" I spat at her but she dismissed me.

"And as of, Chance. I don't think I need to repeat myself by saying that I want him. And I'll get him. He's my key to power and vengeance. Ryder might be Gamma. He's powerful but not powerful enough for me. Ryder is not enough for me. I want a beta. And I'll get him. You wait and watch, Oli. I'll sweep him off his feet right in front of your eyes, and you'll be able to do nothing."

She ended with a malicious glint in her eyes and I felt my wolf pushing to take control all over again.

But I pushed her down as controlled her.

Why did she want the beta though? Why not the alpha? It didn't make any sense. Reece was single too...

"If I was you, I'd watch my tongue." I hissed.

"I should be saying this, hun." She sneered and my eyebrows furrowed in confusion but my fleeting questions were answered as soon as she opened her mouth.

"Ryder! RYDER! SAVE ME! Arhhghhhhh! Stop h-hitting m-me, O-olivia...w-what did I d-do, O-Olivia, p-p-please...." She let out pathetic cries and whimpers as her voice broke dramatically and she pretended to be begging for mercy.

My eyes widened and I gasped at her acting skills as she shouted some more and pretended to scream in pain. She fell on the floor in front of my eyes and cried out Ryder's name in pain.

"... Olivia please..." She fake sobbed, curling in a fetal.

She let out a blood freezing cry of pain but before I had any time to react or defend myself, the washroom door slammed open and Ryder rushed inside. He had a panicked look on his face as his eyes desperately searched the washroom before falling on Cindy.

His face fell and his expression turned into a pained one as he saw Cindy sobbing on the floor.

Or should I say, fake sobbing?

Because like, this woman was giving me threats seconds ago. And now she's damsels in distress?

Great. Just great.

Ryder rushed to her side and knelt to the ground.

"Oh Goddess! What happened? C-Cindy? Who did this to you, baby? Are you okay? Ohmy god! You are bleeding!" Ryder's concerned voice saddened me as I watched him fall for his mate's fake advances.

Cindy had managed to scratch and claw her face, making my attacks look more ferocious and mean than they were. Ryder flinched as he took in her crusty blood and red eyes and his eyes turned agonized.

"R-Ryder..." Cindy whispered as she started sobbing on his shoulder and Ryder tried to comfort her by rubbing her back.

My jaw dropped at the absolute bluff that was being played in front of my eyes and I opened my mouth to stop him.

But I was cut off by Cindy who let out a pathetic wail.

"Why did you do this, Olivia? What did I do to you?" She wailed in fake melancholy and Ryder's eyes snapped at me.

His blue orbs held surprise at first before they displayed an expression I had never thought I'd see in his eyes before.

Disgust and hate.

Yes. I saw disgust and hate in Ryder's eyes for me.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, Olivia?" He boomed in anger and he stood up and pushed Cindy behind him.

I saw Cindy smirk at me from behind him and that angered me more, if possible.

"What's wrong with me? What do you mean, Ryder? I did this for you! Can't you see? She's fucking fake. She's playing you, Ray. She doesn't deserve—"

"IT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS." Ryder said and my mouth closed right at that moment.

"—Oh." I whispered, as I looked down.

It was none of my business.

My best friend. My childhood hero. The one person who was closest to a brother for me just told me that he was none of my business.

Okay.

"Stop poking your nose into matters that don't concern you, Olivia. What has gotten to you? I've been observing since past few days, you've been acting like you're everyone's Savior! Well, news flash! You are not. No one wants you to save them." Ryder's hurtful words crushed my heart and I took a step back in shock.

A pang of hurt was felt in my chest and tears of pain formed in my eyes but he didn't stop.

"This is unbelievable, Olivia! How can you hit her so much just because she rejected me! She didn't even do anything to you. Mate or not, it's her choice. It's none of your business to decide what happens between us. It's our matter. You are not supposed to try to control it."

"Ryder, you don't understand. She said—" I tried to tell him about what she said about Chance and him. I tried to tell him about their past. But he cut me off.

"I never wanted you to know. You know why? Because I knew you'll create drama. It's like your middle name. Drama.

You love it, don't you? Who the fuck gave you permission to come here and lay your hands on my mate? Who do you think you are to hit her like that?

You said you'll talk to her. Is this what is talking in your dictionary? Look at her, Olivia! You fucking scared her! She's crying. Because of you.

You made my mate cry. How dare you!"

Who do you think you are...

How dare you...

Drama is like your middle name...

His words echoed in my head as my heart thudded away to ease the pain that I felt in my chest.

It felt like I was losing another person in my life. A person who had meant so much to me...

I fisted my palm and bit my lip to prevent myself from crying out loud.

What hurt wasn't that he chose her over me. She was his mate, this was bound to happen.

What hurt was his lack of trust in me. And that fact that I came to know what he truly thought of me.

Was this how much he respected me? Did our friendship mean so little to him. Was he ready to throw away our bond and my concern away just like that?

He was willing to throw away old people for new ones and that's what stung.

He forgot us. Our friendship...gone...

Wow Ryder... Thank you so much.

Thank you Ryder. Thank you for showing me what true friends are.

"Don't ever think of hurting her again." He said as he stood in front of me. His eyes were darkened in anger and I saw familiar hate swirling behind them. "Remember, I am always going to protect her. I am standing like a shield, between you and her. Don't try to defend me or my relationship like this. This is atrocious and unacceptable. I expected better from you. I didn't ask your help and I won't ask for your help ever. Your help isn't needed."

My body and mind felt numb and my throat closed off as no voice escaped my lips.

Ryder turned back her his mate and I just walked out of the washroom silently.

The sound of my steps falling on the floor were the only voices in the room as I left.

I didn't tell him about Chance. I didn't tell him anything. I didn't tell him her tears were fake.

Because afterall, he didn't want my help.

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