Chapter 29 – Prom Night
“How much more grievous are the consequences of anger than the causes of it.”–Marcus Aurelius (Content Warning: Mentions of Rape/S*xual Assault. Reader discretion is heavily advised)
Raina
No matter how long I stared at my dark ceiling, I couldn’t fall asleep. The age–old trick to tire my eyes out failed, and I’m not upset about it. After today, falling asleep seemed like a luxury. My husband’s warmth couldn’t soothe the chill in my heart.
Sapphire’s words hadn’t left my mind. They batter against my mind’s walls, beating to the tune of their vile energy, forbidding me to fall asleep.
I’m a horrible sister–a horrible human being.
Bonus
03:11
Discovering Tristan, a celebrated guard raped my little sister, my world crumbled into dust. A sledgehammer was taken, and it hit me in the chest. My baby sister was brutally violated, and she kept it secret for years. She would’ve taken it to her grave.
Sitting up in the bed Valerian and I share, I ruminate on who I was back then. I was Raina Mira Lane, the only daughter of Beta Steven Lane and Beta Female Ashley Lane. Love and attention were like sweet chocolates turning into an addiction. Everyone automatically gave respect to my friends and family. Everyone trusted that I’d carry the Beta name into greatness.
I had a perfect life. My parents loved me. I was their precious diamond; their golden child. They’d did everything to make sure I was comfortable, and I’d return the favor. Academics came easily, and I graduated with honors at 18. The choice to attend college was mine, and I decided not to go.
Valerian and I met in high school when he moved to Zircon Moon, and we became sweethearts. Not long after, we discovered we’re destined mates. We put the high school sweetheart romance trope to shame by our
Intense love.
No one could tear me down. I had the confidence of a superstar and if anyone dared to try, they’d be swiftly put in their place.
Kiya became an afterthought. Distancing myself from who we thought to be a killer was easy, especially when everyone worked together to push her away, I helped turn her from a beloved sister to a pathetic slave. At eleven years old, my awareness was immaculate, and I knew I had to cut ties with her; to protect myself and
my reputation.
As we pushed Kiya down, the pack pulled me up. My happiness and privileges came at her expense. It didn’t become long until I stopped viewing her as my sister.
So, when everyone began hurting her, I joined in. She couldn’t risk my status and love from adults alike. Our realities separated like oil and water–two different worlds left uncrossed. She lived in shambles; I lived in extravagance.
We sold Kiya out. A child. That’s something I’ll never forgive myself for. Sacrificing Kiya to maintain my standing as the perfect and well–loved daughter of Betas is a sin I’ll carry for the rest of my life. I became a selfish bitch who partied with friends and mated while she cried underneath my feet.
Chapter 29–Pran Night
+109 Banu
Where did my love for my sister go? Why did I choose a prim and perfect life over my baby sister? I have a happy life with my wonderful husband and my beautiful son, but what did I do to deserve it? Hot tears 03:00 dripped down my face at the thought of her suffering and what went inside the cell walls. We handed her over to a monster, and that monster took advantage of that opportunity in the sickest of ways.
Kiya’s anger against us is powerful. Crimes against her person went beyond beatings and degradation. It struck her soul and shattered to pieces. We left her to clean and carry them alone. Alone and broken, healing became her job–another burden she’s forced to carry.
I don’t deserve Kiya. None of us do. She came here to help us as a Delta, despite knowing we don’t deserve her kind graces. She preserves her smiles and laughter for the innocent children of this pack, and her anger our parting gifts,
How hasn’t she burned us to the ground yet?
is
Alpho Neron didn’t return with Kiya until sunset. Adonis‘ party ended an hour before. Children are privileged to be blissfully unaware of the weight of the atmosphere and my son is no different The bloody remains of the assault were wiped clean and the children went about their day as nothing happened. My baby sister was sleeping peacefully in her mate’s arms, but her face showed evidence of her pain.
Her skin was puffy with her eyes swollen with red. She had been crying for a long time.
Desperately, I wanted to talk to her, but Neron instructed me to give Kiya space. He took her to her room and locked himself in his office for the rest of the evening. Neither showed up for dinner. The Garnet Moon members didn’t either. Their hatred and disgust against us are warranted.
Honestly, they protect kiya better than we ever could. The news about her rape plunged us into the status of horrible motherf*ckers.
We, collectively, underestimated her suffering. It made me sick.
Carefully, I creeped out of bed, unlatching Valerian’s arm around my waist. There’s no way I can sleep no. I tiptoed out of our room, as quiet as a mouse, and walked down to the kitchen. Warm milk should do the trick. If not, looks like I’m reenacting those all–nighters I pulled in high school, minus the textbooks.
As I walked down the stairs to the foyer, my ears caught the sounds of faint sniffles
And crying?
My heart shattered once I caught a whiff of the person behind the door. Expecting to be alone in the kitchen with a cup of milk in my hands was one thing, but I didn’t expect Kiya to be sitting at the island, in a pink onesie, sobbing with her head to the table with a bottle of alcohol in her hand.
My sisterly desire to comfort my sister is strong. Cyra, my wolf, urged me to go to her and hold her. But when I took one step into the kitchen, Kiya’s head shot up. Her eyes are glassy, but the anger is as clear as diamonds.
“The golden child comes to grace me with her presence.” She slurred angrily, wiping her nose in frustration. “What the f*ck do you want?”
“I…” I took a deep, shaky breath to calm my nerves. This is scarier than facing a rogue. “I wanted to see if you’re okay, Kiya. I didn’t expect to find you here.”
+10
Bonus
“Well, here I am; drinking this shit to forget these horrible memories. They won’t leave me alone.” Kiya rests her chin on her fist. Our body heat burns alcohol fast, so normal human alcohol cannot get us tipsy. So, w03:05 need special alcohol to get us drunk. She must’ve rummaged through the top cabinets and found the supply. Judging by the clear bottle in her hand, she had vodka.
“Alcohol won’t help. It’s a depressant.”
“Good. Depress these memories.”
“Kiya…” More tears fell as I watched my sister, beyond broken, take another swig of vodka straight from the bottle. “I don’t enjoy seeing you like this. G–give me the bottle so we can talk.”
Kiya regarded me with a heavy look that pierced into my soul. Cyra whimpered and shook from the intensity of her stare. Her brown eyes that once held all the happiness in the world now held enough malice to incinerate me on the spot–a product of her mistreatment.
“You looked so pretty in gold.” She whispered, confusing me. “Your hair was curled to perfection and the gold dress hugged every curve our Moon Goddess blessed you with. You wore the zircon diamond necklace Valerian got you for your 16th birthday and you had yellow eyeshadow that turned you into a sun goddess. Absolutely gorgeous, but I couldn’t tell you that. You hated me.”
A powerful memory flashed in my mind abruptly.
Flashback
The pack house bustled with commotion and excitement as I applied mascara to my long, ebony lashes. Yellow and gold shimmer decorated my eyelids and the rest of my makeup was flawless. I looked and felt like a goddess! As my curls bounced with my movement, I continue to admire my beauty through my vanity mirror. I couldn’t wait for Valerian’s reaction before we head to the yacht!
But my mood soured when that ‘thing‘ knocked on my door. Her vile stench is enough to make my eyes water. It permeated through the door and the last thing I needed was to be smelling like horse shit. It won’t ruin my f*cking evening! Huffing, I threw my door open to meet the scared eyes of the slave.
“What the f*ck do you want?” I spat. Her knees rattled as she shook under my gaze. “Answer me!”
“I–I came for your I–laundry.” The slave stuttered. Rolling my eyes, I remembered it’s her nightly task to take care of the laundry. “I c–can come back later.”
“No. Get the basket and get the f*ck out of my room. The last thing I need is to be smelling like you.” Quickly, it scampered in and gathered the large clothes hamper located beside the bathroom door. As I went to look for my purse, I noticed something off about the slave that pissed me off.
“Did you start your period? There’s blood on your legs and it’s getting on my carpet!”
Startled, it looked down in horror to find crimson rivers flowing from underneath the dress to its ankles. Wiping the blood with that pathetic excuse for a dress was fruitless. “I–I’m sorry! I didn’t know!”
“Sure you
didn’t.” My heels clicked against the floor as I walked into the bathroom and threw her one of my smallest soup bars. “Get out.” She didn’t move. “Are you deaf? Get out of my room, bitch!”
“Raina…” Tears dropped from its eyes onto my dirty laundry; Its entire body shook with terror. “P–Please. I don’t want to go back down in the dungeons.”
+109
Chapter 29. Pum Nyht
“And I don’t care. That’s where slaves live, and you’re a slave.”
Bonu
03:02
“But I’m your sister!” That screech hurt my heart and chest, which only made me angrier. I shouldn’t feel anything for this thing, not after the pain it caused my Alpha, Neron, and everyone else! “I’m begging you, don’t let them take me back there! He’s hurting me!”
“I don’t have a sister, runt.”
“Is there a problem here, Miss Raina?” We both turned to see Tristan standing near the doorway. I smiled while the slave whimpered and quaked.
“N–ne…!
“Yes. Get it out of my room, Tristan.” I hissed. “It thought it could convince me to let it out of the prisons. It’s directly disobeying Alpha Jonathan’s orders.”
“Is it now?” His dark eyes narrowed onto the slave, who whimpered louder and tried to distance herself from Zircon Moon’s most trusted guard. Tristan grabbed its arm and dragged it’s out of my room. “I apologize for the inconvenience, Miss Raina. It’ll be swiftly dealt with.”
“Good. I need to air out this room.”
“Raina, please! Don’t do this to me!” It begged. “Help me!”
“I don’t help killers.”
The slave gasped tearfully as it finally was taken out of my room with my laundry basket at hand. Sighing heavily, I grabbed my air freshener and sprayed the corners of my room, welcoming the sweet scent of apple cinnamon. It
reminded me of Valerian.
But even as I finished my preparations and headed towards the front yard to meet my mate, the aching feeling in my chest didn’t leave. It sat there, like a stone in a river, for the entire night.
End Flashback
“Oh, my Goddess…” The evidence was right in front of me, as plain as day! And I selfishly ignored them because I was too concerned with my night with my mate and friends! I allowed Tristan to drag her out of my room. My chance to save my baby sister was there and I let it pass me by despite knowing something was wrong! “Kiya…l…”
Something came to my face. I ducked and the song of shatter screeched behind me. The impact between the wall and her vodka bottle sprayed glass shards and clear liquid everywhere, Kiya tried to hurt me! Looking back at her, it horrified me to find her beautiful brown swapped with crimson red.
“It was your f*cking prom night!” She shrieked with fury, her fists shaking in the desire to sucker punch me. “That was the first time he raped me! I begged for your help and you didn’t f*cking care! How could you be so heartless? You had your chance and you waste it and you expect me to forgive you?!”
“I don’t expect you to, Kiya! There’s no excuse for what I’ve done!” I wrack my cries with heavy sobs while that awful memory played over and over. Her tearful eyes and broken heart projected themselves prominently in the memory as a bitter reminder of my failure as a big sister. “I’m so sorry…”
“Your apologies won’t erase anything, bitch! He raped me again that night while you and your stupid friends
Chapter 29 – Prom Night
+109
Bonus
partied! Why don’t you take a step into my shoes and feel how I feel?! You abandoned me! You left me alone!”
02:59
Kiya fell to the ground with powerful sobs. “…I just want to forget everything! It’s too much…”
I couldn’t stand it anymore. Without hesitation, I walked to where she was, kneeled, and pulled her into my embrace. She struggled and cursed me out, but after a minute, Kiya surrendered and allowed me to rock her. My pajamas muffled her sobs and soaked in her tears.
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered, rubbing her back as she cried. “Baby sis…I’m so sorry…”
“I hate you.” She whimpers.
“I know.”
“I wish you were dead.”
I winced. “…I know…”
“I want the pain to stop. Please, don’t leave me alone again…”
“I won’t. I’ll never leave you alone again.”
irredeemable. But, as long as I’m here, I’ll be there for her until the end.
Whether it be in death or when she cuts me from her life forever.