Betrayed before the Altar

Kian looked at me like I was some crazy person. "Are you hearing yourself right now? I carried her to the hospital and stayed with her there. Of course her scent would be on me. What did you expect?"

"The hospital?" I laughed.

"Yes, Violet. The hospital. She was having an allergic reaction. Were you not listening?" He ran his fingers through his hair, frustration clear on his face. "I can't believe you're making this about you when someone almost died."

"I felt it, Kian. Through our mindlink. I felt everything."

His expression darkened. "Felt what exactly? Her pain? Her struggle to breathe? And you're standing here worried about some scent?" He shook his head in disappointment. "I never thought you could be this selfish."

I wanted to scream the truth, but something in his cold eyes made me hesitate.

"You're paranoid," he continued, shaking his head. "This is why I didn't want to tell you about helping Vivian before. You always overreact. She's been nothing but kind to you, and this is how you behave?"

"Kind?" I laughed bitterly. "By sending me her used underwear as a gift?"

Kian's face darkened. "They're brand new, Violet. Are you so blinded by jealousy you can't even recognize a peace offering? This is embarrassing."

I grabbed the bag of lingerie and threw it on the floor, stomping on it. "Take these filthy things away from me!"

"How dare you!" Kian roared, grabbing my arm. "How dare you destroy her gifts! Do you have any idea how much those cost? More than you've ever given me in eight years!"

I yelped in pain as he dragged me toward the door. "What are you doing?"

"Taking you to apologize to her," he growled.

Before I could protest, he was dragging me by the ear, pulling me through the pack grounds while others watched. The humiliation burned worse than the pain.

He stopped finally, but when I looked up, I recognized the room immediately. This was the special cabin Kian had shown me months ago - the one he said he was preparing for us to share our first night as mates after the ceremony.

But there, in the center was Vivian, lounging on a bed covered in rose petals.

"What's she doing in our home?" I rubbed my ear.

"Our home?" Vivian's eyebrows rose. "Kian has been letting me stay here since my cabin flooded last month."

Last month? While Kian was still planning our ceremony with me?

"Violet destroyed your gift," Kian told her. “She owes you an apology."

Vivian's face immediately changed into concern. "Kian! You didn't need to bring her here. I told you it was fine." She stood up gracefully. "Violet, you don't need to apologize. I understand completely. The ceremony was stressful, and my timing couldn't have been worse."

"No, she needs to learn respect," Kian growled. "Apologize to Vivian. Now."

Vivian touched his arm gently. "Don't worry about it. Actually, I have another gift prepared."

She disappeared into the bedroom, our supposed future bedroom and returned with a small glass bottle. "It's a special oil. I thought it might help you relax during these... difficult times."

The moment she handed it to me, the scent hit my nostrils. It was the same scent that had been on Kian when he returned home. The same scent that had filled my mindlink during their encounter.

She dared give me the oil they had used for sex.

Without thinking, I threw the bottle against the wall. It shattered and sent the scented oil splashing everywhere. As I stepped forward, Vivian fell backward, falling to the floor in between the broken glass.

"Violet!" Kian roared, pushing me roughly aside as he rushed to Vivian. My foot landing directly on the broken glass. Pain shot through my leg as several shards inserted themselves in my skin.

"I'm bleeding," I watched the blood pool around my foot.

Kian didn't even look my way as he cradled Vivian, who didn't have a single cut on her. "You deserve every bit of it. I hope every shard enters your skin."

The last thing I saw was Kian carrying Vivian out the door, while I remained behind, abandoned once again.

My consciousness faded in and out as I dragged myself across the grounds, leaving a trail of blood behind me. Some strong arms pulled me up and carried me the rest of the way.

The healer examined my arm as soon as I got there. “'The impact has caused severe damage to the tendons. Without proper treatment, it could snap any time. You'll need special medication - expensive and rare and we don't have any in our supplies. I hope you can find a means to obtain it soon, or permanent damage is likely.'

As she removed glass from my arm, my phone buzzed with a text from Kian: "Don't come home tonight. Vivian needs rest after your attack."

I stared at the screen through tears, finally understanding what I meant to him.

Nothing.