Broken by the Beta, Loved by the Alpha

“Bella, when did you get up?” Ashton asked, his eyes not meeting mine as if plagued by guilt and shame.

I didn’t speak a word and got up, going straight outside the room, disgusted even with his presence.

Seeing me not speaking anything, Ashton sighed feeling content that his plans were still good for I had not overheard him.

But then feeling my eyes watching him, he said, "Please don’t be angry, Bella. I wasn’t in my right state of mind yesterday.”

I didn’t speak a word resisting the urge to punch him in the face.

He waited for a reply and when I refused to answer he looked at me coldly.

“How long do you plan to throw a tantrum? Our wedding is in a week, and you need to be the perfect bride, so stop with this. Also, I have some things to do today, so don’t wait for me tonight.”

I hummed in reply to which he eyed me suspiciously.

“Arabella was crying too much. She was feeling terrible for what happened yesterday even when I explained to her that you would not mind.”

“You speak too much. Whether I mind or not is not your business so just leave already, you are ruining my mood.” Unable to decipher that I would ever speak such harsh words to him, he could not speak a word and was frozen in his place.

“Arabella wants to be your bridesmaid, and I am leaving with her to help her out.” He spoke those words to bring out a reaction out of me only for me to look at him in disinterest

“Then why are you still here?” Stunned by my response he added to pacify me.

“While we are at it, why don’t I help you pick your bridal gown in the evening?”

“Ugh, whatever.” I could not hear him say another word or wait to look at his surprised form any longer. Thus, before he moved, I got up and left.

Later that afternoon, I hired a cab and went to the dress shop not to book my bridal dress but rather to cancel the ones I have picked earlier.

The duo when I made an entrance were already in an intimate moment, seemingly not aware of my presence. I observed Arabella’s neck had several hickeys which were Ashton’s doing.

As soon as Arabella saw me, she hurriedly clutched Ashton’s arm and hid behind him as if acting that she was too pure and fragile for the world.

“Isabella, here you are-“ I pretended not to notice them and walked past to go to the sales person.

“Isabella!” Arabella called to which I turned around and looked the two looking at me.

“Ashton, is Isabella not fine with me being here? I can leave if it makes her uncomfortable.”

“No need, I am already done with my dress,” I said casually.

“What? Arabella has been acquainted with a foreign designer and knows a lot about dresses. Look here, she chose one for you.”

I saw it and truly it was stunning. With the bridesmaid wearing white and I the bride wearing a black long gown, it was surely suitable for a funeral.

“Its is so pretty that it suits Arabella more than me,” I replied to which Arabella pretended to tear up.

“It's not the norm but black is the new fashion sense.”

Ashton’s seemed to sense the beauty crying, thus he came to her rescue. “Isabella why are you taking out your frustrations on Arabella? She wants the best for you.”

“Then you can just give it to her!”

I had had enough. Without saying another word, I turned and walked away.

Ashton’s shouted behind me in frustration.

“You are so conceited, Isabella!"

Arabella went out of her way. "Do you want to make a joke out of our wedding?! It's better not to take any photos of us together!”

Arabella then gently nudged him and said in a sweet tone, “ Ashton, I already took you away from her, stop being so mean.”

“It was her who came in between us, why are you blaming yourself?”

They spoke in hushed whispers not wishing to come out as cheaters before the marriage was successfully done and when they could blame everything on me being incompetent.

Yet with my advanced werewolf hearing that had been better than others since childhood, I could hear each word that only gave me pain.

Soon a photo of Ashton with an arm around Arabella’s waist and her leaning on him in the white dress which was more like a bride was posted on Instagram and people assumed that the wedding they had been invited to was for Arabella and Ashton.

[Omg! I know you both from school days are you two still together? Wow!]

[I heard you were getting married! OMG, congratulations]

Some of our close friends didn’t comment at all for they knew the reality and felt quite disturbed with how Ashton being a beta was behaving with his mate.

Since these days Ashton was never home, three of my friends that were now aware that the marriage would not proceed came to help me pack and bid me farewell.

“Isabella, that man is a monster to do such a dirty thing.”

“That woman Arabella is not simple, I heard some rumors that she was chasing Alpha Xavier for so long, but the Alpha of Blood Moon is really a fine wolf and hated her.”

“Now I can see why he detested her;she snatched someone else’s mate and then behaves like a sweet fake woman.”

“Isabella,we support your decision to escape the wedding.I’d love to see what a wedding without a bride looks like—Arabella showing up to steal the wedding will be a huge joke!”

I listened to them and was quite surprised with the new information,but I didn’t care at the end.

I said my final goodbye to them,“Thank you so much for being there for me.I will keep in touch with you guys after I leave.All best of luck.”

The night I left for Italy was just the night before my wedding,I went to the wedding venue first.

Gigantic posters had magnified every trace of photo-editing on the wedding pictures.

I had pulled out a pair of scissors,cut out my youthful,radiant face and then took a cab to the airport.

When the flight attendant reminded me to turn off my phone, Ashton’s calls had started flooding in.