Plus Sized Ruthless Lycan

"You actually think that dress hides your stomach?"

My fingers were trembling as I smoothed down my dark red gown.

Marie was leaning against my bedroom doorframe, her arms crossed, a nasty, mocking smile playing on her lips. My step-sister had a sixth sense for my happiness, always showing up exactly when I felt good just to tear me back down to nothing.

"I’m not doing this with you today, Marie."

She let out a dry laugh and walked fully into my room, looking me up and down with disgust.

"I’m genuinely trying to save you the embarrassment, Calista. Look at yourself. Do you honestly believe Eric is going to stand on that stage tonight and name a fat, clumsy pig as his Luna?"

"What Eric and I share is non of your business, Eric and I have an understanding.” "He knows what I did for him."

"Oh, right. The grand sacrifice," Marie sneered, rolling her perfectly lined eyes. "You gave him some of your spinal fluid when his Lycan-cells were deteriorating. So what? You want a medal? You think being a medical donor automatically buys you a mate mark? Keep

dreaming. You are completely delusional if you think an Alpha like Eric would actually claim a girl who looks like you."

"We are mates, Marie," I snapped, finally turning to face her. "The bond snapped during the Summer Solstice run. He felt it. I felt it. He is going to announce me tonight. Now get out of my room."

Marie just smirked. It was a cold, cruel little smile that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. "Keep wishing for things that are way out of your league, Calista. Just remember to grab a mop later. The pack house is going to need a deep cleaning after the ceremony, and we all know that’s the only job you’re actually fit for."

She turned and walked out, leaving my door wide open.

I took a deep, shaky breath, closing my eyes and forcing my heart rate to slow down. I wasn't going to let her ruin tonight. For the past eight months, Eric had been dying. He had a rare case of Silver-marrow disease, and his wolf was literally decaying from the inside out.

The pack doctors had given up. But I was a match.

I spent weeks in agony, undergoing the bone marrow extractions without any wolfsbane sedatives, because the painkillers would have ruined the stem cells. I felt every needle. I felt every cut. I did it willingly. I did it because he was my childhood friend, because I loved him, and because he held my hand through the hospital bars and promised me that as soon as he was healed, we would rule the Crimson Shadow pack together.

I grabbed my shawl and stepped out of my room, making my way down to the pack square.

The territory was buzzing. Lanterns were strung up between the ancient pines, and the smell of roasted venison and champagne filled the night air. I kept my head down as I walked through the crowd. I knew exactly what they thought of me. The whispers followed me everywhere I went.

She’s so heavy. Not fast enough to hunt. An embarrassment to the Alpha bloodline.

But Eric had always been there for me. When the pack mocked my plus-sized body, he was the one who stood by my side. Tonight, he was going to prove them all wrong.

I spotted him near the front of the stage. He looked incredibly handsome in a Triperill sweat pant, the color completely back in his cheeks. He was laughing with his younger brother and his cousin, Jax.

I caught Eric's eye and offered a warm, hopeful smile.

Eric looked away quickly, but Jax didn't. Jax, who had made it his mission to make my entire existence a living hell, locked eyes with me and smirked.

The ceremonial drums started beating.

The crowd immediately fell silent. Eric stepped up onto the platform, radiating power and Alpha authority. My heart was beating so fast. This was it. The end of my misery.

"My pack," Eric started.

"The last few months have been the darkest of my life. As you all know, I was at death's door. I didn't think I would be standing here tonight."

A murmur of sympathy rippled through the crowd. I stepped a little closer to the front, my hands clamped tightly together.

"But I survived," Eric continued, a bright smile spreading across his face. "And I didn't do it alone. Through my lowest moments, there was someone standing by my side. Someone who gave me a reason to keep fighting. Someone whose elegance, beauty, and grace pulled me out of the dark."

Tears pricked my eyes. He was talking about me. He was actually saying it in front of everyone.

"She is everything I have ever wished for in a woman," Eric said, his eyes scanning the crowd. "And I thank the Moon Goddess every single day for bringing her into my life. I cannot lead this pack without her."

I took a half-step forward, ready to climb the wooden stairs.

"Please," Eric called out, his voice ringing with pride. "Marie, come up here and let everyone see the face of your new Luna!"

The world stopped.

The breath was violently punched out of my lungs. I froze, my foot hovering over the bottom step, as the crowd erupted into cheers.

Through the blur of my tears, I watched Marie brush right past me. She climbed the stairs, her sheer designer dress flowing behind her, and threw her arms around Eric's neck. He caught her by the waist, pulling her closer, and kissed her deeply in front of the entire pack.

My heart felt like it was being physically ripped out.

No.

This was a mistake. A sick, twisted nightmare. I gave him my marrow. I nearly died on that operating table for him. He promised me.

The crowd howled their approval, but I couldn't hear them anymore. It was just a loud, high-pitched ringing in my ears. I didn't realize I was moving until I was pushing my way up the side steps of the stage, ignoring the hands of the guards that tried to pull me back.

I walked straight into the Alpha's private pavilion behind the curtain, where Eric and Marie had just stepped away from the cheering crowd to grab their champagne glasses.

"Eric," I choked out, my voice cracking so badly I barely recognized it.

He turned around, his smile dropping instantly. He let out a loud, deeply annoyed sigh and set his glass down on the table.

"Calista. You shouldn't be back here. Security!"

"What did you just do?" I asked, my hands shaking so hard I had to ball them into tight fists. "What did you just say out there?"

Eric scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. He looked at me with irritation. "What? Did you expect me to call your name out there?"

"Yes!" I screamed, the raw betrayal burning my throat. "You promised me! I saved your life, Eric! I gave you my blood, my marrow, my health! You said we would rule together!"

Eric threw his head back and laughed.

"Are you completely out of your mind?" "You expected me to be with you? Like you actually wanted to be my Luna? With that plus-sized body of yours? What were you thinking?"

"What?" I whispered, my legs suddenly feeling like they were made of lead. "What do you mean?"

"I mean look at yourself, Calista," he sneered, gesturing up and down my body with a look of total disgust.

"You're heavy. You're slow. You look terrible in that dress. Did you seriously believe an Alpha would tie himself to a pig? An Alpha needs a Luna who commands respect. Someone flawless. Someone who doesn't look like they eat five meals a day."

"But you're my mate," I sobbed, the tears finally spilling over my cheeks. "The bond snapped last Summer Solstice. You felt it. I know you felt it!"

"I felt it, and I rejected it," Eric said coldly, stepping closer to me, his eyes flashing with a ruthless Alpha authority. "I couldn't claim you because you're way too embarrassing to be seen with. I want a woman who is stunning. Aside from her royal bloodline, that is exactly what Marie possesses. I'm sorry, Calista, but you'll do way better as a pack maid. Maybe a consort for one of the lower-ranking guards, if they're desperate enough."

I couldn't breathe. The boy I grew up with, the man I willingly went into agonizing surgery to save, was standing right in front of me, shredding my soul into pieces without a single ounce of remorse.

"You used me," I whispered, the reality crashing down on me. "Oh no dear. Perhaps, you were so stupid and desperate." "There's a difference."

"Aww, is the little hippo crying?"

Marie stepped out from the pavilion, a glass of champagne in her hand and a wicked, triumphant grin on her face. She walked right up to Eric and wrapped her arm around his waist, leaning her head affectionately on his shoulder.

“Leave me alone, Marie," I cried, taking a weak step back.

"Don't worry, Calista," Marie purred, her eyes practically glowing with malice. "I'll make sure to tell the children exactly how generous their aunt was."

I froze, the tears stopping dead in my eyes. "Children?"

Marie smirked and placed her hand against her flat stomach. "Oh, yes. I'm pregnant. Twins, actually. While you were busy bleeding on a hospital table, donating your precious marrow to him, I was in his bed making sure his bloodline was completely secure."

Eric kissed the top of Marie's head, not even bothering to look at me anymore.

"So dry your tears," Marie whispered, stepping closer to me so only I could hear her venomous words.

"Because of you, their father gets to live. At least you get to have that as your payment for him putting up with a fat pig like you all this time."