Chapter 4 ECHOES OF BETRAYALS

Chapter Four

Taya's POV

The woman in the picture smiled so gently; it was almost exotic. One could mistake her for an angel as she sat poised with grace looking like an ancient painting.

If I didn't know better, I would mistake her for an angel too like I always had. She displayed a calm and easygoing temperament. It was too late, but I now saw her for how evil she was. I glared hatefully at the face that looked so much like mine. My own twin sister had destroyed me so badly.

Her voice had been so cold, devoid of any sort of remorse or guilt when she stared directly at me. "He loves me, Taya, not you. He only got married to you because he had no choice" She had looked so different, so unfamiliar as she stared at me with so much hate.

A strangled cry escaped my lips as I stared unbelieving at Jacob, nested in the bed with my twin sister in his arms. The bed sheet covered his waist downwards but I could tell he was naked.

"Nel..Jacob, why?" My heart clenched and unclenched painfully in my chest and I held on to my stomach. "Why would you do this to me?" I screamed, feeling the pain of their betrayal tear through me like a vice.

He remained unresponsive, his cold eyes watching me with a smirk before looking away indifferently and lighting up a cigarette before bringing it to his lips. Rita stretched and shared a kiss with him, with me watching my chest throbbing with a familiar pain.

My eyes widened in shock and tears dropped in torrents from both sides of my cheek as I collapsed to the ground. My world shattered into a million pieces as I realized slowly, this had been the source of my pain.

The night after my wedding, all those nights I suffered in writhing agony, the times he was absent, he had been cheating on me with my own twin sister. As I pieced the puzzles together, I started to see that I had been a fool all along. The unnecessary touches, the sudden closeness, how he suddenly stopped attending pack meetings. The signs were all there but I was too blind to see them.

I shook my head, deep sorrow and hurt swirling together in a toxic mix. I was in denial. Jacob had known about my pain. My sister, Rita, I told her about what I was passing through. Yet they had subjected me to intentional torture? All those nights, it was my wolf suffering the pain of my partner being unfaithful. He had betrayed me right from the day we got married.

I laid on the ground like a lifeless dull as I slowly tried to process everything. I had been betrayed by the people I loved the most in the worst way possible.

My emotions slowly transformed from sorrow and hurt to hot burning rage.

"Why?" I squeezed out, lifelessly. My eyes were bloodshot and full of endless anger and pain. I stared at a spot in the ground I laid on, not wanting to continue looking at their proud display of debauchery.

Rita snorted with disdain, "Jacob didn't tell you did he?" she asked, her voice dripping with malice and anger. "I saved his life! That's why. I was supposed to be the one to marry him, but you...you stole him from me!"

If looks could kill, they'd both be dead, chopped into uncountable pieces.

"I was the one who saved him during the pack war. I was supposed to be his wife, but then you came along and he chose you." She continued, standing up from the bed and approaching me.

"He's my mate." I said, the words feeling hollow even to my own ears.

She laughed, a cold mocking laugh. "You think a simple mate bond means anything? Jacob and I share a bond too, Taya. A bond of blood and loyalty. And I'm the one he truly loves."

I sat up slowly, staring up at Jacob still seated in bed. He had a look of indifference as he watched me.

"Jacob, you never loved me?" I choked, hoping stupidly that he did.

He finally spoke, his words coldly cutting through the air, "I never loved you. I was obligated to you, but my heart was never yours. I'm going to do what I should have done from the beginning." He paused, swallowed, then continued. "I, Jacob, Alpha of Red moon pack, reject you Taya as my mate."

I felt the mate bond between us snap like a brittle thread. Weakness overwhelmed me, my body tremble without control. I doubled over, as an intense pain enter me. I felt like something flowing in between my legs, soaking my dress red. It was blood. I was miscarriage...our child.

I had been so excited to share the news with him. I was pregnant, but now the child was leaving me, gathering as a puddle of blood on the floor.

Jacob's face finally cracked, revealing a glimmer of shock and guilt. He scrambled off the bed, his eyes wide with horror and regret, "Taya, I...I had no idea."

Rita looked at me, her expression unchanging. She had known, I realized with a fresh pang of pain. Jacob took a step forward, his hands outstretched and then halted.

With Herculean effort, I dragged myself, crawling towards the door. I felt their eyes following me silently. I reached the door, pulled myself up and stumbled till I got to my room where I now sat staring at the picture by my bedside in helpless rage.

The blood continued to flow and slowly my body became heavy and unresponsive. I could feel my life force ebbing away slowly. My vision began to blur, my consciousness slipping away.

If I could, I would kill them both before dying. But I was too weak...too weak. I cried.

"Moon goddess," I whispered, mustering all my strength, "Please, I beg you... avenge me."

My body convulsed, my back arching off the floor in extreme pain. Just then, the door to my room burst open, with Jacob standing in the doorway looking at me with an horrified expression.

And then, everything went black.