Imperfectly Mated

#1 - A Knife In My Gut

"You do know that Callista would never do anything of the sort for you, right?" Freesia, the woman who had seamlessly slipped into the role of my second mother after my own mother's death, huffed, earning herself a light caress on her cheek from me.

"That doesn't mean I have to be as mean as she is." I smiled. 'Mean' was the understatement of the century to describe my sister whom I loved so dearly despite her shortcomings. She was my world, and I was determined to make her world sparkle this one more time before she left home. I kept straightening out the gown Callista was meant to wear on the day of her engagement. So much more was going on around the castle in preparation for the grand event, but I had chosen this delicate task, knowing no one else would care as much as I did. Every stitch, every detail, reflected my love and hopes for her. I longed for her to feel cherished, to feel our parents' love in their absence. "And besides, despite her... unfortunate attitude, she still remains my sister, and pretty soon, because of her, the kingdom of Yerith will not only have ties to Leif, but to the mighty Xatis too. She deserves our and Elmwood's gratitude."

Freesia merely snorted. "You know who deserves our gratitude more? You, Seraphine. For all the sacrifices you've made for the kingdom even without having the prospect of wedding some rich heir from some faraway kingdom. Yerith owes you much more than whatever this prince can ever bring to us."

I shook my head at that. "Keeping Elmwood for all of you is all the gratitude I will ever need in this life." My gaze went out of the window to stare at the last piece of my identity and heart. My home. Castle Elmwood and the entire estate had seen better days that was for sure, but it still remained home and just like I had fought for it over the years, I would continue doing so from everyone who dared to take it away from me.

"That ungrateful witch!" The door to the castle's kitchen flew open, and in stomped Thalassa, drawing all our attention to her unusual noisy entrance. "How can she do this to Seraphine, and on the eve of her engagement!"

"Do what to me?" I looked up from the gown and at my fuming handmaid who insisted on remaining that despite my insistence on being friends.

"Oh, my lady, I didn't realize you were here." Eyes wider than saucers, Thalassa halted and bit her lips shut.

"What has my sister done?" I insisted.

"Nothing that concerns you," my maid fumbled, her eyes darting everywhere except towards me.

I frowned at her. "But you did just mention my name."

"I did?" Thalassa looked horrified. "That must have been a mistake. A slip of the tongue. Yes," she nodded. "That must have been it."

I was not buying her excuses. Very little in this world rattled the usually quiet maiden, and my welfare was on the top of that list. "Where is Callista then?" I inquired, but Thalassa merely kept biting her lips.

"Child, we both know it's too late for you," Freesia pointed out calmly, making Thalassa sigh deeply.

"In her bedchamber, my lady." she muttered, quietly. "And I didn't intend to eavesdrop. It just so happened that I was on my way there to ask whether she would be fine if the florist added lavenders to the flower arrangement for the engagement when I heard the...uh...sound of her being pleasured."

"Pleasured?" I shot up from my seat, flew past the kitchen doors, all the while cursing Callista for being this reckless. She was getting married, for crying out loud— didn't she have any restraint? Was she not aware of the consequences for embarrassing the king in such a manner? Or did she not care about all of us...at all? I froze in my tracks, the possibility of that thought clawing at my heart. Could it be that she truly didn't care...?

"Please do not let her know you heard this from me?" Thalassa appeared beside me, her gaze pleading. It forced a smile out of me.

"Of course not. You have my word." Relief washed over her. I wished I felt the same, but with Callista there was no knowing. Stepping into her chambers, the sight I faced made me amend my sentiments. It wasn't about not knowing— Callista was ...

She was writhing in pleasure as Rylen, my Rylen, rode her like a beast... in my own home.

"I bet Seraphine has never pleasured you like this?" Callista moaned, the sound twisting like a knife in my gut.

"You are damn right she hasn't. We are...were waiting. Can you imagine that? Waiting?" Rylen snorted, the sound morphing into another pleasurable growl. My heart cracked with it. "If I didn't love her this much, I would have probably called it quits already."

"Love?" Callista laughed sarcastically. "Oh don't be ridiculous, sweet Rylen. We both know that whatever you have... had with Seraphine had nothing to do with love, but everything to do with you becoming baron of the estate once you two wedded."

He was using me? And my own sister knew? A lump lodged itself in my throat and I suddenly couldn't decide what hurt the most. My sister's betrayal or that of the love of my life.

"Is it true? Have you only pretended to be in love with me?" I was not the pitiful type and would have left without Callista or Rylen knowing I was ever there, but I found myself stepping inside, demanding answers.

"Seraphine?!" Rylen scrambled for the covers. "I swear, this is not what it looks like."

"And pray tell what does it look like to you?" I bit out.

"I was coming to you, I swear." He reached for his pants, fumbling with them, he fished something out before getting off the bed and dragging the covers with him. Callista's nakedness was laid bare, but she didn't seem to care. Not about her shame or the heartache she'd caused me. "Our life together, we can still have it."

The little velvet-covered box in Rylen's hands clicked open and with it, every dream he'd ever promised shattered into a thousand pieces taking with it my belief in love.

"Seraphine, wait?" Rylen pleaded, but I kept walking. "I swear I have been true to you...except this one time...with Callista."

Stopping by the door, I took one last look at the hurtful sight. "Get out!"

"What?! You don't mean that, my love." Rylen visibly paled.

"I said get out!" I hissed, my chest heaving. "And just so you know, all that talk about mergers between our estates, consider them suspended. Indefinitely. Good luck with the creditors."

He froze. "You can't do that... we'll be ruined! I'll be ruined."

"You should have thought about that before you wormed your way into my sister's panties."

"Please, what can I do? Anything..."

"Get out, Rylen or would you prefer I set my guards and dogs on you?" I hissed.

"You should know she's not as innocent as she appears." Defeated, Rylen slipped on his pants. "Ask her about what happened to your wolf...and about everything that has seemingly gone wrong in your life-"

"Get out!" For the first time since I'd met Rylen, I couldn't stand him. He threw on his garments hastily. I appreciated that.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry." He paused in front of me, regret etched on his face. "And if there is anything-"

"Go, Rylen." I did not need his pity, nor did I want any explanations Callista suddenly seemed to wish to offer. I turned to her and said, "You're getting engaged in less than a day; I suggest you see to that." I shut the door, if only I could shut all the betrayal out too.

Freesia stood at the end of the hallway, fuming. "What the young man said...," she bit out as soon as I reached her, "...are you going to ask-"

"And to what end, Freesia? Nothing will change. My wolf is dead and so are my parents." I straightened up, shoving back the tears threatening to spill. "Callista will be wed tomorrow and will be out of here, out of our lives. I'll never have to see her again. Whatever she is, what she's done, will be buried with her absence. I'll be free of her...finally."

"Oh Seraphine, child, you never said-"

"I need...air." I stormed out amidst Freesia's protests. I couldn't stay. I couldn't face the part of me I'd hidden for so long. The raging part that was not as sweet as I had led everyone to believe.