Chapter 6

Arielle’s POV

Vanessa's footsteps got closer to me and I tried to ignore it but it was getting hard to ignore it.

I really didn't want to talk to her!

I turned slowly, my pulse thrumming against my ribs as I found her standing just outside the corridor, she was hidden from the rays of sunlight and had on only a flimsy robe. Her arms were crossed over her chest, her perfectly manicured nails tapping impatiently against her skin.

“I thought I made myself clear,” she said keeping her voice slow, deliberate. “But maybe I need to spell it out for you.”  she drawled wind blowing over her long blonde hair that was already falling wildly around her face as if she had just woken up not long which made sense, I was surprised she was even awake in the first place. Her lips curled in a sneer and even  in the dim lighting, I could see the rage burning in her blue eyes.

"Vanessa—" I started, but she stepped forward, her shoes clicking against the pavement.

"Shut up," she snapped.

"I should have known that you just couldn’t help yourself, could you?"  I stiffened.

"I don’t know what you’re talking about."  I muttered.

Avoiding was not the best option but it was all I could manage for now, Vanessa let out a bitter laugh.

"Oh, please. You’ve always had your eyes on Asher. Ever since we were kids, you followed him around like a lost puppy. And now, after Damian threw you away like yesterday’s trash, you’re crawling to him?"

"You don’t know anything."  I hissed my hands clenching into fists and she scoffed.

"I know enough. I know you think you can replace me."

My breath caught in my throat.

Replace her? If she thought that then maybe Asher really was showing me genuine affection, enough to have her stepsister annoyed but deep down in her she wondered if she wanted his attention. Which was stupid because she had wanted Asher for so long, Vanessa wasn't wrong about her crush.

"Asher isn’t yours, Vanessa," I said, keeping my voice steady.

"If he was you wouldn't be here."  I mumbled lowly and her eyes flashed dangerously.

"And you think he’s yours? That he’ll ever love you?"

I didn’t answer. I wasn’t sure I wanted to anyway,

Vanessa took another step forward, her expression twisting.

"You’re pathetic, Arielle. First Damian, now Asher. Do you have any pride left?"  I swallowed hard, refusing to let her see how her words cut.

"You’re desperate," she continued, venom dripping from her voice. “And you know what happens to desperate little wolves?" I exhaled sharply, forcing myself to keep my ground.

“I don’t need to hear anything from you this early in the morning Vanessa,” I said, reaching for the door again.

“Just go to bed please, or let me go to bed at least.

Before I could reach to turn the knob, she lunged for the door her hands slamming against the dark wood beside my head, her nails scraping the wood. I flinched, but I didn’t move away, I was definitely not giving her the satisfaction.

“You actually think Asher wants you?” she sneered, her lips curling into something cruel.

“That he sees you as anything more than a distraction?” My chest tightened. I clenched my jaw.

She let out a soft, humorless laugh.

“Oh, sweetheart." she drawled wrapping her fingers over my face, her fingers shifting partially pain exploded across my cheek as her claws raked against my skin. I gasped willing the pain way and trying not to touch my face as blood rolled down wet and sticky.

"You’re adorable. Pathetic, but adorable.”  I swallowed hard, willing myself not to react, not to let her words dig into the wounds I was still trying to heal.

But she wasn’t finished apparently.

“You’re nothing more than a temporary plaything,” she continued, tilting her head as if studying me her fingers squeezing tightly. “Just like all the others before you.”

"Does that include you" I asked sarcastically wincing when her fingers bit into my cheeks harder. I sucked in a sharp breath,as she pressed on.

“You really think Asher, Alpha Asher, would choose you?” she scoffed.

“A pathetic little reject? A mate someone else already threw away like garbage, his brother of all people." she said, she wanted to dig into the fact that Damian, was Asher’s brother and if I couldn't keep him then there was no keeping Asher my nails dug into my palms, my body trembling—not with fear, but with something else.

Fury.

For years, I had let Vanessa walk all over me. I had endured her snide comments, her backhanded insults, the way she and her sister  whispered about me like I was nothing.

I had let her win—every single time.

But not tonight, tonight I was tired and exhausted a d really didn't want to do this.

Not anymore.

I grabbed her hand dragging it off my face as I pushed off the door, closing the space between us, forcing her to be the one to move back. Her eyes widened, just a fraction, but I saw it.

The surprise.

“I don’t know what your problem is, Vanessa,” I said, my voice steady, stronger than I felt. “But I’m done letting you talk to me like this.” Her lips parted slightly, but I didn’t stop.

“You don’t get to decide who Asher wants,” I continued.

“And you sure as hell don’t get to decide what I deserve.” She blinked rapid as I took another step closer.

“And even if he came to me it's still not my fault because you lost him. Not me.”

A flicker of something dark passed through her eyes—something that almost looked like fear—before her expression twisted into a mask of pure hatred.

“You stupid little—”

She reached for me, her claws extending just slightly, but this time, I was ready.

I caught her wrist before she could grab me, tightening my grip just enough to let her know that I wasn’t afraid.

Her breath hitched.

“You don’t scare me, Vanessa,” I said, my voice like steel.

“Not anymore.”  that wasn't totally true but I was not letting her see that at all.

For a long, tense moment, neither of us moved and then, slowly, I released her. Vanessa stepped back, cradling her wrist like it had actually hurt, but I saw the truth in her eyes. She was shaken and if possible more pissed off than before.

“You’re making a mistake,” she whispered, her voice no longer filled with the same arrogance as before.  I lifted my chin.

“Then I’ll deal with the consequences. But at least I won’t spend my life being bitter and desperate over a man who doesn’t want me.”

Her lips parted, but no words came out.

For the first time, Vanessa had nothing to say.

And gods, it felt good.

"Stay away from him, Arielle. Or next time, I won’t be so kind."  She said as and I sighed.

"It's not like I go out  of my way to look for him but whatever " I muttered as I turned without another word, pushing the door open and stepping inside.

“Oh, and Vanessa?”  I called to her and she stiffened.

“You might want to find a new hobby,” I said, meeting her gaze one last time. “Because this little obsession you have with making my life unbearable, well it’s pathetic.” I muttered and then I closed the door.

I pressed my palm against the door, my heart slamming against my ribs.

Vanessa had made herself clear.

But she didn’t understand something.

I wasn’t the same girl anymore.