Ella's POV

"What?"

"Are you deaf too? The wedding will be in three days, you have three days to get rid of as much of this disgusting fat as possible!"

I was so baffled that I didn't even react before her hand jolted out and pinched my stomach. I winched and stumbled back, swatting her hand away as the pain flashed through my skin.

"You are insane. Did William forget to give you your sanity pills today? This year even?"

"You don't get to use his name. He is Alpha to you,"

She stepped closer, and the threat was obvious in her dark eyes as she scowled at me. I haven't seen these people in ages. I'm not even sure I've had the pleasure of meeting Lauren before, but here they are. Cornering me in my Nana's dark living room after work.

"I'm not doing it, no matter what you call him. He is nothing to me."

"Oh, I know,"

She sneered with a malicious grin before she continued as she stepped right up in my face. With my back already pushed up against the wall, I felt rather helpless.

"You are nothing to him! Never was! Never will be! And that's why you are going through with this wedding. It doesn't matter to us what happens to you. Or what do you think of it? But, if you ever want to see your dear old grandmother again. You will go through with this marriage,"

I clenched my jaw and fists as Lauren flashed a wicked grin.

"You should be thanking us even! A girl like you, I mean, who would want to marry you? Your ex? Oh, wait. His family despises you! And guess what? Last I heard, so does he. Ryan is rich, good-looking, and the future Alpha of his pack. A man of such caliber wouldn't even clean his shoes with filth like you,"

My heart was pounding, and my eyes were burning. Her words were not true! But they hurt as hell.

All my life, I had been that orphan hybrid. Humans disgusted or scared of me, the wolves? They were no better. To them, I was nothing. I didn't exist, and if they were confronted with my existence, I was considered filth: an accident that should never have occurred, a disgrace for their rase.

I didn't belong anywhere, and when my mom died, my dad turned his back on me. Like the death of his mistress erased my very existence. All I had was Nana and my work. I could not picture a life without either. They both defined me; that was what I was. The only thing I was. I swallowed hard, glared back at her, and refused to blink. I could not cry, not in front of her!

"It is easy. You will marry Ryan as Aria. Take her place. You will never lack anything, even have a husband and a place to belong. I am graciously offering you to be better than your mom ever was,"

"Don't you ever talk about my mother!"

I spat back, not able to control my anger. My body was trembling with rage, and she only laughed me straight in the face.

"Your mother was a skank! A good-for-nothing whore that tried to ruin a happy family! Easy and stupid! She got exactly what she deserved! That woman was pure evil! A good-for-nothing slut who fucked every…"

"That is enough, Lauren,"