Chapter 2 CHAPTER 2

I woke up to a knock at my door, sharp and loud. My eyes snapped open, and for a moment, I thought I was still dreaming when I heard the knocking. I threw my head back on the pillow, regretting it instantly as I immediately felt like puking from the late I had with the Gin Tasha bought.

“Are you awake, Ayla?” I froze when I heard my dad’s voice. My stomach sank. “Dad?” I mumbled, sitting up slowly. Yesterday’s events are still fresh on my mind, and I have the curiosity about whether he knows what happened gnawing at me.

He walked in, and I could instantly tell something knew; he looked tired and guilty.  I looked at him, my heart loudly thumping against my chest. I wanted to ask him about what happened, but I wasn't sure I would be able to handle the truth.

“I need you to help your sister pack,” he said bluntly, looking at me straight in the eye. I looked up to him and furrowed my eyebrows. In that moment, I felt bullied and alone. I blinked, still trying to gather my thoughts. “Pack… what?” I asked, wanting to make sure that I heard him correctly.

“Her things, she is moving in at the pack house with Callen.” I shook my head and immediately regretted it as the nausea and dizziness overwhelmed me. What the hell is happening? Why is everyone making this a norm? No one is addressing the huge elephant in the room.

“No. Why can’t her stupid husband help her pack? I get betrayed, and then I have to help her pack her things so she can go and stay with my boyfriend? Fuck no.”

“Ex-boyfriend.” He said with a straight face. I looked at him in disbelief. “We haven’t broken up,” I said, annoyed.

He sighed and hesitantly took a seat at the edge of my bed. I hope he gives a very good reason why his own sibling got married to my man.

“What’s going on?” I asked quietly, my voice trembling slightly. He took a deep breath, one that seemed to carry lies and deceit, and let it out slowly.

“Ayla… your mother and I made a decision. Something we never wanted you to find out this way.” I furrowed my brow.

“A decision? Dad… what do you mean?”

He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, hands clasped together. “Our family business is failing. The debts and the losses were taking a toll on us. We were on the brink of selling it. And we needed help.” I felt my stomach twist.

“And what does that have to do with Sierra getting married to Callen?!”He rubbed his forehead in distress.

“Everything. Callen’s father told us he would give us the money for our business, but he had conditions.”

“Conditions?” I echoed, incredulous. “Like what? What kind of condition could justify this?” His voice was quiet, almost shaking, but precise.

“One of our daughters… would marry him. Your mother and I chose Sierra.” I felt the room tilt, my chest tightening so fast I thought I might collapse and vomit right on the floor.

“You what? You knew that I was the one who was dating the Alpha’s son, so you thought you should just take that away from me!” He looked at me then, with a mix of guilt and exhaustion that made me want to cry because what they did was unfair. How could my parents think they have the power to determine my fate?

“Because she’s quiet and calm. She’s different; we needed someone who won’t question what we were doing.” I couldn’t breathe, my chest heaved with each ragged inhale. How could they do this to me? This was my chance to become something, and they took it away just like that. Callen would’ve married me without his father commanding him to, he was in love with me.

“Your business was falling apart, and your solution was to sell your own daughter to a man, and the worst part was to sell her to her sister’s boyfriend? What if she will never be happy in that marriage?” His gaze was steady, unwavering.

“Not ‘sell her,’ Ayla. We did what we thought we had to do. And it was a good decision, you never would’ve been able to do it. You like having fun and being part of the Alpha family, but you can’t have fun all the time. And I’m sorry you had to find out this way.” I pressed my palms against my face, rocking slightly back and forth in disbelief.

“I can’t believe this is happening, and the woman that gave birth to me couldn’t even tell me the truth; I had to find out with the pack members here and everyone watching as I embarrassed myself,” I said, looking at him, unshed tears burning my eyes as I blinked them away, not wanting to show weakness.

“I’m sorry, I can’t do this. This is insane, please leave my room.” I said as I lay back and hugged my pillow, feeling like my life was over. He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

“I know. I know, Ayla. Believe me, I know how it looks. And I know it feels… wrong. But our family legacy depended on this.”I laughed, though it came out hollow, bitter.

“So the Alpha, he’s some rich, powerful man who just decides which daughter gets handed over? That’s insane.”

“He’s not insane,” my father said softly, almost in a whisper. “He’s powerful and loyal to those who honor their agreements. He’ll take care of her, yes, but only as far as the contract is concerned. And we needed that. To protect everything else. To protect all of you, including you.”

I felt my knees weaken, and thank god I was lying on the bed.

“Protect me? Dad, this isn’t protecting anyone. This is…” I shook my head, voice cracking. “This is betrayal. How could you do this? How could you, my own father, just decide this for her?”He closed his eyes for a moment.

“I know.”

“Stop saying you know, you don’t know anything. okay?!” I burst out in anger. I hate it when someone does me wrong and keeps acting like they know the pain that I am going through because of them.

I let out a long, shaky breath, trying to process the storm inside me. Rage, confusion, grief, it all collided at once, and I felt tears prickle behind my eyes.

“You don’t understand,” I whispered, almost to myself. “I can’t just stand by and watch her live the life that was supposed to be mine.” My father reached out, his hand hovering over mine.

“I did what I thought was best for you. You aren’t ready for marriage; you are still my baby. You just have to survive this, and one day, when you find someone, you will look back on this and be grateful.“

I pulled back slightly, shaking my head, voice trembling. “Survive this? Dad, I already feel like I am drowning in sadness.” I stopped, unable to finish the thought, because there weren’t words strong enough to cover the anger and the disbelief.

I swallowed hard, heart hammering, biting back so much anger and vile words. He didn’t answer, just looked at me, silently, probably regretting the decision he had made to sell his daughter to the Alpha.