3: THREE

R O S A L I E My phone started buzzing with birthday messages throughout my run. But none came from Casper, or my family. They had forgotten. Of course, they had. I was disappointed, but not surprised. I was always an afterthought. A second choice. I dragged my aching body back home and went straight to the shower. I stood under the hot water, letting it wash away my pain and my tears. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine a different life. A life where I was thin and beautiful. A life where I was loved and cherished. But it was no use. The fantasy was just that. A fantasy. It was late afternoon when the front door opened. I was on the living room floor, doing crunches, my abdominal muscles screaming with every single one. Casper walked in, followed by two of his friends, Liam and Theo, the pack's Beta and Gamma. They stopped and stared, a look of pity and amusement on their faces. My cheeks burned with shame. I was on display, my fat and funny body on full display. They were probably disgusted. "Get up," Casper said, his tone cold. "You have guests." I scrambled to my feet, my body aching in protest. I smoothed down my sweat soaked shirt, my heart pounding in my chest. "Hi," I mumbled, avoiding their eyes. "Rosalie," Liam said, giving me a tight smile. "Happy birthday." "Thanks," I whispered. "See? I told you she was fine," Casper said, slapping Liam on the back. "Just a bit... soft." I flinched at his words, but I didn't say anything. What could I even say? "We're going out tonight," Casper announced, his eyes glinting with a malicious light. "To The Silver Moon. To celebrate your birthday." I stared at him, my blood running cold. The Silver Moon was the most popular club in the city. It was filled with beautiful thin people. People like Casper. Not people like me. "I... I don't think that's a good idea," I said, my voice trembling. "I'm tired." "I don't care," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "You will be there. And you will wear something nice. Something that shows off all your... progress." Progress. There was no progress. "But—" I started to protest. "No buts," he said, cutting me off. "Be ready by nine. And for Goddess's sake, try to look presentable." And with that, they left, the door slamming shut behind them. I sank to the floor, my body wracked with sobs. I was a joke. The birthday clown, sent to the club to be mocked and ridiculed. ‘Rosalie,’ my wolf said, ‘We do not have to go. We can run. We can leave him.’ "No," I whispered, my head in my hands. "We can't. He's our mate. He's all we have." ‘He is killing us,’ she said, her voice fading away. ‘And you are letting him. We deserve so much better than this.’ She was wrong. This was what I deserved. This was my penance for being fat. For being ugly. For being me. I pushed myself off the floor and went to my closet. I had to find something to wear. Something that made me look thin. But as I looked through my clothes, I realized I had nothing. All my clothes were too big, a reminder of the woman I used to be. The woman who was happy and confident. The woman I had to destroy in order to be loved. I found a black dress, a simple one that I had bought a few months ago. I hadn't worn it yet, hoping it would fit me one day. I held it up to my body. It was a size 14. A long way from the size 10 wedding dress, but it was the best I could do. I tried it on. It was tight, hugging my curves in a way that made me want to crawl into a hole and die. I could see the rolls of fat, the way my stomach spilled over the waistband. I looked like a sausage. I wanted to rip it off, to burn it and never look at it again. It made me feel worse than being naked. At least being naked was honest. This dress was a lie. A lie that I was trying to tell myself and the world. That I was beautiful. That I was worthy. ‘We are still beautiful,’ my wolf whispered. ‘He is the one who is ugly. Ugly on the inside, where it counts.’ I ignored her, choosing instead to focus on the task at hand. I had to look presentable. I had to make Casper proud. I decided to wear my hair down, its dark ginger waves cascading over my shoulders. I put on some makeup, trying to cover the dark circles under my eyes and the paleness of my skin. I looked in the mirror and for a moment, I saw a stranger. A beautiful sad stranger. But then the illusion shattered, because I blinked and I saw a girl trying to be something she was not. I heard a wolf whistle from behind me. I turned to see Casper leaning against the doorframe, a smug look on his face. For a second, I thought he was whistling at me. The thought was so absurd I almost laughed. "Better," he said, his eyes roaming over my body. "Not great, but better. It'll have to do." He walked towards me and I flinched, expecting him to say something cruel. But instead, he grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him. His eyes were cold. "Don't embarrass me tonight," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "Smile. Act like you're happy to be there. And for Goddess's sake, try not to eat anything." He let go of my chin, and I stumbled back, my heart pounding in my chest. I nodded, unable to speak. "I mean it, Rosalie," he said, his eyes narrowing. "This is your last chance. Don't screw it up." I nodded again, my eyes welling up with tears. I wouldn't cry. I couldn't. Not in front of him. He smiled, a cruel twist of his lips. "Good girl." He turned and walked out of the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down. I could do this. I could get through tonight. I had to.