Chapter 67

Judy’s POV

“You are such trash, Judy Montague. Why the hell are you at my family's barbeque?” Kelsey asked, folding her arms across her busty chest, her pink lips pressed into a thin line as she glared at me.

“If I remember correctly, the entire pack is invited, Kelsey. So, what’s the problem?” I asked her, narrowing my eyes. I wasn’t going to let her bully me, especially because I was only there as a favor to Irene. I didn’t need to deal with Kelsey right now.

“That doesn’t include you, Slut,” she barked.

Was she seriously calling me the slut when Ethan was the one who left me for someone else? It wasn’t the other way around so I’m not sure what she’s insinuating.

“It’s pathetic that you showed your face here. Trying to beg Ethan to return to you? Can’t you just let him go and let him be happy? He found someone worthy of his time and love. Irene fits in perfectly with our family. We’ve only known her for a little bit, but she’s already the perfect sister-in-law.”

“I’m not here to beg for Ethan,” I murmured. “I’m only here to support my friend.”

“Yeah right,” Kelsey said mockingly. “I highly doubt you are here to support anyone but yourself. You are pathetic, Judy.”

“What’s going on?” Ethan asked as he stepped beside his sister. “You aren’t making trouble again, are you Kels?” He asked her.

She frowned up at him and narrowed her icy blue eyes.

“Of course not, Ethan. I’m only looking out for you. I’m not letting this bitch weasel her way back into your life when you have fully moved on from her,” she said sourly.

Ethan sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

“I don’t need you to look out for me. I’m more than capable of doing so myself,” he assured her.

She rolled her eyes.

“I’m your sister; it’s my job to protect you,” she complained.

“You are my little sister,” he reminded her. “Please, don’t make any more trouble for yourself or for me.”

She scowled at him but before she could say anything, Irene intervened.

“Kelsey was only doing what she thought was right,” Irene said gently, shocking me. Was she seriously standing up for Kelsey after what she had said to me? I thought Irene wanted me here because I was her friend, but the way she had Kelsey’s’ back was making me doubt my friendship with her.

He wrapped an arm around Irene’s shoulder and pulled her close. She snuggled against him as he kissed the side of her face, his eyes flickering over to me for a moment, making my blood run cold. I shifted in my shoes uncomfortably, trying to avoid his eyes though I could feel them burning a hole in the side of my face.

“I want to introduce you to some friends,” he murmured to him.

She nodded and then glanced at me.

“I’ll see you momentarily,” she told me.

I nodded, forcing a smile as she walked away with Ethan’s hand in hers. He gave me one last look before turning his attention to the group of friends across the yard.

“Judy?” I heard a familiar voice in close proximity. I turned to see Meredith Cash walking towards me. She had a frown on her lips and when she paused in front of me, her perfectly trimmed brows were raised. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here this evening.”

“She wants to get back with Ethan, so she showed up,” Kelsey said with a scowl.

“Is that so?” Meredith asked, her eyes never left mine. “Well, I’m afraid that’s not going to happen. My Ethan is much happier with his fiancé. Irene is such a doll, and she fits into our family way better than you ever did.”

“That’s what I’ve been telling her,” Kelsey said, a smirk on her pink lips. “In comparison to Irene, Judy is nothing.”

I opened my mouth to say something in my defense, but I wasn’t sure what I could say. They’ve always been like this towards me for as long as I’ve known them. It didn’t make any sense to me; I had no idea why they hated me so much. I honestly think it was because they’ve always been intimidated by my family and have been waiting for our downfall so they could come out on top. But now that they are on top, they think it’s appropriate to snub us and make us feel as if we are nothing but trash.

My heart twisted; Ethan was my fated mate… I was the one who was wronged by their son. Yet, they don’t seem to see it like this. It was a cruel reminder to both me and my wolf that we don’t belong in this family and we never would. Even if Ethan accepted me as his mate, it would always be like this.

“Irene is very rich, and her father is insanely famous,” Meredith went on to boast. “I can’t believe my Ethan is marrying into the Landry family. Which means our families are now connected. This couldn’t have worked out more perfectly.”

“Not to mention Alpha Gavin Landry is so hot,” Kelsey purred, making my insides twist.

“Kelsey, that’s enough. He’s old enough to be your father,” Meredith chuckled. “We invited him to the party, as we do every year. I wonder if he’ll show up this time because his daughter is here. I can’t wait to officially meet him and make our debut in his family. We are going to be the most popular family in the country.”

Meredith and Kelsey chuckled and continued their banter.

It was as if they had forgotten I was there.

“What is that foul smell,” another voice said from nearby. I froze at the sound of that voice. “Oh… it’s you.”

I turned to see Sophia, Ethan’s grandmother, approaching us.

“Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be licking your wounds or something? My grandson left you for someone much better. Don’t tell me you’re here to get him back?”

“I’m not here for that, Grandma,” I told her, trying to sound as polite as I could. Regardless of how cruel Grandma Sophia was, I was always taught to treat my elderly with respect, and I wouldn’t treat her any less.

“Don’t call me that,” she hissed. “I’m not your grandmother. I never would be. Even if my grandson chose to marry you. I’m glad he came to his senses. You were never good enough for him. I knew your family was bad news the second I met you.”

I frowned at her words. She always had a good relationship with my mother and father, so I wasn’t sure why she was saying such cruel words about them now.

“It’s only right that your father landed himself in prison,” Meredith said, folding her arms across her chest. “He was a slimeball from the beginning. I always wondered how he got to the top and now I know… he didn’t deserve any of it.”

My cheeks flared as anger rose inside of me; they could say what they wanted about me… but when it came to my family, they had crossed the line.

“He’s barely her father,” Kelsey chuckled. “Remember, she’s an adopted orphan because her birth parents didn’t want her. She’s a nobody… a loser… she will always be abandoned by those around her.”

They all chuckled at Kelsey’s words as I felt my heart breaking into pieces. I shouldn’t let their words affect me like this. I was training to be a gamma warrior for crying out loud. But I couldn’t help but feel some pieces of truth in them. I was abandoned… I was abandoned by almost everyone in my life except for my mother. She had always been my rock, and I worried since my father had gone to prison and my mother fell into that deep depression that I was going to lose her too. But thankfully she seemed to be snapping out of her depressive state, and I had her back. Now I just needed to get my father back. It’s not like he meant to abandon me… he was in prison against his will. But I still felt as if he had left our family, leaving me to pick up the broken pieces.

I glanced over to see my mother speaking with a couple of packmates; they were chuckling at whatever they were saying. Then, my eyes wandered over to Irene and Ethan. He was introducing her to a few of his friends; the same friends who had once welcomed me into their circle and treated me kindly. Now they had given me the cold shoulder and those who I thought were my actual friends stopped taking my phone calls. The only one who stuck by side through this entire thing was Nan and she never liked Ethan to begin with.

I should have just listened to her when she told me that Ethan was no good and that I deserved better.

“He’s my fated mate, Nan!” I had told her during one of our arguments. “I love him. He’s the one the Goddess had chosen for me.”

“But I get a bad vibe from him, Judy. I need you to trust me. Something is going on with him,” she had told me.

I ignored her then.

I didn’t know it at the time, but that was when he was actively trying to woo Irene. My heart ached at the memory, and I let my shoulders sulk slightly.

“Look at her… she knows she’s no good and now she’s lost in thought,” Kelsey laughed. “Are you going to cry about it now?”

I lifted my gaze to meet hers.

“Shedding tears over someone as heartless and idiotic as your brother would be pitiful,” I said through my teeth. “I have too much pride to allow him to damper my mood. I’m glad he’s with someone like Irene, maybe she can finally tame him. As for you, I’m not sure anyone can tame you. Your cruel words disgust me and it’s a shame to think I spent so long trying to get on your good side. I’m glad I’m not marrying into your family.”

They all gasped at my words.

“You bitch!” Meredith hissed.

Then I felt the cold liquid splashing onto my face and dripping onto my blouse. I gasped when I tasted the red wine on my lips, and I turned to see Kelsey scowling at me with her empty wine glass.

Sophia laughed and Meredith smirked, folding her arms across her chest.

“Don’t you ever speak to me like that again!” Kelsey growled.

“What exactly is going on here?” I heard a deep voice from behind me and my entire body felt like it was on fire as my cheeks burned with embarrassment.

My wolf immediately perked up upon hearing that voice because we both knew who it belonged to.