"You’re late." Rick’s voice bood from inside.
Erald rolled her eyes. She could see it now. That was all he cared about, Alia.
Turning the doorknob, she pushed the door open, only to be greeted by the sight of Alia resting on the bed with her upper body propped against Rick’s ’special, mory’ pillow.
"You’re late," he repeated.
"I don’t rember the distance between here and the border as rely a two-minute walk," Erald retorted in anger. He raised an eyebrow in response.
Rick hated to be disrespected, but now, it did not matter. He hurt her first.
She took a step forward. Now was the ti to follow Viola’s advice but she was t with another pause.
"Don’t move."
"Rick," Erald swallowed. "Listen to ."
"Listen?" Rick scoffed. His eyes raked over her body. Not in the lustful manner he did when his wolf’s needs were to be t, but with disgust and coldness.
Rick did not care about the bruises she had.
He was unfazed by the crimson streams trickling down her back and thigh dropping to the floor.
Erald tore her gaze from him. Pain flickered in her eyes as she saw her nesis, Alia. Her eyes opened at that mont. Though she looked pale and weak while Dr. Silas attended to her, Erald’s heart hardened.
"That bitch!" Viola scread inside. We are both suffering because of her.
Viola was right. She was a bitch, one worse than Rhiannon. If the situation had been different, Erald would have chuckled at Viola’s words, but this was no joke.
Nothing about her situation was.
The next mont, hurried footsteps broke the tension in the room as a she-wolf ca rushing in, shoving past Erald.
"Use your head and step away," her malicious tone cut through as she ca to a stop close to where Alia lay. "I ca as soon as I heard."
One look at the frail ex-Luna and she whipped her head back at Erald. "Cousin, what will you do? How co she is not locked up in the dungeon for this?"
"Locked, Rhiannon?"
Rhiannon glared at her. "Did I stutter? You should..."
"Forgive , Lady Alia," Dr. Silas’ voice cut in, "but we lost your ba..." Dr. Silas didn’t get to finish his sentence when Alia scread at the top of her lungs.
"No! Not my baby. Not Lucien!"
"Hold her down," Dr. Silas ordered, and Rick imdiately steadied Alia as they fixed the drip in place before injecting sothing into it.
"Rick!" Her sobs continued as she clutched Rick’s shirt with her free hand. "I already lost my mate. Now, I lost his presence. I lost our baby. How can I ever face him?"
"Lia." Rick’s voice ca out soft and gentle as he cradled her head against his chest. "Forgive , Lia. It wasn’t your fault."
"It is. I should have taken a guard with at all tis. Even when I asked her for one, Erald refused, saying I wasn’t so important anymore and I should stop acting high and mighty."
"THE NERVE!" Viola thundered.
"I thought..." she glanced at Erald with those teary round eyes that made her look innocent. "Erald, why? Why do you hate so much? My baby was innocent. We could have left the pack house or just..."
All pity went straight to her as everyone felt Erald was the devil in disguise.
Her breathing hitched. Those words were her doom.
Alia specifically spoke that way to remind everyone who had caused her predicant.
The very next second, Rhia pointed accusingly, "You are a murderer. I hope you are glad."
Erald frowned.
From the looks of things, she was sure Rhia was in on this, too.
Rhia continued, "I hope that killing her child was worthwhile to quench your monstrous thirst. You deserve death for this!"
How could she condemn Erald to such a fate? Fury surged within Erald, montarily overshadowing the dull ache in her body.
"Excuse ?" she demanded.
Rhiannon glared back. "Don’t play coy, Erald. You deserve worse, but I won’t sink to your level. Apologise to Alia and hope she forgives you..."
Erald’s eyes widened in disbelief. This couldn’t be real. A scoff escaped her lips. A pampered pup like Rhia couldn’t possibly sway her.
"What are you waiting for? Apologise this instant!"
Erald’s head swam. Rick was supposed to be her protector, yet here he was, echoing his cousin’s command.
Ignoring the protocols ingrained in her since birth, the voice of reason screaming at her to stay put, Erald took a defiant step forward.
Alia flinched at the movent, triggering a surge of possessiveness in Rick. "Don’t you dare co near her," he growled. "Do you plan to kill her too?"
This was too much. How could he, of all people, believe her capable of such barbarity? Tears welled up in Erald’s eyes, blurring her vision.
"Rick, listen to ," she pleaded, taking another step forward despite his warning. "I never did anything wrong. I..."
"Excuses," Rhiannon interjected, her voice dripping with disdain. "She knows exactly what she’s doing. Don’t let her manipulate you."
Rick’s jaw clenched tight. "I won’t be manipulated. I know better."
"Know what?" Erald couldn’t hold back the raw pain any longer. "That I’m a murderer?" Her voice broke, tears threatening to spill. "Rick, I never..." She squeezed her eyes shut, drawing a shaky breath to compose herself. "I never hurt her. It’s a lie."
"The liar is you," Rhiannon spat, adding fuel to the fire.
Rick’s sneer deepened, his alpha aura filling the room. He gently placed Alia back on the pillows before turning his icy glare on Erald.
"Apologize to Alia."
Erald’s pride wouldn’t allow it. Apologising was an admission of guilt, and she was innocent.
With her chin held high, her gaze flickered between Rhiannon’s smug face and Rick’s cold stare. "Even if it kills ," she declared, "I’ll never apologise unjustly."
In a blur of motion, Rick was in front of her, his eyes glowing a nacing red. "Erald." His voice bood through the room, sending shivers down everyone’s spine.
The temperature dropped, goosebumps erupting on Erald’s skin. Yet, she refused to show fear. Clenching her jaw, she t his gaze with steely resolve.
"I didn’t stutter," she began, but her sentence was cut short as Rick’s hand clamped down on her throat with a bone-crushing grip and pushed her body against the nearest wall in a sickening thud.
"Don’t test , Erald," he growled, the use of her full na a clear warning. "An apology is the least of your worries. You’ll get severely punished for this and..."
Rage and betrayal burned in Erald’s eyes. With all the strength she could muster, she shoved him back, ignoring the clutter in the room and stord out on them.
He was beyond reasoning.
Her only desire was to escape this suffocating madness. Ignoring the aches and pains radiating from her body, she pushed forward. She didn’t know where she was going, but anywhere was better than this.
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