Chapter 234: The sentence.
When Genevieve’s eyes flickered she found herself surrounded by nothing but darkness? Is this hell? Is she dead? She wondered. Things came into focus and she realised that she was in a cell, not too different from the ones that her pack had modelled, except these seemed sturdier.
“Looking for a way out”? An unfamiliar voice called out, gaining her attention.
“You!” She snarled as she stared directly at the killer of her husband. She jolted towards the bars and was about to shake it when something stung. “Ahh”! She looked at the blisters in her hand that ate her skin. “I thought Crescentile’s didn’t use wolfsbane,” she winced in pain.
“No, but you do. It’s only fair you get it” Ashton replied.
“You wanna talk about fair”? She screamed. “You murdered my husband in front of me! You dare talk about fair”.
“I didn’t intend to” Ashton admitted.
“That’s supposed to change everything?” She scoffed. “You killed him ruthlessly and given the chance I am sure you would do it to anyone! I can’t possibly imagine someone voluntarily choosing you to be their mate. Did you blackmail him?” She snickered. Ashton’s fists tightened as he fought the urge to punch her. “You are a monster”! She huffed.
.....
“I was born this way” Ashton declared, his fists loosened. “But you... you chose to be one” He scoffed. She tilted her head and looked at him suspiciously. “Planning to attack innocent kids just to use it as leverage? Using your husband as a pawn for all your dirty deeds. Separating packmates from their family just for your sake? You chose to do those... you are worse”
“What are you talking about”? Her lips quivered through her brave facade.
“He is talking about all the crimes you have committed in your husband’s shadow” Christian walked in along with his brother and his father. “I was planning to let you go as you are the current Luna.. ergo the leader, but...” He snorted. “Your pack members pleaded otherwise” he shrugged.
“They want you to rot in here for eternity” Christian declared.
“No” She deadpanned.
“Yes,” he shrugged.
“I have two kids! You already took their father away, you want to take their mom away from them too?” She insisted. “I’ll never bother your pack, let me out. At least for their sake”. She begged.
“Funny you should mention that” Christian tilted his head before he looked behind him. A girl, who seemed to be in her early teens, walked into the corridor. She stared at Genevieve with contempt, which was odd considering she looked like a miniature version of her. “She is your daughter? She insisted you stay here too”.
“Carmen, he is lying right?” She looked at her daughter, with an unreadable expression.
The young girl made a fist before declaring, “I want you to stay here. Away from me an Ivy” She declared.
“Why would you say that? Don’t you love your mother”? She looked heartbroken.
“I did” She declared. Pulling the sleeve on her right arm she revealed a scar mark that can only be made by a wolf’s paw declaring, “But you never loved us.” She mumbled. Ashton and Caleb, who had seen it earlier that day just simply stared at her scar once more... Still mortified that a mother could do something like this to their own child.
“Honey, that was not my intention. You know that I didn’t mean to hurt you right” She mumbled with all the motherly affection she could muster.
“Really? Then how come you never apologised for it? Or at least put something, I dunno, some ointment over it. You just ignored this.. And many other things just like that” Carmen was on the verge of tears. “You are not my mother. I don’t wanna see you”!
“So what, you are helping these people?” She accused Carmen. “He killed your Dad”! Genevieve pointed at Ashton.
“No Mother” Carmen breathed. “You killed him. You manipulated him to do all your dirty work, including attacking those poor kids. I was there, remember”? She scoffed. “You were the one that got him killed.”
“You don’t know what you are talking about”! Genevieve snarled at her daughter, making Carmen flinch. Just because Genevieve was behind the bars doesn’t mean Carmen wasn’t terrified of her at all. Seeing her reaction, both Ashton and Christian shielded her and covered her from both her sides.
“That’s enough,” Christian declared. “Also, there is one bottle of wolfsbane antidote... and that’s all you’ll ever get” He cleared his throat. “I cannot believe you got infected already. Guess, you are never touching these bars ever again” He sighed and motioned everyone to follow him.
Once they were out, Christian turned to Carmen, “You alright”?
She hesitated, but nodded nevertheless. “I am really sorry... about your Dad” Ashton prompted.
“You were just trying to protect your kid, like a Dad should. Like my Dad would” She mumbled.
“We have his body, we will give him a proper funeral” Christian declared. “He deserves it. You should be there” Christian instructed. She nodded reluctantly.
“What do you and your sister want to do”? Caleb asked her.
“I dunno,” She shrugged. “I was hoping I could stay here. I heard most of our original pack will be joining yours... and maybe I could get the same treatment? And my baby sister too”? She asked.
“Of course, you are always welcome here,” Caleb smiled at her. “And if you ever need anything, you can ask any of us” He assured.
“Thank you” Carmen smiled half-heartedly.
“Come on, we’ll get you and your sister settled” Caleb held out his hand. She took it and they both walked off to the pack house, leaving Christian Ashton and Mr. Wirsberg.
“I should get going. I gotta prepare for a mass ceremony for welcoming them into the pack” Declared Mr. Wrisberg and he took his leave as well.
“Something bothering you”? Christian asked Ashton whose eyes were fixated where Caleb disappeared. He seemed lost.
“I am... reflecting. I have been home for like a week and a half.. And so much so has happened” He mumbled. “I feel bad for being the root cause of all this”.
“You should feel proud,” Christian prompted. “Their pack was broken way before you came around. Thanks to you, the members of Ice Fountain are finally free. Thanks to you two kids are out of their abusive home.”
“I killed their only parent who loved them”, Ashton sighed.
“True...” Christian nodded. “I guess then you should do something to make up for it” Ashton’s brows furrowed in confusion as he looked at Christian, who was smirking instead. Before Ashton could ask what he meant, Christian simply smiled and left.
This 𝓬ontent is taken from f(r)eeweb(n)ovel.𝒄𝒐𝙢