Chapter 58: They Will Never Believe You
My eyes zeroed in on the small tub of lotion. The fact that she was holding this, paired with the look in her eyes, told me everything I needed to know.
Violet knew that I was right outside her door when she had that conversation with that male wolf. And she was damn sure I had overheard enough, if not everything, regarding her pregnancy.
If that was the case, then there really wasn’t a point in running. She would catch me no matter what.
"Are you seriously trying to pass off another man’s child as the Alphas’?" I asked, keeping my voice low and steady. I tried not to shake, though I wasn’t sure if it was from fear or anger.
I didn’t even understand why I was angry, but I was.
She had everything I ever wanted― a loving family, mates who loved her, both fated and chosen, and she was also the most powerful woman in this pack, a pack that wasn’t small by any means.
Maybe I was jealous. Maybe I was upset that she didn’t treat my fated mates right, even though she successfully got them.
"How long do you think you will be able to keep that secret for?" I asked, seething. "While you’re pregnant, sure. But after the baby is born? Even if the Alphas cannot tell by the baby’s scent, did you really think you could change the baby’s features?"
"I don’t know," Violet said with a yawn. "I do have rather strong features. Maybe the baby would’ve looked too much like me to tell whether or not they are the Alphas’ child."
"You’re disgusting," I spat out. "You already have everything I could only dream of. How could you do this? Why would you risk throwing it all away?!"
"I am not risking anything," Violet said. "The baby’s father will be one of the Alphas, or all three. No other man will father my children."
"I don’t think they will be so keen on becoming the father of some other man’s children," I said.
Something flashed in Violet’s eyes as she took a step closer.
"And what makes you think that they will believe a single word that you say?" Violet said with a laugh.
I stiffened, my eyes widening. Her grin merely widened when she noticed my reaction. She came even nearer.
"Alphas Rowan, Soren, and Cassian are ecstatic to be fathers, you know," she said, practically showing off. "All they care about is that I am carrying their child. My children will become the future of the Shadowclaw Pack."
She leaned forward, her smile cold.
"On the flip side, there’s you," she said. Her voice was so soft that it was almost a whisper. I wasn’t even sure if other werewolves could catch it, even if they walked by right now.
Unfortunately, the stairway was empty. There wasn’t another soul present who could witness this.
"You’re also carrying a child," Violet said. "One of the Alphas’, I bet. I doubt anyone else would be willing to sleep with you, if not for the allure of the fated bond."
I couldn’t help but sense a bitter undertone in her words, but she quickly masked it.
She continued, "But did you really think that they would care? You may be the woman the Moon Goddess chose for the Alphas, but even the Goddess herself can be wrong sometimes."
"How dare you―!"
I gasped, clutching my cheek as Violet harshly struck me across the face. The slap was so hard that my ears began to ring, and I could taste a metallic tang in my mouth.
"I am the Luna," Violet said, rage neatly concealed in her soft-toned words. "In Shadowclaw, my word is law. I am second only to the Alphas, and it is not your place as a criminal to question me, Omega."
I glared at her. If looks could kill, she would’ve died right there and then. An unexplainable amount of rage surged through me.
"Even if the Alphas don’t believe me, the seed of doubt will be planted," I said. "They might not believe me now, but when they see your child grow up, they will realize what I said was the truth."
I slinked away from her, intending to head straight to Rowan’s office. No matter how much I hated them, they deserved to know the truth. If not for them, then it was for me― just so that Violet could get the punishment she deserved.
However, I barely even made it far before Violet caught me by the wrist. She clutched onto me tightly, her claw-like nails digging into my flesh as I cried out in pain.
She looked me dead in the eyes, her voice cold and filled with hatred. With one sharp tug, she pulled me closer to her, our faces nearly inches apart from each other.
"You should’ve just died in that forest the night you escaped from Shadowclaw, Briar," she hissed. "I will make you regret ever choosing to come back here."
Then, to my horror, she slammed my palm against her own chest before falling backwards and off the top of the stairs. Her arms flailed about in the air, and even though I instinctively reached out to grab her, I was just short of doing so.
She tumbled backwards and off the steps, rolling down to the ground floor, where the main entrance to the pack house was. Right as she landed on the floor with a thud, the doors swung open.
Cassian and Soren stepped into the pack house, their eyes meeting mine at the top of the stairs before realizing that Violet was on the floor, groaning in pain. Quickly, a pool of red began to spread on the floor around her legs, the coppery smell of blood flooding the air.
"Violet!" Cassian exclaimed, quickly dropping to the floor right beside her. He cradled her tenderly in his arms, and Soren quickly followed after him.
One by one, people started gathering, attracted by the noise.
"Alpha Cassian..." Violet trailed off. Her voice was shaking. "It hurts..."
Soren glared at me, his eyes bloodshot.
"What the fuck have you done?"
