Chapter 61: A Broken Promise
[TW: Pregnancy Loss]
"Go on then," Cassian said, wearing a smug, victorious grin.
I glanced at the ensuite bathroom before making my way straight towards it. Then, I switched on the tap and placed the bottle right under, allowing the tap water to flow in. It filled the bottle back to its halfway point.
If I drank it straight, the baby wouldn’t be the only one in danger. I could die from it, too. There was no point in getting the chain back if I couldn’t even keep myself alive to find the owner of it.
The Alphas watched as I walked back into the room. Then, right in front of their eyes, I brought the bottle to my lips and began to chug.
Through my peripheral vision, I could faintly see Cassian’s eyes widening with surprise. Even Soren had sobered up a little and stood up, and Rowan walked a couple of steps forward. All three of them were in visible disbelief that I would willingly drink this bottle of alcohol.
Even though it was diluted, it was still a fairly strong drink. The moment it slipped down my throat, it left a scorching trail that seared my insides, all the way down to my stomach.
I coughed hard, tapping my chest as I tried to calm myself down. Dribbles of liquid left the corners of my lips, and I took a couple of seconds to regain myself.
My stomach churned uncomfortably. Even though all three brothers seemed shocked that I dared to drink it, none of them made a move to actually stop me. They watched, waiting to see if I would actually go through with it and finish the drink.
I did.
I tossed my head back and continued to chug, all the way until I finished every last drop. My head felt fuzzy by the time I was done, and my stomach felt so bloated that one misstep could have me vomiting everything out.
But more than that, I could feel every inch of my body hurting. The alcohol was so strong that my throat now felt raw, as though it was on fire. My head was light, and my vision was quickly blurring in front of me.
Yet, at least I was done. I kept up my side of the bargain.
To prove that there was nothing left, I turned the bottle upside down and shook it a couple of times. Not a single drop fell out. Then, I dropped the bottle to the floor. It felt too heavy for me to hold, and I staggered, leaning against the couch for support.
"I...I’ve finished it," I stammered. I held my hand out. "Now g-give it b-back."
I could barely see straight. Each of the Alphas seemed to have a doppelganger that pulsed in and out of existence with every second. The world seemed to be on an ever-tilted axis, and my body was slammed with a strong wave of vertigo. I could barely stay on my feet if it weren’t for the fact that I was clutching onto the backrest of the couch for dear life.
However, I could still tell that Cassian hadn’t moved a single inch from the fireplace. When his face suddenly turned clear, I spotted a cruel sneer.
His fingers parted, and I watched in helpless horror as the chain plummeted into the roaring flames.
"No!" I cried out, lunging forward. However, I barely got anywhere close. I fell onto the floor in a heap, unable to do anything but watch the flames engulf the small accessory.
I turned my head to look up at Cassian, tears brimming in my eyes. The back of my eyes began to burn the same way my throat and stomach did.
"What have you done?!" I yelled, my voice hoarse. "You promised! We had a deal!"
"I said I would consider," Cassian coldly said. "And after careful consideration, I have decided not to give it to you."
I felt my chest constrict painfully. Whatever forced affection I had for the triplets died, engulfed by the roaring flames. I watched through my tear-stained eyes as the small accessory disappeared in the bundle of coal.
My head grew light before suddenly, I felt a piercing pain shoot through my lower stomach. I gasped, clutching my stomach as I slowly looked down. The pain was relentless, pulsing in and out continuously before it became a constant, growing agony.
I resisted the urge to make a sound, but in the end, I couldn’t take it any longer. My head felt light, and before I knew it, the world grew dark.
***
[CASSIAN POV]
The scent of blood filled the room.
I straightened, frowning. One second ago, Briar was screaming and yelling about a broken promise. The next second, she had grown silent.
Soren and Rowan had straightened up as well. When I cast them a quick glance, their eyebrows were furrowed, and the three of us exchanged a look. We could all smell a change in the air. They didn’t know what it meant, but I did.
It took me a second, but my eyes suddenly widened with realization.
By the time I turned my attention back to Briar, she had collapsed onto the floor, out cold.
"Briar!" Soren shot over in an instant, cradling her in his arms as though she were a fragile porcelain doll.
He scooped her in his arms, but the moment he moved her, a scarlet spot was revealed on the carpet.
He slowly raised his hand, staring at his blood-stained fingers.
"Blood..." he muttered under his breath.
His eyes widened with horror as he slowly turned around to look at us. Even Rowan had come over, his lips slightly parted in shock.
"Why is there so much blood?" Soren asked.
I clenched my jaw, refusing to look at him.
"Bring her to the infirmary," Rowan said.
I whirled around to look at him, my eyebrows furrowed.
"And waste medical resources?" I asked, scoffing. I gestured to Violet, who was still unconscious on the bed. "The healers should be working on helping our Luna heal―"
"The healers have already checked Violet," Rowan slowly said. "Briar is bleeding out and we need to know why."
"Maybe because she just finished a-third a bottle of liquor?" I shot back, laughing mockingly.
Rowan was silent, but he looked at me with daggers in his eyes.
I paused and drew back.
"Don’t tell me you guys didn’t know?"
"Didn’t know what?" Soren asked.
