Chapter 30
I walked down the hall, trying to gather my thoughts. I needed some fresh air, but this place always felt like a prison, no matter where I went. As I turned the corner, I bumped straight into her—Alpha Jeremiah's grandmother. Her presence sent a chill down my spine, even more than Jeremiah’s. Her sharp, piercing eyes narrowed as she looked me up and down, disgust clear on her face.
“Well, if it isn’t the little traitor,” she sneered, folding her arms. “You’re quite bold, wandering around freely. I thought my grandson would have dealt with you by now.”
I tried to keep my expression neutral. “I’m not here to cause any trouble,” I said quietly.
“Trouble? Oh, darling,” she leaned in, her voice dropping to a threatening whisper, “You *are* the trouble. The only reason you’re still breathing is because you have the misfortune of being his mate. But mark my words, if you so much as breathe wrong, I’ll personally make sure you disappear.”
I felt my heart race, but I refused to let her see my fear. “You don’t know anything about me,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.
“Oh, I know enough,” she snapped. “You’re just like your father—deceitful, untrustworthy, and rotten to the core. You don’t belong here, and soon enough, you won’t be.”
With that, she brushed past me, her shoulder deliberately bumping into mine with a force that almost knocked me over. I swallowed hard, refusing to let her words affect me. But deep down, they cut deep. What if she was right? What if I didn’t belong here?
Later that evening, dinner was served. I took a seat at the long table, my body still aching from the previous night’s events. To my surprise, the room was quiet. There was no snide remark from Selene, no icy glare from Alpha Jeremiah’s grandmother, and Jeremiah himself sat at the head of the table, completely silent. I kept my eyes down, focusing on the plate in front of me, trying to avoid drawing any attention to myself.
The silence felt like it would last forever, but it was shattered when one of Jeremiah’s men came bursting into the dining hall, out of breath and with panic etched on his face. “Alpha! There’s been an attack!” he shouted.
Jeremiah’s head snapped up, his eyes narrowing dangerously. “What happened?” he demanded, standing up so quickly that his chair toppled over.
“Two of our men… they’re dead,” the guard stammered. “We found them near the east border. Their bodies were left as a warning.”
A murmur spread across the room, and I felt my heart sink. East border. That led directly to my father’s territory. My mind raced, trying to make sense of what I’d just heard. My father would never do something like this… would he?
Jeremiah’s fists clenched, and I could feel the waves of anger rolling off him through the mate bond. He turned his gaze to me, his eyes burning with an intensity that made me shiver. “You,” he growled, pointing at me. “This is your doing.”
“No,” I whispered, shaking my head. “It’s not. I swear, it’s not.”
Selene stood up, slamming her hands on the table. “You liar! It’s because of you that this is happening! Your father’s showing his true colors, just like we always knew he would.”
“That’s not true!” I protested, standing up to face her. “My father doesn’t kill. He always said there’s a better way than just bloodshed. He takes prisoners! He wouldn’t just kill them and leave their bodies there. This… this isn’t him!”
“Do you think we’re fools?” Selene spat. “You’re just trying to protect him. But it’s too late. Everyone can see that you’re just as guilty.”
I turned to Jeremiah, desperate for him to believe me. “Please,” I pleaded, taking a step towards him. “You know this doesn’t make sense. If my father wanted to attack, why would he leave the bodies there, so obviously? He’s smarter than that. He wouldn’t—”
“Enough!” Jeremiah’s voice thundered through the room, silencing everyone. He moved closer to me, towering over me, his eyes as black as the night. “You think you can manipulate me?” he hissed. “You think your words mean anything to me?”
“No,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “I’m not trying to manipulate you. I’m trying to help.”
His laugh was cold, bitter. “Help? You want to help? Then tell me, why shouldn’t I kill you right now?”
I felt my throat tighten, my body trembling as I forced myself to meet his gaze. “Because…” I swallowed hard. “Because you know, deep down, that this isn’t right. That my father isn’t the monster you think he is.”
Jeremiah stared at me, his expression unreadable. The tension in the room was suffocating, and I could feel everyone’s eyes on us, waiting to see what he would do. Finally, he took a step back, shaking his head in disbelief. “You really have no idea, do you?” he murmured, almost to himself.
“What?” I asked, confused.
“You have no idea what kind of man your father truly is,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “You’re so blinded by your loyalty, by your love for him, that you can’t even see the truth.”
“That’s not true,” I protested weakly. “I know my father. I know he’s not—”
“Enough!” he shouted again, and this time, I flinched. His eyes softened for the briefest moment before hardening once more. “You will stay in your room until I decide what to do with you,” he ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.
I felt my heart drop. “Jeremiah, please—”
“Take her,” he commanded, ignoring my pleas.
Two guards stepped forward, grabbing me by the arms and pulling me towards the door. I fought against them, trying to make him understand. “You have to believe me!” I shouted. “This isn’t my father! This isn’t him!”
But he turned his back to me, refusing to listen, and I knew, deep down, that nothing I said would ever change his mind.
The door slammed shut behind me, and I was left alone, my heart pounding in my ears. The mate bond thrummed painfully, my wounds still fresh, and I felt tears prick at my eyes. As I was dragged back to my room, I couldn’t help but feel the crushing weight of hopelessness settle over me.
What if I really couldn’t protect my family? What if this was the end?
And as I sat in the darkness of my room, all I could think about was the look in his eyes—how, for one brief moment, I thought I saw something...he wanted me dead.
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