Chapter Twenty Four

Author's POV

Leila sat back on the small mattress, her legs curled beneath her. She had long since stopped counting the days. The room, although small enough to fit five mattresses, felt like a suffocating cage. A few of the pack girls occupied the other mattresses across the room, whispering among themselves, their quiet laughter intensifying the ache in Leila’s chest. Her mind swirled with relentless thoughts.

This had to be a mistake. She pushed the thought away, but it lingered: her father’s silence. He hadn’t called, nor had he come to see her. The sting of disappointment tightened in her chest, but she masked it well; she had grown used to the bitter taste of neglect.

“Is there something I can do to keep busy?” Leila asked, her voice steady as she looked toward Okw, one of the servants standing in the corner. Okw kept her head bowed in deference, hands folded neatly before her.

Okw didn’t meet Leila’s gaze but responded with a polite nod. “Of course, ma’am.” She snapped her fingers, summoning two other maids. One carried a box of sweets; the other, a small box of chocolates.

Leila raised an eyebrow, disbelief mingling with annoyance. “I didn’t ask for sweets,” she said, her tone unmistakably direct. “I want something productive to do.”

The maids lowered their gazes, clearly conscious of the misstep. Okw spoke again, her voice gentle yet firm. “We thought you might enjoy a treat, ma’am. It’s nearly sunset, and you haven’t eaten since breakfast. We were about to fetch you a special dish.”

Leila’s stomach rumbled at the mention of food, reminding her that she had indeed skipped lunch. She reached out and casually took a piece of chocolate, popping it into her mouth. The sweetness offered a momentary distraction, but it did nothing to fill the emptiness inside her.

“There’s no need for anything special,” Leila replied, her tone leaving no room for argument. “Just keep it simple.”

The maid smiled slightly, her demeanor softening a fraction. “We’ve prepared something just for you, ma’am. It will be here shortly.”

Leila chose not to respond further, her attention redirected. She leaned against the wall, closing her eyes briefly to savor the lingering sweetness of the chocolate. The tension in the room subsided momentarily, the soft hum of conversation among the other girls the only sound in the space.

But that fleeting sense of calm was short-lived.

The door to the room opened abruptly, and in walked Mailiya, her dark eyes narrow with a look of barely concealed disdain. The air in the room seemed to shift instantly, and Leila’s body tensed, but she didn’t show it.

Mailiya strode in confidently, her presence commanding attention. She wasn’t alone. Behind her, there was another figure—one that made Leila’s heart stop. Valerie?

Why is she in this pack? What's her motive here? I don't remember inviting her over. Many questions played in her head.

Leila’s breath hitched, but her expression remained unchanged. She didn’t allow her emotions to show. Not now. Not here.

Valerie’s eyes met Leila’s, her lips curling into a smirk that made Leila’s blood run cold. “I see you’re still playing the part of the spoiled princess, Leila,” Valerie said, her voice dripping with condescension. “Do they still bring you your little sweets and treats while you sit in this room all day? You boring lowlife and classy lady”

Leila’s gaze remained steady on her sister. “It’s called being treated with respect,” she replied evenly. “Something you might never understand because you're a spoiled little brat.”

Valerie’s laugh was cold, a sharp, mocking sound that seemed to echo off the walls. “Respect?” she scoffed. “Respect is earned, Leila. And you, my dear sister, have done nothing to deserve it.”

Mailiya, standing behind Valerie, sneered. “You think you belong in the pack, don’t you, or maybe Sebastian will want you?” Leila’s hands clenched into fists, but she didn’t rise from her position on the mattress. She was better than this. Better than them. She wouldn’t let them get to her, not now, not ever.

“I don’t need to earn anything from you,” Leila said coolly, her voice steady, even though the words sliced through her. “I’ve never asked for your approval.”

Valerie’s smirk grew wider, her eyes gleaming with something cruel. “No, you’ve never asked for anything, have you? Because you’ve always been given everything on a silver platter. My father’s affection, his attention. His love. Everything you wanted, handed to you without lifting a finger.”

Leila’s heart stuttered for a moment. She couldn’t let them see that it hurt. She couldn’t let them see how their words stung. She couldn’t give them that satisfaction.

“I don’t need your father’s love to know who I am,” Leila replied, her voice low but filled with conviction. “I don’t need anyone’s approval like I said earlier and speaking of Alpha Sebastian, maliya, you can have him just the way my sister can't even fight her affection for my mate, Devon.”

Valerie stepped closer, her heels clicking sharply on the floor with each step. “You should be careful what you wish for, Leila,” she warned her tone now a venomous hiss. “You might not be able to handle the consequences of getting what you think you want.”

Mailiya’s laughter rang out behind Valerie, the sound mocking. “ Alpha Sebastian has always been mine, Leila.”

Leila’s breath caught. They wanted to break her. They wanted to see her fall, to see her crumble before them. But she wasn’t about to let that happen.

She rose from the mattress, her eyes cold and sharp as she faced them. “You’re wrong,” she said quietly, but with an edge. “You don’t know me. And you never will.”

Valerie narrowed her eyes, taking a step back as though she was sizing Leila up. There was no fear in Leila’s gaze, no trembling. She stood her ground, unflinching, even as the weight of her sister’s cruel words tried to press down on her.

Leila’s chest tightened, but she didn’t let the pain show. She was stronger than that as she remained on the mattress.

“You think I care?” Leila asked, her voice a whisper but every word a declaration. “ it's just a day for karma to strike back, defend me”

There was a long pause as the tension thickened. Valerie and Mailiya exchanged a glance, but neither of them spoke. The silence hung heavy, the weight of unspoken hatred between them almost suffocating, they were not convinced enough that Leila was strong enough to defend herself.

And then, without another word, Valerie turned and walked toward the door, her high heels clicking sharply. Mailiya followed, her eyes lingering on Leila for just a moment longer before she, too, left the room