Chapter 157 The sister who twisted the knife

Chapter 157 The sister who twisted the knife
Chapter 157

RAVENNA

I stared at her, my eyes wide, my breath caught somewhere between my throat and my chest.

Sam leaned closer, her voice barely a whisper. "I feel like something is about to happen."

Of course something was about to happen.

Why the hell was Asteria even here?

How did she get into the academy?

And what was the meaning of what she just said?

My father turned slightly, his gun still pointed at Richard, his voice sharp. "Who are you? And why should I listen to you?"

Asteria smiled. It was the kind of smile that made my skin crawl.

"You don't know who I'm. And just so you know I have no problem with you killing Richard," she began, her tone light and casual. "In fact, I would be happy if you did. But I just needed to make sure you and everyone else here knows that Ravenna is not the saint they think she is."

She paused, letting the words hang in the air.

"I want you to know, most especially, that your daughter is not the precious girl you went through hell to find. She's the devil in sheep clothing. She's a monster. A vile human that didn't deserve to be called human. She's the opposite of everything that feels morally right."

My father turned to look at me, giving me a 'What the hell is going on here?' look.

I shook my head quickly. "Dad, do not give her a listening ear. Do not—"

"Get the fuck out of here, Asteria," I cut myself off, my voice louder now, sharper. "Leave. Now."

Asteria tilted her head, her smile widening. "What are you going to do if I do not?"

"Asteria—"

"I am going to expose you right here and now," she interrupted, her voice rising. "You should have thought it through before backing out on what we started."

My chest tightened.

She cleared her throat and turned to address the crowd.

"You are all wondering what the meaning of this is," she began, her voice carrying across the hall. "But you are about to hear the biggest truth of your life. You are about to know the real character of Ravenna Casmir."

The crowd went silent.

"You all know about the ongoing war between the Mooncrest Pack and the Silverthorn Pack," Asteria continued, pacing slowly across the platform. "So much death on both sides. So much bloodshed and pain."

She stopped and turned to look directly at me.

"And here I am to tell you that the war was caused by no other person than Ravenna."

Murmurs exploded through the crowd immediately.

I could hear them. The whispers. The shocked gasps. The accusations.

"She is insane."

"That cannot be true."

"Is she serious right now?"

Asteria raised her hand, silencing them. "Calm down. I am going to tell you the truth properly."

She turned back to me, her eyes gleaming with something dark and satisfied.

"Ravenna was the mastermind behind Richard's leaked video," she declared. "She was the one who leaked Caleb's sex tape. She was the one who orchestrated the broken betrothal arrangement between Darius and Selene."

Shock rippled through the academy like a wave.

The murmurs grew louder. People were turning to look at me now, their faces twisted in disbelief and anger.

"Although," Asteria added, "almost as an afterthought, "the betrothal arrangement being broken was more of a blessing. At least now we know Selene's true colours. And Caleb's initial motives."

She smiled again.

"But that does not change the fact that Ravenna did it. And I am not lying about any of this because I'm her younger sister and she told me every one of her plans before putting it through."

Darius stepped forward, his face pale, his voice shaking. "Is it true? Is what she's saying true? Did you do all that?" His voice clearly hurt.

I looked at him, my throat tight.

"Ravenna," he pressed, his voice breaking. "Were you the one behind the revenge account? Were you the one who leaked my father's video?"

I opened my mouth, but no words came out.

Caleb stepped forward next, his expression cold and hard. "Did you really leak my sex tape?"

I flinched. Oh no! What have I brought on myself?

"Did you take my real affection for you as a means to get close to me?" His voice rose, sharp and furious. "Did you take those videos from me just so you could destroy me?"

Tears started streaming down my face. I could not stop them.

"I did not want to do it," I whispered, shaking my head terribly, tears watering my eyelid threatening to fall.

"You are a bitch," Caleb spat, his voice venomous. "A fucking liar. Yes, you're a monster. A vile creature. I despise you."

I shook my head, but he did not stop.

"I fucking trusted you," he continued, his voice cracking now. "I loved you. I gave you everything. My fucking heart. I was really real with you. And all you did was take it and use it against me. And then you put the blame on me when the fight broke out. You made me defend my pack's honour while knowing you were the one who started it all. You made me look like the devil whereas you orchestrated every damn thing."

The tears poured now freely as I couldn't control how I was feeling. Samantha clutched my hands tightly, a means of comfort but all I felt was terrible.

My shoulders shook uncontrollably. I was crying harder now, my chest heaving. "I regret everything. I did not mean for this to happen. I—"

"Why did you do it?" Darius's voice cut through, loud and raw. "Why did you do that to me?"

I turned to him, my vision blurred with tears. "Do not talk to me like that! You are no better!"

"What?"

"I did all of it because of you!" I shouted, my voice breaking. "I did it because you and your father treated me like I was trash! Like I was nothing! It's my way of getting back at you. I just never knew it was going to escalate into a war."

Darius stared at me, his face twisted in pain and fury.

"You think your excuses justify it?" His voice was shaking now. "You think that makes it okay? Are you fucking stupid that you didn't think your supposed revenge mission would cause? Your revenge made people lose their lives, Ravenna. My family. My pack. People died because of what you did."

I broke down completely. Of course he was damn right. All the lives lost... their blood was on me.

My knees buckled, but I stayed standing, barely.

I turned sharply toward Asteria, my voice hoarse and desperate. "How could you do this to me? I came to this academy because of you. I gave up everything for you!"

Asteria crossed her arms, her expression cold. "Shut your stupid mouth. Nothing you say will justify the fact that you single-handedly did all of that."

I stared at her, my chest heaving.

"I am highly disappointed in you," she continued, her tone icy. "I did not think you could have done something like that."

Something inside me snapped.

I tore away from the men holding me and rushed at her.

I caught her before she could move, my hands wrapping around her neck as I pinned her to the floor.

"I am going to kill you," I snarled, my voice unrecognisable. "I am going to kill you for doing this to me."

"Ravenna, stop!" My father's voice was panicked.

Sam grabbed my arm, pulling hard. "Ravenna, let go!"

But I could not.

My eyes were burning now. Literally burning. I could feel the heat spreading through my body, consuming me from the inside out.

My anger. My pain. Everything was heightening. Everything was too much.

Asteria.

Fucking Asteria.

My younger sister!

The sister I loved. The sister I gave up my life for. The sister I came to this academy to protect.

She betrayed me.

She sold me out to the public and nailed me to the cross in front of everyone.

She dares do this to me, talk to me like this was all my fault and not hers. Like she didn't push me into all this. Like she didn't manipulate my feelings.

Something inside me shifted.

It was violent and primal, and I could not stop it.

I roared.

The sound that came out of me was not human.

I flung my father and Sam off me with a strength I did not know I had. They flew to opposite sides of the platform, hitting the ground hard.

My fingers shifted into sharp deadly claws.

I took a step toward Asteria, and I could feel the change happening. Fur began spreading across my skin. My fangs sharpened and my vision narrowed.

And I knew right there I was not human anymore.

I was a beast.

Yes, a half-transformed werewolf.

Asteria's eyes widened in shock. She scrambled backward, trying to run, but I caught her easily.

My grip tightened around her neck.

"I loved you," I growled, my voice distorted and guttural. "How could you bear to do this to me? I thought you loved me. But I was clearly wrong."

Asteria gasped, clawing at my hands.

"I gave up everything!" I yelled, my voice breaking through the growl. "You know damn well I came here because of you. Everything I did was orchestrated by you. I was just the delivery girl. And you dare stand here and tear me into pieces in front of the same enemy I came to fight!"

"I am sorry," Asteria sobbed, her voice choking. I could see the regret in her eyes but they mean nothing to me now. "I did not mean to. I swear I did not mean to."

I stared at her, my vision blurred with tears and fury.

"Go kiss our mother's ass in the afterworld," I whispered, my voice cold and final. "Because as far as I am concerned, you are not my sister anymore."

My grip tightened on her throat, choking the life out of her.