Chapter 30 30

Chapter 30 30
Chloe POV

I sprang to my feet as if commanded by some unseen entity, as if sitting would cost me my life. “ I have nothing to say to you, Juanita. Your questions are vague and strange.”
Immediately, I sat back but the look on her face told me she didn’t believe a word I’d just said, she never would.

To her, I was nothing but a monster who took her home and her place and she would always despise me for that, not that I cared, I was only here for the peace treaty we were about to finalize, so that way she could stop raging mad and dishing out threats to everyone.
“That's a lie. On the contrary, you have a lot to say!” she raved, and I smiled, dabbing my lips with the napkin. All of a sudden, I’d lost my appetite, and all I wanted to do was leave this fucking place.

“Right!” Juanita added, stabbing the sharp knife into the lamb. “You don’t have the balls to respond.”
An angry smile played on my face as she smirked hard at me. I knew exactly what she was doing. She wanted me to lose control and burst into anger to probably embarrass myself in front of everyone, especially Alpha Cain but I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of seeing me falter. Never!
“I heard you won so many battles, I don’t see a warrior, all I see is a coward who can’t even answer a simple question.” She snarled loud enough for everyone in the room to hear but no one said anything, Antonio's gaze was fixed on his food, I was too agitated to meet Alpha Cain’s gaze.
Finally, I looked up at her, “Weren’t you taught table manners? You shouldn’t speak with your mouth full, it makes you look, well, less classy,” I said slowly and calmly, she leaned back her jaw tightening so hard that the veins on her neck nearly popped out.

Just before she could say another word, Alpha Cain's voice cut in, “ Enough! Juanita, why are you so hell bent on provoking Chloe, I’d not sit here and watch you oppress my daughter.”

“Daughyer ?” She repeated as if she were heartbroken he’d called me that. “She isn’t even your biological daughter and I wasn’t trying to provoke her, I was just asking her a few simple questions, surely that’s not oppression, unless, she’s who I call her, a coward and an imposter with no identity.”

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. I didn’t know her well, but after spending a few minutes in her presence, I couldn’t stand her energy. It wasn’t intimidating, it oozed jealousy.

“Juanita!” Alpha Cain thundered.
“No, it’s fine, my lord,” I cleared my throat, faking a smile. “I’d give her the response she needs so badly, so she can sleep well at dawn.”

“An honest response please, not one as fake and stale as you!” Juanita said, her tone was laced with so much hate and venom, yet I wouldn’t be shaken by her, I’d speak my truth and live in them.
I gazed at her intensely and began, “I didn’t steal your identity, Juanita Blue blood, you left of your own accord, you abandoned your folks because of love,”
She swallowed hard, almost killing me with her gaze. “Is that all?”
I turned to face Alpha Cain, “My father took me in not because he saw me in you, he saved me because I wanted to learn from him so bad, he saw someone who wasn’t distracted by the enemies, he’d invested in me because he knows I’d never turn my back on him!”

Alpha Cain who sat beside me squeezed my shoulder lightly offering me a proud smile, I could sense Juanita's anger simmering in the air, if stares could kill, hers would.
“Is that why you turned against your mate?” She shot back, “Yes, I know everything.”
Her words took me by surprise but I managed to keep my composure, “You don’t know everything about me, Juanita .”
A giggle escaped her lips, “It goes both ways, you don’t either, you only know the basics, Chloe, sorry, Laura Brown!"

A murmur erupted in the grand dining room, low whispers from the elders who had come to observe the peace treaty agreement, the same people who believed I would ever belong or fit in.

“So I guess we should stay out of each other’s business, then.”
“No, I’m not done with you, Laura Brown, I need to remind you of your dear sister, Lacey Brown, the Luna of the Sander pack, I heard she is Luna and is happily married to whom? Oops, your mate! I know how she takes the spotlight and embarrasses you.”

I swallowed hard trying to keep calm but it wasn’t working, I clenched my fork ready to stab it across her face.

Juanita added, “You were the nerdy and loser twin, back in your family, my father only took you in out of pity, he’s just a philanthropist.”
“Yet, that loser twin replaced you.”

“That’s a lie, you can never be like me, even father knows this!”
I hid the hurt of her words with a smile, before I could respond Alpha Cain slammed the mahogany table with his hands, and instantly, silence fell over the room.

“That’s enough, both of you, this isn’t why we are here,” he said then he turned to face Juanita who had a wide smirk on her face, “Any more insults from you, Juanita, and I would order the guards to send you out, it seems you miss your human boyfriend so bad!”
“He’s my fiancé,” she corrected.

“I don’t care, you have no right to disrespect Chloe, she is family and you all will treat her as one!”
“No, she isn’t, she has parents and a mean sister waiting for her, she’s nothing but an identity thief!”

No, this hit hard, I’d tried not to let her words get to me but enough was enough. I’m done taking the disrespect.

But as much as I hated to admit it, she was right, maybe not entirely right but I should be with my real family.

But how could I return when they all hate me?
How come I don’t even belong anywhere?

I sprang to my feet, facing the alpha, “My lord, I must return to the field, or I’d do something I don’t regret.”

Alpha Cain nodded and with that, I stormed off, that was the only approval I needed.
“Coward!”Juanita yelled after me but I didn't pay her any heed.





I strode slowly through the middle of the garden surrounded by flowers; roses, daisies, and buttercups, their flowery fragrance wafting into my nostrils as my fingers brushed against their petals.

I shut my eyes so tight letting myself romanticize these little moments and for once the world seemed peaceful and still.
A smile tugged at my lips as I bent to trim and gather a bunch of white daisies, throwing them into a basket beside me.
I’d always loved gardening ever since I was a little girl even when Lacy called it boring and annoying, for some reason it was the only time I had peace, it was the only time I felt heard, even the flowers became my companion, my best friends.

So being here again calmed my nerves from the events that happened earlier. It was as though Juanita's words had faded away along with time.

How dare she call me an identity thief? I wasn’t, I was just chosen.

“I’m not a charity case, I’m worthy to be called Alpha Cain’s daughter because I worked for it.”

As much as I wanted to hate Juanita, a part of me still thinks she was speaking out of a place of hurt and hate, because that was exactly how I felt when Lacey snatched Henry from me,

I fell to the grass letting the flowers brush my skin and the wind took me into dreamland, but this slumber was soon interrupted by a distant sound.
Immediately, I sat up, I didn’t have my sword so I hid in the grass, trying to figure out who it was.
“Who are these people?” I asked as I squinted, so many horses rode in, but one caught my eyes, I recognised that face, and when she turned to my direction my suspicions were confirmed.
We locked gazes and a wicked smirk played on her face, Lacey. I still recognised that damn smile, the one that always drove me crazy.
But what was she doing here? The last time I saw her she was lying helplessly on the sick bed, so how’s it possible that she’s alive?
Had Juanita contacted her?

Was this also a setup orchestrated by her? And how did she know the right to come?

“It’s times like this I wish I had my sword!” I muttered to myself, stepping out of the flowers.

“Hi, sister!” Lacey said, smiling. “It’s nice to see you again.”