Chapter 10 LIES AND DECEPTION
CHAPTER TEN | LIES AND DECEPTION
LYRA
My heart pounded against my chest as she thrust the knife into my hands, forcing me to take it even as my fingers trembled. My eyes widened with fear, and nausea rose in my throat as the gravity of what she was asking me to do sank in.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. They’re strong, fast, and always aware of their surroundings. How am I supposed to attack them?”
Her smile grew wider with each word I spoke, and it frightened me even more. She looked like something that crawled out of a horror movie.
“This is the fun part,” she said with a grin. “Obviously, to attack them, you’ll have to make them let their guard down. And the only way to do that is to give in to their advances. Seduce them if you have to. Make them fall so deeply in love with you that they melt like butter whenever you’re around. Then one night, while you’re sleeping, you attack them. They’ll never see it coming.”
“I’m sorry, I can’t do it.”
The words had barely fallen from my lips before her hand was in my hair, yanking so hard that pain shot through my skull. I screamed.
“I wasn’t giving you an option, bitch! You don’t have a choice.”
She shoved my head, making it slam against the headboard. I said nothing. Instead, I picked up the knife and hid it under the pillowcase, silent tears slipping down my cheeks.
“Now that that’s settled, I need you to massage my leg.” She placed her legs on my lap, shoes still on.
Without complaint, I removed her shoes and socks, then began massaging her legs. Throughout the minutes I rubbed her skin, she threw insults at me, calling me names I’d never heard before. Her words were so cruel that the bullying I endured at my old pack now felt like child’s play.
By the time I was done, my hands were numb, aching from the effort.
When a knock came at the door, she sneered at me, picked up my bedside lamp, and walked toward it.
At first, I thought she suspected an intruder or someone who might have heard her threatening me. But when she suddenly smashed the lamp to the floor, I froze, confused.
The shattering sound made whoever was outside rush in.
Damian burst through the door, gun in hand. “What’s going on?”
“Oh, Damian!” Hailey cried out, clutching her bleeding knee. “I’m so sorry. I must have upset Miss Aspen. She threw the lamp at me. I didn’t mean to anger her!”
I stood there, stunned beyond words, watching the villain transform into a victim right before my eyes.
Damian rushed to her side, helping her up and promising to bandage her wound. I said nothing. I knew if I tried to defend myself, Hailey would make things even worse.
Since they didn’t trust me to be alone, Damian called Damien to help with Hailey while he stayed behind with me.
When Damien arrived, his glare could have burned through my skin. I avoided his eyes, afraid that if I met his gaze, I’d break down and confess everything.
The bed suddenly felt heavier, as if it were hiding all my secrets. I instinctively laid on the pillow, concealing the knife.
When the door closed, Damian’s disappointed eyes locked onto mine.
“Why would you attack her, Lyra? She hasn’t done anything to deserve that. If you’re angry, take it out on me or my brother, not her.”
His words cut deeper than any blade.
I turned away from him, refusing to answer, my silence like a wall between us.
He tried to stay calm, but I could hear the strain in his voice. “I’m talking to you, Lyra. Why would you try to harm her? She isn’t holding you hostage. We are. She doesn’t deserve any hostility from you.”
My anger flared. He hadn’t even asked for my side of the story. I wanted to scream.
“Why do you care so much about what happens to her? Why is she so important to you?”
Even as the words left my lips, I hated the sound of them. A part of my outburst was jealousy… ugly, painful jealousy.
“Is she your little mistress or something?” I asked bitterly. “The girl you hoped would be your mate before I came along and ruined everything? Is that why Damien can’t stand me?”
Damian stepped closer, trying to pull me into his arms, but I shoved him away, my mind already replaying images of him with Hailey.
“You know that isn’t true,” he said softly. “Hailey is like a sister to us. We took her in when she was an orphan Omega, and she’s lived with us ever since. That’s why we trust her so much.”
I said nothing. The anger still burned inside me, though his words made sense. When he gently turned me around so our eyes met, the anger melted away like ice under fire.
“I’m sorry we didn’t tell you who she was earlier,” he whispered. “We should have—”
I cut him off by pressing my lips to his.
Startled, he pushed me away, and my heart shattered. Heat crept up my neck, embarrassment flooding me.
But then, without warning, he crashed his lips against mine in a desperate, hungry kiss, like he’d been starving for me all his life.