Chapter 19: Chapter 19
Katsura
I didn’t know how long I walked before my legs finally gave up on me.
I leaned against the wall and slid down slowly until I was sitting on the floor. I was sure no one passed here because I wouldn’t want anyone staring at me and wondering what was wrong.
I pulled up my sleeves and I could see the mark but it was glowing this time. It only burned silently, and the fur of my wolf which had covered my hands disappeared.
Ethan… the thought of him brought fresh tears to my eyes. I knew he didn’t keep to his promise but he didn’t deserve to die the way he did.
“Katsura.” Her voice cut through the silence and made my heart skip a beat.
I knew who it was but I would rather have Janiece beside me than Helen, she only meant trouble.
She stood a few steps away, dressed in a long cream gown, one hand resting on her stomach. She looked down at me with scorn and I knew what was going through her mind.
Well, only if she knew how badly I didn’t want to be here.
I pushed myself up from the floor, my back pressing against the wall.
“I didn’t know this was your space,” I said quietly. “I’ll leave.”
She laughed, it wasn’t a dramatic one but it was a cruel one.
“Still pretending to be polite,” she said. “Still pretending to be innocent.”
I frowned. “I don’t want trouble with you.”
“You don’t get to decide that,” she snapped.
She walked closer, but I didn’t flinch. I made sure to stand still and look her in the eyes.
“You came into this house like a disease,” Helen continued. “You acted really quiet and innocent, but you’re the devil. And look at what you’ve done.”
“I didn’t do anything,” I said.
She scoffed. “That’s what makes you dangerous.”
I swallowed a lump of bile that sat in my throat for minutes.
“Ever since you showed up,” she went on, “Alessio has changed. He’s distracted by your presence, he now disobeys the elders, and what now… he came home with the head of his most trusted men.”
Her voice trembled now, and I could help but feel the anger in every word.
“He killed Ethan in front of everyone,” she said. “Do you know what that did to the pack?”
“Ethan is a Beta… a respected one and my cousin…”
“Alessio ignores meetings… he ignores me,” she added. “He looks past me like I don’t exist.”
I shook my head slowly. “That’s not my fault.”
“Yes, it is!” she snapped.
Her hand dropped from her stomach as she stepped closer again.
“You don’t belong here,” she said. “Why do you keep coming back?”
“I didn’t ask to be here,” I said softly. “I didn’t plan any of this.”
Helen’s lips curled. “That’s what evil always says.”
My brows knitted together. “Evil?”
“Yes,” she said. “Only someone truly evil walks into another woman’s life and destroys it without lifting a finger.”
I stared at her. “I didn’t take anything from you,” I whispered.
She leaned closer, her voice dropping. “You want him to make you his Luna right?”
Her eyes burned into mine. “News flash baby girl… I am his only and rightful Luna, no one can take that away.”
“I don’t care… I’m not interested in being a Luna.” I snapped, already exhausted from the whole argument.
“You can die and get erased from the surface of this earth,” she said. “And Alessio will have no reason to bother you again.”
I felt my throat tighten, my fist beside me clenched into balls.
“And what will happen if I choose to live?” I asked. “What if I’m in love with him?”
“You slut!” She raised her hand to strike me but I pushed her back.
She reached out suddenly and grabbed my wrist.
I gasped, trying to wriggle out of her grip.
Her fingers closed around the spot where the mark had glowed earlier.
“You think I didn’t notice?” she said quietly. “You think I didn’t see the way he touched you?”
I tried to pull away. “Let go of me.”
She didn’t, she only squeezed my hand firmer, hurting me. I didn’t want to push her because of her pup.
“You think you can come here, awaken something in him, and steal my position?” she asked. “Do you know how many women have died trying to sit on my throne?”
“I’m not trying to replace you,” I said. “I swear, what’s so difficult to believe?”
She laughed again, bitter this time.
“You don’t replace someone like me,” she said. “You ruin them.”
“Do you know what I had to do to stand beside him?” she continued. “What I had endured? What I had sacrificed?”
She released my wrist suddenly, shoving me lightly backward.
“I bled for him,” she said. “I lost parts of myself for him, my parents lost their positions because of him. And you…”
She looked me up and down with disgust. “You just exist, and will never matter to him.”
“I never wanted this,” I said, my voice breaking. “I just wanted to survive.”
Her face hardened with no pity in them. “Survival is not innocent,” she said. “Especially in a pack like ours.”
She took a step back, placing her hand on her stomach again.
“There is a pup here, and I know you’re aware,” she said quietly. “His pup.”
I nodded slowly. “I know.”
“And you think things will remain the same when I have my pup?” she said.
“Helen, I’ll leave if that’s what you want but that’s when Alessio lets me go.”
“I’ll talk to the elders on your behalf, but if I do and you refuse to leave… I’ll kill you myself.”
“Why?” My brows furrowed. I was already angry and ready to fight her if need be.
“You think I’ll stand and let you strangle me or… will you poison me?” I took deliberate steps towards her while she retraced her steps, her eyes clouded with fear.
“You can’t speak?” I scoffed.
“If you ever approach me about this again… I wouldn’t hesitate to rip your stomach open and feed your pup to you.” I ran my eyes from her head to her toe before walking away.