TRIGGER WARNING: There is mention of child loss in this chapter. Reader Discretion is advised.
\[Denali’s POV\]
I grow quiet as all eyes come to rest on me, and before I can even speak again, my stepmother is rushing toward me with pure fury and hate in her eyes.
“IT WAS YOU!” She shrieks, raking her claws across my cheek. “YOU DID IT, DIDN’T YOU? YOU WERE JEALOUS OF HER BECAUSE ALEXANDER CHOSE HER INSTEAD OF YOU!”
Gasping, I lift my arms and attempt to stop the next attack that is sure to come, but am saved by Rosco stepping in front of me while a growl rips through the air.
“Touch her again, and I’ll break your fucking hands,” he snarls, reaching around and giving me a protective hand. “Roger, I suggest you keep your bitch on a leash.”
“Are you protecting that murderer?” My stepmother growls. “Were you behind it too?”
“Beatrice!”
My father’s voice holds authority, and as he speaks, I feel his aura press against me, but unlike in the past, where my body wanted to cooperate with whatever it was that he wanted, I feel free. Our connection was truly gone.
“Everyone needs to calm down,” he continues when no one speaks. “We don’t know the circumstances surrounding Anastasia’s accident.”
“We don’t need to!” My stepmother snaps. “Denali is the only one with a reason to cause harm to my poor Anastasia! I understand her hatred and jealousy toward my poor daughter, but to go so far as to hurt an innocent! How could she be so cold?”
I don’t speak as I take in what my stepmother is saying. It seemed that I wasn’t the only one to suffer an attack this evening, weird.
“If anyone was trying to hurt anyone, it was you and your daughter,” Rosco says matter-of-factly. “Have you even stopped to wonder why Denali is here?”
For a moment, neither my father nor my stepmother speak as they take me in, but when my stepmother’s expression shifts back to hatred, I know she doesn’t care.
“I’m sure she is cunning enough to set up an alibi to keep from being caught,” she hisses.
“Have you talked to Anastasia?” The words are leaving my lips before I can stop them. How could she be here accusing me while her daughter was the one with the answers? Although I wouldn’t put it past Anastasia to attempt to blame me, but something about this whole situation wasn’t sitting well with me. “She was the one present for the attack; she should be able to give you some clues.”
“She’s in a coma!” My stepmother counters. “My poor daughter,” she continues, burying her face in my father’s chest. “My poor, poor girl.”
At her words, my heart plummets. I didn’t care for Anastasia, but I also didn’t wish harm on her. Who could have done such a thing, and why?
“This isn’t something for you to concern yourself with,” Rosco murmurs, not missing the shift in my mood. “The only thing you should worry about is getting better.” As he speaks, he gives my hand a gentle squeeze before turning his attention back to my father and stepmother. “And you two should leave.”
“Are you trying to keep me from seeing my own daughter?” My father snaps. “Who are you to..."
“He’s right,” I say, stepping from behind Rosco. “You have disowned me and kicked me out of the pack, so why are you even here?”
I didn’t know why, but as the question leaves me, I feel a small sense of hope. Would my father acknowledge that he truly cared? Honestly, why did I even care after everything I endured because of him? It was much too late for him to make up for it.
“You heard her,” my stepmother huffs. “She’s ungrateful and thinks she is too good for us now that she has a rich and powerful husband. But just you wait,” she continues, fixing her narrowed gaze on me. “Just because you’re married to him doesn’t mean that he will be with you forever. The new moon is coming, and one of these days he will find his mate.” I can see the glee over anticipation for my being crushed forming as she speaks, and despite myself, I’m reminded of my own worry. “When he throws you aside, you’ll have no one,” she giggles. “Just remember that.”
Finished speaking, she turns and prepares to leave, but Rosco reaches out and wraps a hand around her wrist, giving a strong pull. He steps forward, towering over her.
“Apologize,” he growls, his aura beginning to radiate from him. “Who the fuck are you to disrespect my wife like that?”
“Am I wrong?” My stepmother challenges. “No one can withstand the mate bond! Now let me go!”
Letting out a hiss, she begins to fight, but Rosco continues to hold strong.
“I don’t give two shits about any fucking bond. I know what my heart and my soul want."He continues. “Now fucking apologize.”
“Rosco,” my father growls, coming to my stepmother’s aid. “Release my wife right this minute.”
“Not until she apologizes,” Rosco responds. “I’ve overlooked a lot, but she has taken things too far. She came here and attacked my wife, and has done nothing but talk down to her.”
“How can you defend such a woman?” My stepmother snaps. “She is nothing more than a lowly omega and whore who uses her body to get where she is! I’m sure she has already spread her legs for…”
She doesn’t get to finish her words before Rosco’s hand connects with her cheek. Gasping, my eyes grow wide as I watch her head snap to the side and shock flash in her eyes.
“YOU DARE TOUCH ME?” She roars, whirling around and preparing to attack Rosco, only to stop as my father gets in the way. "ROGER, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”
For the first time in my life, I see true fear in my father’s eyes. It is fleeting and gone before I know whether or not I truly saw it, but it was there.
“We should get back to Anatasia,” he says slowly. “She could wake up at any time.”
“But he just..."
“Beatrice!” My father’s voice is stern, and the annoyance he feels is evident. “You’ve done enough!”
Eyes widening, I look from my father to Rosco, who is dripping with anger and authority. Shit, this was actually pretty interesting. I knew that Crystal Fang was powerful, as was his father’s industry, but for even my father to step down, he must have a power that I wasn’t aware of, but wasn’t that good?
We had agreed together to take my father down, and to see that it was actually possible left me with a new sense of hope. And as this hope flares, so do my mother’s words while I was out.
For you, I whisper inwardly, my determination settling. I’ll get the pack back and destroy father for you.