Chapter 19 Beauty of the Beholder
Chapter 19 Beauty of the Beholder
ZANE POV
“Were you all waiting for me?” Liam’s voice carried across the room as he walked in with a smirk, pulling a chair forward and sitting down like he owned the place.
The moment he entered, the same aura I used to feel around him settled heavily in the room again. It was familiar… and irritating.
“Ugh, brother, you’ve arrived with your proud entrance,” Ariel muttered, rolling her eyes as she sliced into her meat.
“Don’t I deserve that type of entrance, little sister? In fact, I’m surprised the omegas aren’t already blowing trumpets everywhere I go,” Liam replied with a chuckle, and Ariel burst into laughter.
I shifted my gaze to Talia.
She was staring at him.
Too focused.
Her eyes didn’t leave him, and something about that didn’t sit right with me. As far as I knew, Liam never showed interest in her. Talia was naive… the type to fall too easily.
Their eyes met.
She quickly looked away.
Interesting.
“Are you married to my brother?” I asked, my voice cutting through the table, drawing everyone’s attention.
She didn’t answer.
Didn’t even look at me.
“I asked you a question. Are you going to answer me or him?” I slammed my palm lightly on the table, my gaze hardening.
She flinched slightly.
“Why are you asking that? Did I take wedding vows with your brother, Liam?” she shot back, her voice sharp.
I leaned forward instantly, grabbing her chin roughly, my fingers pressing into her cheeks and forcing her mouth open slightly.
Liam moved.
I saw it.
His hands clenched, but he stopped himself.
So there is something.
“Don’t you dare answer me with a question,” I growled, tightening my grip as my nails dug slightly into her skin. I yanked her face to the side before letting go, anger clear on my face as I stood up.
Liam was angry, good. I love that
That’s exactly what I wanted to see.
I walked toward him slowly, leaning down close to his ear.
“This is just the beginning. I’m going to make her life so miserable she’ll beg me to kill her,” I whispered coldly before straightening and walking out of the dining area.
Liam has no interest in girls?
That thought almost made me scoff.
If I want him to react… I just need to push harder.
I entered my room, yanking the door open before slamming it shut behind me.
If I want Liam to truly lose control… I’ll give him something he won’t be able to ignore.
I fell back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling, a slow, dangerous thought forming in my mind.
The door creaked open slowly. I looked up, my gaze landing on my Beta, Morotti. He stepped in, dressed in only his trousers, his chest bare, his presence filling the room like always. He had just returned from the mission I sent him on.
“Tell me you’re back with good news,” I muttered, sitting up on the bed, my eyes locking onto his.
“I came back with good news… but I walked into something worse,” he replied, stepping further in. His dark eyes studied me carefully as he moved closer.
My jaw tightened slightly. “What do you mean?” My tone turned serious.
“I heard rumors of you getting married to a human,” he continued, watching my reaction closely. “I brushed it off at first. Thought it was nonsense. Something that could never happen. But then… I found out it’s true.”
Silence settled between us.
I leaned back slightly, completely unfazed.
“If that shocked you, then you haven’t heard everything,” I said calmly.
His brows furrowed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
A faint smirk touched my lips.
“She’s not just any human. She’s Alpha Derek’s daughter.” I paused briefly, letting that sink in. “And more importantly… Liam didn’t mark her.”
Morotti’s eyes widened slightly in disbelief.
“Alpha Liam… didn’t?” he repeated slowly, confusion evident in his voice. “Then why did you claim her?”
I stood up from the bed, rolling my shoulders back as I walked past him, my expression turning cold.
“I did all this for revenge, Morotti.”
He turned quickly to face me. “Revenge?”
“I want Liam to suffer,” I continued, my voice dropping lower, darker. “Just like I did.”
I walked toward the window, staring out for a moment before continuing.
“I want him to beg me… to spare the life of the woman he cares about.”
Morotti stayed silent, listening.
“But I won’t,” I added, a slow, cruel smile forming on my lips. “I’ll kill her.”
The words came out calm. Certain.
“I’ll end her life right in front of him… and watch as everything inside him breaks.”
I turned back to face Morotti. The satisfaction was already settling in my chest.
“He’ll watch her die… slowly… helplessly. The same way I suffered.”
Morotti hesitated before speaking again. “Isn’t this too much for revenge, Alpha?”
I stepped closer to him, my gaze hard.
“A life for a life, Morotti.”
The words hung heavy in the air.
I walked past him and headed toward the door. He followed immediately.
“I have something for you to take care of,” I added as I stepped out into the hallway.
He stopped, nodding. “Understood.”
I didn’t bother explaining further. He knew better than to question me when I spoke like that.
Leaving him behind, I made my way down the corridor, my steps steady and deliberate. My mind was already elsewhere.
Talia.
She should have left the dining area by now.
A slow smirk formed on my lips as I reached her door. Without knocking, I pushed it open and stepped inside.
She was sitting in front of the mirror.
Her hair fell loosely down her back, soft strands brushing against her neck and shoulders. The room was quiet, almost too quiet, and for a brief second, I just stood there, watching her reflection.
She didn’t notice me immediately.
My eyes lingered longer than they should have.
She was beautiful.
Annoyingly so.
I clenched my jaw slightly, pushing the thought aside.
I cleared my throat.
Her head snapped up instantly, her eyes meeting mine through the mirror.
There it was again.
That look.
I stepped further into the room, my expression returning to its usual cold edge.
“Get ready,” I ordered flatly, my voice cutting through the silence.
I held her gaze for a second longer before adding,
“We’re attending a dinner party tonight.”
I didn’t wait for a response.