Chapter 43 THE THREAT BETWEEN US
Ginnie
Kenna’s room suddenly felt too small. Too tight. As if the walls had indeed inched closer while I wasn’t looking.
“I—” My lips trembled as the word slipped out, barely audible even to Kenna’s hearing, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
The lie tasted bitter as it rolled off my tongue. Kenna’s brows furrowed—not in surprise, or confusion. But in amusement.
A slow, cruel expression on her face as we stood toe to toe. “Do you think I’m that stupid?” she said softly. The single word landed heavier than a scream, before I could open my mouth to form another lie her hand shot out, fingers closing around my chin, nails digging into my skin hard enough to make me gasp.
She forced my face up, forcing my eyes to stay locked on hers. “This is the last chance I’m going to give you to spill the truth,” her voice dropped to a low, dangerous whisper. “Do you better think carefully before you speak again, especially not when I already know the truth.”
Pain flared hot through me as her grip tightened. I whimpered despite myself, my hands curling into fists at my sides.
“The camera footage is clearly not lying,” she continued calmly, “it shows you following me last night. While you hide like a rat behind those trees, thinking you were invisible.” Her lips curved into a sly smile. “But you humans always forget that werewolves are always one step ahead of you.”
“I—I didn’t—” My voice cracked. “I wasn’t spying.”
A bitter laughter escapes from her.
Not loud. Not wild.
A soft, delighted sound that sent chills running straight down my spine.
“Then why were you following me?” she asked. “You’re literally trembling like prey caught in a trap right now, are you aware of that?” Her grip loosened just enough for me to breathe, but she didn’t release me completely.
“What did you hear, Ginnie?” Kenna asked, her tone suddenly more dangerous than before. “I won’t ask you the easy way again.”
I swallowed hard, my pulse roaring in my ears so loud I swore that she could hear it from the little space between us.
“I didn’t hear anything,” I whispered weakly.
Her hand slammed against the wall beside my head with a violent crack, making me flinch so hard my knees almost buckled.
“Lie to me again,” she snarled, her voice dropping, vibrating with something feral, “and I will rip you to shreds right here. No guards. No witnesses. Just your dirty blood on my floor.”
Tears threatened to spill behind my eyes, but I forced them back. The last thing I would ever do is see myself breaking in front of this evil bitch.
But I’d known Kenna for long enough now to know that she wasn’t bluffing whenever she made a threat. I gathered what little courage I had left, my fingers gripping the fabric of my dress as I lifted my chin to meet hers.
“I heard everything,” the words finally rolled out of me, my voice shaking but loud enough to cut through the silence. For a moment, Kenna froze. The expression on her face changed.
Not much.
But enough.
I pressed on before fear could stop me.
“I overheard your conversation with the rogue wolves last night,” I continued, my words coming out faster now, fueled by adrenaline and rage. “I know you were the one behind the attack on the villa.”
Kenna’s eyes darkened with something terrifying. Fear maybe? Desperation to shut me up now that I finally know her secret…But I didn’t give a damn about any of it.
“You gave the rogue wolves every information they needed to attack,” I pressed on, my heart hammering violently. “All because you want Alpha Varkos dead, but your so-called plan failed and now you’re up to another evil tactic.”
For one suspended second, Kenna’s cold mask finally cracked. The fear on her face grew worse now—fast, unmistakable. And I saw every ounce of it.
“What evil tactics of mine if I may ask?” She hissed.
“Don’t play dumb with me, Kenna.” I said, my voice trembling with fury now, “I’m aware of your genius plan to poison Varkos on the night of your wedding.”
A humorless laughter vibrates through Kenna now. The sound burst out of her, loud and mocking, filling the room as if nothing I had said mattered at all.
“Oh, you poor, stupid thing,” she said, wiping a tear of laughter from her eye. “Do you really think anyone would believe you?” She stepped back, circling me slowly like a cat toying with its prey.
“A human slave?” She continued smoothly, “A dirty. Disposable. Barely tolerated thing like you.” Her gaze raked over me with disgust. “Against me?”
Then she stopped in front of me again, leaning down slightly. “The future Luna of the Blood Moon Pack. Who do you think they’ll truly believe?” She asked mockingly, “ You… or me?”
I clenched my jaw tightly, refusing to look away or be moved by her empty words. Fucking bitch!
“Even if no one believes me,” I forced the words out, my voice trembling but defiant, “I will not stand by and watch you kill him.”
“Oh?” Her brows lifted slightly. “And why is that?” Her eyes sharpened, cruel amusement bleeding into something darker, “Why do you suddenly care so much about Varkos?” she asked. “Do you think saving him will make him love you?”
“You think he’ll ever look at you and see anything other than what you are?” she sneered. “Trust me…the only thing he’ll ever see you for is nothing more than a weakness. A human body he used and will discard.”
My chest tightened painfully, but I forced the words out anyway. “I don’t care what he thinks of me,” I shot back, “but I’ll definitely won’t let you hurt him.”
“Oh, Ginnie,” she murmured. “You really are pathetic,” she straightened herself up, smoothing her dress as if already bored with this conversation.“I will get Varkos to marry me,” she said confidently. “And on that night, everything he owns—his title, his power, this country…will become mine.”
“And you?” she continued, turning back to face me with that annoying smile on her face, “you won’t be able to do a damn thing about it.”
“I’ll expose you for the evil bitch you are.”
“You won’t,” she snapped back. “Because if you even think of telling anyone…” She leaned in again, her voice dropping into something poisonous.
“…Lily will suffer the consequences.”
The world tilted. My heart slammed violently against my ribs at what she had just said. “What…?” My voice came out hoarse. “What the hell do you mean by that?”