chapter 115
Fiona's POV:
I sat rigid in the center of the Grayson family living room, my hands trembling as I caressed my slightly swollen belly beneath my designer dress.
The room felt impossibly cold despite the crackling fireplace.
Richard Grayson's knuckles were white as he gripped his teacup, looking as if he might shatter it at any moment. Elizabeth sat with perfect posture, her eyes hard as she stared at a spot just above my head, refusing to meet my gaze.
The other elders wore expressions ranging from shock to outrage.
Only Cecilia seemed to be enjoying the moment, her red lips curled into a smirk.
"Well," Cecilia finally said, her voice dripping with false concern, "I always said that Omega was trouble. A disaster waiting to happen."
She smoothed her immaculate dress. "And now look—our family name dragged through the mud because of your... entanglements."
I swallowed hard, fighting the urge to snap back at her. My position was precarious enough without antagonizing Ethan's sister.
"Cecilia," Elizabeth warned, though her tone lacked its usual conviction.
Arabella leaned forward, her eyes flickering between me and Ethan who stood by the window, looking out at nothing.
"Doing wrong things has consequences," she said softly. "Isn't that what we always say, Ethan?"
Ethan didn't respond.
He hadn't looked at me once since we'd arrived, not even when I'd clutched his arm in panic as they informed me I needed to come in for questioning.
Elizabeth's gaze softened slightly as it dropped to my swollen belly. She sighed, a hint of reluctance crossing her features.
"Perhaps," she said more gently, "we could speak with some of our contacts on the Council. See if there's some way to..."
"Mother," Arabella interrupted, "you can't be serious. That would mean directly opposing Lucas. Roman Pierce is handling it personally."
Everyone knew what that meant. Roman Pierce was the Grayson Pack's most feared lawyer, ruthlessly effective and completely loyal to Lucas.
She glanced at my stomach with significantly less sympathy. "And let's be honest—if she wasn't carrying Ethan's child, she wouldn't be sitting here comfortably right now. She'd already be in custody."
Elizabeth's brow furrowed as she looked between Arabella and me, clearly unsure who to be more frustrated with.
She let out a deep, exasperated sigh, throwing her hands up in surrender.
"I don't know what to do with any of you anymore," she said, her voice tired. "Handle this yourselves. I'm done."
She reached for her husband's arm. "Come. Let's go to our room."
Elizabeth's departure seemed to break whatever tension had been holding the family in place. One by one, they all stood to leave—Arabella with a backward glance at Ethan, Cecilia with a final smirk, Grace quietly following her husband Richard.
Within minutes, the vast living room had emptied, leaving only Ethan and me.
I turned to him desperately. "Ethan..."
He remained at the window, his broad shoulders tense beneath his tailored shirt.
"It wasn't me," I pleaded, rising from the couch and moving toward him. "You have to believe me. I didn't plan to hurt Tori."
Ethan finally turned, his expression unreadable.
He lit a cigarette—something he only did when deeply disturbed—and took a long drag, still not acknowledging my words.
"Please," I whispered, desperation clawing at my throat.
My hand went instinctively to my belly. "The evidence they have is fabricated. Someone is setting me up." My voice cracked. "You have to help me and the baby. Your baby."
Ethan's eyes flicked to my stomach, then back to my face. He exhaled smoke slowly.
"They have witnesses," he said flatly. "And recording."
His voice hardened. "They have everything, Fiona."
Fear clutched at my chest.
I moved closer to him, desperate for any sign that he still felt something for me. "We're supposed to be a family. You promised me."
Ethan shook my hand off his arm. He climbed the stairs without looking back, leaving me standing alone in the vast living room.
The house seemed to close in around me as memories flooded back unbidden...
---
Four years earlier
My phone vibrated against the nightstand. Tori's name flashed across the screen. I answered with practiced concern in my voice.
"Fiona," Tori's voice was trembling. "I think it's happening. My first shift. I can feel it—something's changing inside me. I'm scared."
"Take deep breaths," I said, trying to sound calm and supportive. "Where are you now?"
"At school. I can't—I can't go through this here."
Perfect. This was exactly what I'd been waiting for.
"Listen, I know a place," I said quickly. " An estate. It's private and secluded—perfect for a first shift."
"You will wait for me there?" The relief in her voice almost made me hesitate.
"Of course," I assured her. "That's what friends are for. Text me when you arrive."
After hanging up, I grabbed my keys and headed straight for the Morris estate, my heart pounding with anticipation.
"Fiona Price," he drawled, looking up with mild surprise. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
I closed the door behind me, leaning against it with practiced casualness. "I have a proposition for you, Noah."
His eyebrow raised with interest. "I'm listening."
"It's about Tori Sullivan," I said, watching his expression shift instantly—hunger flashing in his eyes. "I've seen how you look at her. How you've wanted her for months."
Noah sat up straighter, suddenly alert. "What about her?"
"I know where she'll be tonight. Alone. Vulnerable." I smiled slowly. "Her first shift is starting."
"And you're telling me this, why?" He was suspicious, but I could see the predatory interest beneath his question.
"Because I want to help you get what you want," I replied smoothly. "And in return, you'll help me get what I want."
Noah leaned forward, a wolfish grin spreading across his face. "You have my full attention now, Fiona."
After I told him about my plan.
Noah said, his voice dropping to a predatory growl. "I've wanted her for a long time. Tonight she'll learn where Omegas truly belong."
"Just remember our deal," I reminded him. "I help you get Tori, and you make sure Ethan sees her for what she really is—a worthless Omega who'll spread her legs for any male who commands it."
"Don't worry," Noah laughed. "By the time I'm finished, she'll be ruined for anyone else. Especially your precious Ethan."
---
I was jolted back to the present by my phone buzzing. Hannah's name flashed on the screen.
With shaking hands, I answered.
"What happened?" I demanded immediately. "Did you talk to her? Is Tori going to withdraw the appeal?"
"That little bitch hung up on me," Hannah spat, her voice trembling with rage. "She wouldn't even listen!"
I gripped the phone tighter, panic rising in my chest. "What about her grandmother? Eileen adores her—if you could convince Eileen to talk to Tori—"
"Don't you think I tried that?" Hannah cut me off. "I called the old woman right after. Apparently, Tori had already spoken to her about everything. Eileen refused to even discuss it with me. '"
"No, no, no," I whispered, desperation clawing at my throat. "Hannah, they're going to send me to prison. Do you understand? And when I fall, the Price family falls too. Your position, your status—everything we've built will be destroyed. You have to do something!"
There was a long silence on the other end of the line. When Hannah spoke again, her voice had changed—colder, more calculated.
"Maybe there is another way," she said slowly. "A way to force Tori to withdraw her appeal."
"What do you mean?" I asked, hope flickering dimly.
"Don't worry," Hannah said, pulling out her phone. "I'll handle everything."
She dialed a number, her voice suddenly smooth as honey. "Hello? Yes, I need someone to take a little trip to the remote district. There's a girl named Anna I need you to find her."