Chapter191 Revenge

Chapter191 Revenge
Margaret POV
Alexander and I walked through the iron gates of the cemetery, our footsteps crunching on the gravel path. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows between the headstones as we made our way toward Marcus's grave. I clutched a small bouquet of white lilies in my trembling hands.
"Here we are, son," I whispered as we stopped before the marble headstone. Alexander Stonecreek, my mate, placed a steady hand on my shoulder as I knelt down to place the flowers.
The pain hit me like a physical blow, just as it did every time I came here. My poor Marcus, taken from us so young, so brutally. I pressed my palm against the cold stone and felt the familiar rage building in my chest.
"Look what's happened to us, Marcus," I said, my voice cracking. "Look what that bitch has done to our family."
Alexander knelt beside me. "Margaret, you need to stay strong. Getting worked up won't bring him back."
"Strong?" I laughed bitterly. "Alexander, we can't even afford to hire servants anymore. We used to be one of the most respected families in the pack. Now we can't even get invited to the elite gatherings. Do you know what it's like to go from having everything to scraping by just to keep the lights on?"
"I know, sweetheart. I know." His voice was heavy with his own grief and frustration.
"Ever since Marcus died, we've been shut out of everything," I continued, my voice rising. "The Alpha King selection, the council meetings, even the goddamn charity functions. We're nobody now, Alexander. Nobody!"
I could feel the tears starting to flow, but I didn't care. Here at my son's grave, I could let it all out.
"That whore Aliya killed him," I spat. "She murdered my baby and then ran off with her bastard child. And now she has the nerve to come back? To parade around like she's some kind of innocent victim?"
Alexander's jaw tightened. "She fooled everyone, Margaret. But we know the truth."
"She was pregnant when she disappeared," I said, my hands clenching into fists. "Pregnant with some other man's child, and she let everyone think it was Marcus's baby. The shame, the humiliation Marcus must have felt when he found out the truth."
"The whole pack believed her lies," Alexander agreed. "They made Marcus look like the villain when he was the one being deceived."
I stood up abruptly, pacing back and forth in front of the headstone. "And now she's back with that bastard daughter of hers, trying to sink her claws into Nikolai. The Alpha King! Can you believe it?"
"Nikolai's lost his mind," Alexander said, shaking his head. "Any reasonable person would see through her act. She's a manipulative little bitch who destroyed one good man already."
"Patrick, that pathetic excuse for an Alpha, he's completely under her spell too," I said, wiping angry tears from my cheeks. "And don't get me started on that Luna Ava. They're all acting like they've been drugged or something, fawning over her like she's some kind of saint."
"It's disgusting," Alexander muttered. "The way they publicly support her, defend her every move. They're making fools of themselves."
I knelt back down and placed both hands on Marcus's headstone. "Baby, I promise you, I'm not going to let this slide. That bitch thinks she can waltz back into our lives and steal everything that should have been ours? She thinks she can destroy you and then live happily ever after with the Alpha King?"
My voice was getting louder, more hysterical. "She's got another thing coming, Marcus. Mama's going to make sure she pays for what she did to you. I'm going to send that whore straight to hell where she belongs."
"Margaret, calm down," Alexander said, but I could hear the anger in his own voice.
"No!" I screamed. "I won't calm down! She killed my son! She destroyed our family! She ruined our reputation and left us with nothing!"
I was sobbing now, my whole body shaking with rage and grief. "Look at us, Marcus. Look what we've become. We used to own half the businesses in this territory. Now we can barely afford groceries. All because of her!"
Alexander tried to pull me up from the ground. "Come on, sweetheart. You're going to make yourself sick."
But I couldn't stop.
"She used Marcus," Alexander said grimly. "Used him to get status and connections, then threw him away when she was done."
"And now she's doing the same thing to Nikolai," I said, finally letting Alexander help me to my feet. "That poor fool doesn't realize he's just her next victim. She'll destroy him too, just like she destroyed Marcus."
I wiped my face with the back of my hand, trying to compose myself. But the anger was still burning bright in my chest. "The way she flaunts herself around pack with that illegitimate child, acting like butter wouldn't melt in her mouth. It makes me sick."
"Everyone's forgotten what she really is," Alexander said. "They've all been taken in by her innocent act."
"Well, I haven't forgotten," I said firmly. "And I'm not going to let her get away with it. Marcus deserves justice, and I'm going to make sure he gets it."
Alexander checked his watch. "Margaret, we need to go. The people outside have been waiting for over an hour."
I took one last look at Marcus's grave, placing my hand over my heart. "Wait for me, baby. Mama's going to make this right. That bitch is going to pay for what she did to you, I swear it."
As we walked back toward the cemetery entrance, I could hear the murmur of voices growing louder. A crowd had gathered outside the gates, and I could see signs and banners waving in the air.
Yes, they came to join us in going after Aliya!