Chapter 24
Vanessa’s POV
A week had passed since Arielle disappeared after threatening me in our front porch, and people were starting to ask questions.
Where had she gone?
Why hadn’t she come back?
At first, it had been easy enough to brush them off by acting as though her absence didn’t matter, even though it didnt . While Arielle was not known for mingling with others she rarely was out of sight for up to a week but as the days dragged on, the whispering grew louder but the worst part Asher wouldn’t let it go.
He kept looking for her, kept asking around as if he had any right to care about her when all he should care about was me.
Arielle was the one person that most of the town was happy to help even though they didn't really talk to her, everyone was fine with ignoring her as long as she they didn't need her and I had been fine with that but then Damian had rejected her and she had become the talk of the town, after that she has seduced Asher, so when she had disappeared I had been happy that she was gone but instead of enjoying the peace, I had to deal with the mess she left behind.
I wasn’t about to let Asher—or anyone else—make a fuss over the both of them
So, I did what needed to be done.
I lied.
I waited until my father was in one of his usual moods, he was sitting in his study with a drink in hand, likely worrying about one of his business deals which meant he would be distracted but still listening.
I stepped into the room, trying to act as demure as possible keeping my voice carefully controlled, just the right amount of concern laced into it.
“Arielle’s not coming back,” I said softly. My father barely spared me a glance.
"And how would you know that?” I hesitated—just for effect—before sighing dramatically.
“Because she ran off.” My father’s eyes narrowed in confusion.
“Arielle would never—” he started and I scoffed keeping my arms crossed.
"She would and she did. You can't seriously think I have nothing else to do but make up stories about her father." I hissed trying to sound annoyed and disappointed all at once.
"She’s been sneaking around, acting strange for weeks.” I sighed, shaking my head.
"I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t have proof. but with everyone asking it's just easier to tell the truth." I hissed and he huffed staring at me, suspicion warring with disappointment.
“With who?” I forced a sad smile.
"I don’t know. But she left willingly,” the silence stretched between us longer than I thought but my father exhaled heavily, rubbing a hand down his face.
“I always knew she was reckless, if not for her mother I would have thrown her out a long time ago.” I bit my tongue, holding back a triumphant smirk.
Disappointment settled into his features, and just like that, I knew my plan had worked just by this discussion I had reduced the urgency in the search for Arielle.
Of course some of the pack would still wonder, but if her own family did care much it would fizzle out and instead of fearing for her safety, they’d pity her, shake their heads at her supposed recklessness and move on.
Perfect.
I spent the next few days ensuring that the rumor spread like wildfire any time I was out with my friends, I made sure to let something slip out a bit.
"I heard Arielle ran away.” one of the ladies at the market stall, I nodded.
“It’s such a shame, really. She didn’t even say goodbye to me.” she muttered as she handed me the necklace I had just purchased.
“I always knew she had a wild side, maybe it's because she got rejected.” Catherine muttered and I smiled nodding.
"I tried to tell my parents but –"
The more people repeated the story, the less doubt there was about it and soon enough Arielle wasn’t a missing person—she was a cautionary tale to all girls in the pack.
It was almost too easy except for one tiny problem that was Asher.
Asher wasn’t convinced despite the number of tales that kept floating around.
And it was a problem for me, why couldn't he just forget about it. What was so special about her, it was becoming annoying, and to get rid of that feeling I found myself in town late in the afternoon walking with a group of friends,
Amelia and Lila kept laughing, and chatting about trivial things, when the air shifted.
“You seem to be having a lot of fun.” someone muttered over my shoulder before I could turn around, a strong hand grabbed my wrist whirling me around, I gasped trying to keep the surprise out of my tone when
I found myself face-to-face with Asher. His eyes were wild and filled with burning barely contained rage. His grip had tightened further in the last minute but I refused to make any sound, I was not going to show weakness.
"Hey why are you grabbing her arm like that." Lila cried out and he glared up at her.
"Stay out of this.” he hissed and she shrunk back away from him.
“Let go of me,” I hissed, yanking my arm, but he didn’t budge.
“Where is she?” His voice was low, dangerous. I forced a scoff.
“I thought you already heard —”
“Don’t lie to me.” He hissed, his fingers tightening just enough to make me wince. “You’ve been running your mouth all over town, spreading bullshit. But I don’t buy it, Vanessa. I know you, and I know Arielle.” His jaw clenched.
“She wouldn’t just leave.” I lifted my chin defiantly.
“Believe what you want. The truth doesn’t change just because you don’t like it.” He took a step closer, his scent overwhelming, his presence dangerous.
“You think I don’t know you? That I don’t know how much you hate her?”
I lifted my chin, scoffing into his face even though my heart was beating a mile a minute.
“I don’t hate her.” His grip on my wrist tightened.
“You do. And you’ll do anything to get her out of the way.” I forced myself to glare up at him, ignoring the way my stomach twisted.
“Believe what you want, Asher. But she left you. She left all of us.” “It would do you good to forget her." I hissed. His nostrils flared.
"I'll ask this one last time, Vanessa and if you don't want me to get very violent you'll use it.”