Chapter 21 021
Chapter 21
Thalia’s POV
The ground was slipping from right under my feet. I held onto the ends of the table, keeping my grip on it and, hopefully, reality as well. "Mom, please tell me that this is a joke. It has to be, right? Varian and I... we’ve been... we’ve been together ever since we were kids... he..."
"I didn't want to alarm you," she persisted, "but there have been times—several of them—when just Shelly and Varian would be hanging out in your room for hours before you arrived."
I sighed in premature relief. "That doesn't mean anything, Mom. They have been my best friends for years. Of course, they would feel comfortable in my room. I already know about that."
"It's not just that," she continued. "During pack barbecues, parties, celebrations—anything—they would always find a reason to sneak away together."
I was struggling to breathe again. Now that Mother had pointed it out, I could recall several moments when both of them had disappeared at the same time during occasions, reappearing relatively close together. But I had never thought too deeply about it. My mind would have never crossed the thought that they could be betraying me right under my nose.
All of these separate incidents might not have been enough to charge my senses so strongly, but the way Varian has been acting with Shelly's baby makes me think twice. And considering just how haughty my mother-in-law has been recently—pointing out that my son was not filling the shoes presented to him and that somebody else might take them—there was too much to ignore. I couldn't just sweep it under the carpet anymore. I had to do something about it.
"I'm going to talk to my mother-in-law," I said quietly.
I said my goodbyes to my mom, asking her to stay a little longer and inform me if anything improved with Liam.
"What are you going to do?" she asked me, fear painted across her eyes along with worry.
"I’m going to talk to my mother-in-law," I repeated.
Even though I didn't intend to go there, I knew what I had to do. While my relationship with my mother-in-law was nothing to write home about, she and her son were extremely close, and he told her literally everything—down to our intimate life. I couldn't forget certain days when she had popped up with pen and paper, "educating" me on how to satisfy my man in the bedroom properly. It was one of the most humiliating experiences of my life to date.
As I was driving over to my in-laws' manor, all I could think about were the little signs—things I had dismissed so quickly, but now they were popping up in my head like crimson red flags. The way they would always linger in their hugs; how Shelly always found an excuse to rub Varian on his shoulder, chin, or thigh while having a conversation. He would do similar to her while repeating that she was basically an "annoying sister" to him. I truly saw their bond as something purely platonic, so even when the red flags came at me, I just never thought they would betray me. I had known them for all of my life and loved both of them, too.
If, by some chance, the two most important people in the world had betrayed me in the worst way possible, how could I...
I didn't realize how fast I was driving until I arrived and found myself in front of my in-laws' manor. I took a deep breath and prepared myself for the next fifteen minutes, which were spent anxiously tapping my feet in the middle of their living room. They always made sure I waited a few extra minutes, even if they were able to see me immediately.
Finally, both of them came down: my father and mother-in-law. They made sure to remain at the top of the stairs for a few extra seconds to look down at me—both literally and figuratively—as if I was the gum stuck under their shoe. Then,didy, they were on the same floor level, choosileatherve me the privilege of their presence.
I exchanged pleasantries, forced as thBattle-readyn tried to glide naturally into the main topic. But it was hard. Where was I supposed to start? "Hey, I think that my husband and mate—your son—might be cheating on me with one of my oldest and dearest friends. What's your opinion on this?"
I struggled with how to handle it, as if it were a hthe ot potato thrown into my hands. Then, finally, as if she could read my mind, my mother-in-law cleared her throat and said, "I'm going to take a leap and suggest you are here because of what I have been hinting at regarding Varian, my son, and Shelly."
She continued before I could respond. "I was expecting that you would arrive sooner than this, but I guess this is better than never."
She looked to her husband, who had been burning my face with a disdainful stare, like I was yesterday's trash that had not yet been disposed of.
"Thalia, have you acknowledged that you have failed in one of your most important responsibilities as the Luna? That is, providing a suitable heir to take over the position?"
I ground my teeth against each other. Was he really going at it with this ridiculous question again? "Liam is just four years old. He is going to become stronger when he gets older, then—"
"But when Varian was his age, he was already exceptional," he interrupted. "I don't see any reason why Liam should be lagging behind in anything at all."
I rested my eyes on my mate's parents, both confused and annoyed at the same time. "What are you all trying to say, then?"
They exchanged a knowing look with each other. Then, finally, they came back to look at me, his mother dropping the bomb that would shatter my entire life.
"If it isn't clear enough for you yet, Liam's competition is in Shelly's womb right now. So, he ought to buckle up."