Chapter 121 DECEPTION UNVEILED
Edeline
"But Tatiana won't be the only one taking that test. Nixx will be taking it too." Conor stormed out of the room, slamming the door against the wall as he left. His gaze lingered on Tatiana’s trembling figure before he joined his leader, leaving a heavy silence in his wake.
My wolf was back, growling with a low, menacing tone the moment Tatiana came into view. She looked disoriented, her eyes wide with fear and confusion. When she saw Anita, her expression shifted to one of anger and betrayal. Tears streamed down Anita’s face as she pointed a trembling finger at Tatiana. “It’s all your fault!” she shouted, her voice cracking. She sprang from her seat and rushed after her father. “Hey, hold on, Dad!”
I couldn't help but feel a surge of relief. Finally, the chaos was unfolding. I would never have considered the idea of running after them, especially not with my current state of mind.
Anita remained in the room, her eyes darting around as she scanned us. It was just the two of us now, and as the door slammed shut behind the others, a chaotic silence filled the room.
I turned to Alpha William, our eyes locking in a silent exchange. “Hey, Alpha! Guess what?” I whispered urgently. “Mirabelle just told me that Anita is planning to escape after the meeting! Can you believe it? Turns out she’s been the culprit all along! Why were you accusing Tatiana?” I said, keeping my voice low to avoid drawing attention from the others.
Alpha William’s lips curled into a smirk, his blue eyes glinting with a mix of amusement and satisfaction. “Oh, I know, Edeline. Oracle Claire had a vision about this. She informed me through our mind link before the meeting even started. Our plan is to trick Anita into thinking we believe it’s all Tatiana’s fault. If Anita truly cares for Tatiana as Claire suggested, she won’t let her take the blame. We’ve got someone keeping an eye on Anita from a distance. Once our investigators gather the evidence they need, we’ll be able to lock Anita away. Tomorrow’s blood test will reveal that Tatiana isn’t of Alpha blood, and everything will start falling into place,” he explained thoughtfully.
I was taken aback by his revelation. He had been aware of the situation the entire time, which explained why he hadn’t shown more aggression towards Conor.
I glanced over at Percival and Nixx. They were grinning ear to ear, clearly enjoying the unfolding drama. It was a relief to see them getting along, but I wondered how long it would last.
If Nixx ended up being Alpha’s son, that meant Nixx and Percival would be half-brothers. And that made me related to my half-brother’s half-brother. It was a strange twist of fate—no blood relation, yet still oddly significant.
Mom and Luna exchanged glances filled with a mixture of emptiness and sorrow. They seemed to have some unspoken understanding.
If Luna suspected that Nixx might be her husband’s son, I wondered how she felt about putting her own son's line of succession at risk through the blood test.
I knew I needed to make sure the test happened. I was determined to see it through.
With a deep breath, I decided it was time to have a chat with Darius. Despite my unease about him, I needed to hear his side of the story.
As Luna and Mom quickly left the office, eager to escape the tense atmosphere, I remained behind with Alpha William, Dad, Percival, and Nixx.
"Hey, Alpha William... I really need to have a chat with Darius. It's kind of a big deal." I spoke quietly, glancing at the men in the room who seemed increasingly annoyed and surprised by my request.
Dad’s voice rumbled with frustration. “No way, Edeline. There are things you’re still unaware of.”
I frowned, confused by his response. “I still need to talk to him. There’s something I have to find out.”
“No!” Percival’s shout was filled with intense anger, directed squarely at his younger brother. My former close friend’s hostility was palpable.
I moved towards Percival with determination, feeling the connection between us waver and tremble. "If you think that just because you want to be my mate, I’ll automatically submit to you, you’re mistaken. We’re bonded in a way, but that doesn’t mean you can control my actions.”
“Seriously? Your wolves are completely bonded now!?” Dad’s voice was louder and angrier than before.
I realized I had forgotten that only my brother knew about our bond. My slip of information had clearly thrown everyone off.
Alpha William and Dad exchanged looks of intense frustration. It was apparent they thought the bond Percival had placed on me during the barbecue was all there was.
Sighing deeply, I rubbed my temples. I didn’t want to get into the details right now; there were more pressing issues. “Yeah, it happened the other day. It wasn’t intentional.”
Alpha William’s stern expression intensified. “Oh, come on! Edeline, this is exactly why we had rules for you and Percival to stay apart.”
“Hey, Dad, calm down. It wasn’t her fault; it was mine,” Percival said, turning to face me. He gently touched my arm, his gaze softening. “You can’t see Darius right now. He’s in the cellar for two weeks. I found his journal, and that’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”
Nixx, Alpha William, and Dad began to leave the room, their expressions a mix of irritation and uncertainty. Dad eventually left with a resigned sigh, shutting the door behind him.
I looked at Percival, pulling my arm away from his touch. I couldn’t hide the intense dislike I felt towards him.
His expression shifted to one of surprise. “Hey, your wolf is back,” he said, a big smile spreading across his face as he moved in for a hug.
I stepped back, my wolf growling lowly at him, her gaze fierce. Percival took a step back, looking bewildered.
“Hey, Edeline?”
“My wolf isn’t pleased with you or your wolf right now,” I said, irritation clear in my voice. “I’m not dealing with you at the moment.” I slowly turned and made my way towards the door, needing space from the escalating tension and the complicated emotions swirling around me.