Chapter 155 A FINAL REQUEST
Edeline
She paused, her gaze dropping to the floor, as if the weight of her confession was too heavy to bear. “She was aware of my betrayal. I owe her so much. When Tatiana turned one month old, Cilla’s depression had worsened significantly. She believed Conor would be a terrible father, but he adored Tatiana. Conor was absolutely thrilled. But Cilla wasn’t. She couldn’t handle the situation or the thought of being apart from Ben any longer. So she resorted to self-harm.”
Anita’s voice wavered as she continued. “I stumbled upon Cilla just moments before she was about to... you know, end things. She asked me to be there for Tatiana. It was like a lightbulb moment for me. I suddenly realized everything that had happened was completely my fault. I promised Cilla I’d keep Conor from discovering her secret. I told him I’d give him space and focus on taking care of Tatiana. I wanted to say I was sorry. I got pretty emotional that day and ended up crying. Then, Ben was slaughtered...” Anita’s eyes glistened with unshed tears as she spoke.
I listened intently, my own emotions swirling as her story unfolded. “Ever since that moment, I’ve been carrying the weight of guilt for my betrayal. I’ve done my best to be there for Tatiana, treating her like she was part of my family. Conor kept me around for that reason, but he was devastated by how he had treated Cilla after her tragic death. He felt horrible about disrespecting his partner.”
She took a deep breath, trying to steady her voice. “Over time, Tatiana stumbled upon a letter that I had no idea existed. I had no clue that she and Ben had been involved until Ben mentioned it to me. Tatiana gave me the letter after her first shift, after talking to Ben. Since then, I’ve been focused on ensuring Tatiana’s happiness. Her mother had told me, ‘You should totally run!’ but I wanted to make sure she was protected. I had a feeling her partner could be anyone.”
Anita glanced at me, her expression earnest. “Oh, and I managed to trap Percival without her knowledge. She’s totally innocent in all of this. I did it because I wanted to stay close to her. Your crew was completely clueless about a healer turning to dark practices... Yeah, I got pretty lucky with that. But Tatiana wouldn’t have had a good life if she had been mated to just any wolf. As for finances... Well, I can’t let anyone know what I’m up to. I wanted to keep her close. I admit, I was totally off-base with my thinking. I should have just let her go. I was selfish.”
Anita’s voice softened as she admitted, “Ben and I developed a strong connection while working together to support Tatiana. We thought maybe we could find her a partner and still be happy together.” She looked away, her gaze distant as she tried to conceal her true emotions. It was clear she had been keeping a lot inside.
“Why are you bothering me with this?” I asked, a note of frustration creeping into my voice. My claws and teeth had disappeared a while ago, and now I was just curious. Anita was quite a cunning woman, and her motives were becoming increasingly unclear.
She met my gaze with a steady look and said, “I just want you to know that Tatiana isn’t to blame for any of this.” She took a deep breath, her voice carrying a mix of regret and resolve. “Yeah, it was all me. I poisoned Darius because I was coerced into it. I approached your wolf because I was asked to. I disappointed her deeply, even though she trusted me completely. Now, as my time on earth is running out, I just want to ensure Tatiana’s safety. She’s a really nice girl, simple and kind. I unintentionally caused her harm without realizing it. I just wanted to keep her safe. Hooking up with Conor was a massive blunder. Losing myself in the darkness was a mistake. It all happened because I let my greed and jealousy consume me, especially regarding my sister. She was the one everyone adored, and that ate away at me. She always seemed to have everything, while I struggled with my own burdens. Having two gifts from the moon can really wear a wolf down... This is my last favor to ask. I want to make sure Tatiana isn’t hurt because of my mistakes. I want to ensure her happiness. It’s not her fault for the things I’ve done.” Her voice trembled with emotion as she confessed, her eyes reflecting her inner turmoil.
I squinted at her, still trying to process her confession. “So, what does that mean for me?”
Anita shrugged slightly. “I want you to spread the word,” she said matter-of-factly. “People will listen to you. Help them see that Tatiana shouldn’t be held responsible for any of this. She didn’t want to be involved in the situation with you and Percival. She’s always had her eye on Nixx since she first saw him. As for me...” She walked past me toward Darius’s cell, pausing to turn her head as she handed the bag of herbs to him. Her face took on a serious expression as she faced him. I wished there was more I could do for her.
“Hey, could you please put this bag in your water?” Anita instructed Darius softly. “Just let it sit for about ten minutes before you drink it. You’ll be fine,” she added, her tone reassuring.
I took a step forward, feeling a surge of panic. “Hold on! Can I trust that you’re not harming him?”
She looked at me with a raised eyebrow. “So, how would harming him help me or Tatiana?” Her tone was tinged with a hint of exasperation, but there was also a note of sincerity.
I had to admit, she had a point. Darius quickly moved deeper into the cell, pouring the contents of the packet into a cup of water. He sat down, muttering to himself as he stirred the mixture.