Chapter 225 A BATTLE OF WILLS
Nixx
“Alright, Mirabelle, that is enough!” William burst out, pushing himself up from his seat. His frustration was palpable. He could hardly tolerate Mirabelle’s blatant disrespect and the way she was exposing his secrets.
The room was charged with tension, almost tangible. It felt like a classic battle of wills—an Alpha versus an Oracle. And here I was, just a messenger from the moon, caught in the middle. Mirabelle’s gaze was fixed on William, her eyes sharp and unwavering, while Annabel looked on with mounting anxiety.
“So, you are not going to reveal the truth, huh, William?” Mirabelle said, her tone tinged with a mix of challenge and inevitability. “The moon is really pushing for the truth to come out. And believe me, she is not going to back down.” She glanced briefly at my parents and me before continuing. “Darius was truly despicable. None of us knew about his shady activities—how he crossed into other pack territories and harassed females. He would violate their honor, assault them, and then send them back home, leaving them terrified and silenced. It is infuriating that he never faced any consequences for his actions.”
My father’s face went ashen. “What!?”
“Hey, Mirabelle!” William interjected, his frustration evident.
“No!” Dad growled softly, his voice steady with a hint of menace. “Keep going, Mirabelle.”
Mirabelle nodded, her expression intense. “Darius seemed unaffected by his illness. He recently encountered his partner, and tragically, he harmed, violated, and killed her. His frustration over her interference with his plans to claim Edeline for himself drove him to this horrendous act.”
My mother was visibly shocked, her eyes widening as she brought a hand to her mouth in disbelief. My father’s gaze dropped to his lap, his face set in a stern expression. I glanced at Mirabelle, noting her previously unmentioned detail about Darius’s actions toward his own mate. Could you believe what Darius did?
Annabel was staring intently, her eyes locked on Mirabelle with a mix of awe and horror. She turned to William, her voice a harsh whisper. “You knew about this!?”
Mirabelle pressed on, her voice resolute and commanding. “William, you knew. And you instructed your beta and your son to remain silent when they uncovered the truth,” she said, her eyes blazing with intensity. “Darius should have faced justice for his crimes long ago. He was a threat to Edeline. You allowed him to be near her and used the night he was poisoned—when he nearly assaulted Edeline—as an excuse to punish him. You were aware that challenges would arise because Edeline is cherished by the pack. You knew he would meet his end but hoped to do so without damaging his reputation. Eventually, you recognized the need for action and aimed to cover up the truth.”
Mirabelle’s emotions surged, spilling forth like a meteor crashing to earth, causing devastation. I felt a surge of intense anger, particularly directed at William for his unforgivable actions. I chose to remain silent, focusing on how Mirabelle’s gaze darted between her mother and Annabel.
Mirabelle continued, her voice firm and unwavering. “Percival killed Darius not out of anger but out of fear for his mate’s life. He believed he was following the moon’s wishes and is now being punished for it.” Her wolf briefly surfaced, and her eyes, glowing with white irises, met our gazes. Seeing an oracle’s eyes always felt unsettling. “Dahlia, do not place the blame on Jack. He was ordered to stay silent,” Mirabelle added, her tone softening slightly. I silently thanked her for that. We did not need any more tension within the household.
Annabel stood up, tears of anger streaming down her face. Beside me, my mother sobbed into my father’s shoulder. The weight of the secret had clearly taken a toll on him; you could see it in the set of his shoulders and the tightness of his jaw. I felt a surge of frustration as I looked over at William. His embarrassment was painfully obvious, laid bare for everyone to see.
“You jerk!” Annabel shouted, her voice cracking as she slapped William hard across the face. “Wait, so you actually knew about all of this from the beginning? And you never even bothered to tell me? Now you’re saying that my son won’t even face a trial? He won’t have to face any consequences for what he has done?”
William stood, gripping Annabel’s wrists as his face flushed from the sting of her slap. “And what would you have done, huh?” he yelled, his voice rising in anger. “It would have destroyed you, because it nearly destroyed me! Knowing my own son was capable of such things? You wouldn’t have said a word out of fear that he would face the death penalty! I know it would have broken you!” His voice softened as he pulled Annabel into his embrace, her sobs muffled against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, his wolf’s instinct to comfort mirroring my father’s effort to console my mother.
“Annabel,” Mirabelle’s voice cut through the turmoil, gentle yet firm. “You unknowingly helped Darius escape, believing you were acting in good faith. Had the full truth been presented from the start, this tragic sequence of events could have been avoided. Darius’s safety could have been ensured, and no further harm would have occurred.”
Inside, I was a maelstrom of emotions. The betrayal of William’s silence, especially concerning my sister, was infuriating. It was hard to process the depth of the deception and the painful consequences. My focus momentarily shifted as I thought about my father’s instructions to keep silent. It was a bitter irony to hear apologies for what happened to my sister. The realization was jarring, but I refocused on the scene unfolding before us.
Mirabelle had an undeniable presence that commanded attention. Her aura filled the room, making it clear she held significant power. My own wolf seemed to resonate with that energy, acknowledging the strength she brought into the space. Mirabelle’s skin had a vibrant quality, as if her blood was close to the surface, giving her an almost ethereal glow. Though she allowed William to take the head of the table, the rest of us had already seated ourselves. She remained standing, a silent signal that this was her meeting to lead.