Chapter 20 WASTE
CHAPTER TWENTY
LYRA
I waited for a few seconds, wanting him to burst out laughing and confess that this was a joke. I wanted him to laugh his statement off and tell me how it was a prank and what he was really here for. But he did nothing, and he looked too serious to be joking.
I started laughing, mocking him because he couldn’t be for real. “You're kidding, right? This has to be some sort of twisted joke.”
“I'm not joking, Lyra. That child is mine, and I want him back.”
Damien growled, storming to attack him but was held back by Damian. “Say that one more time, and I'll rip your tongue off.”
He didn’t even flinch under Damien's threat. He rolled his eyes, looking nowhere but at my face. “Tell them to stay out of our business, Lyra. This is between mates…father and mother. They have no business being involved.”
“You are not my mate,” I announced, angered by his words.
“I am your mate, Lyra. We might have had a small argument, but it doesn't change the fact that the moon goddess has destined us to be together. Let's let go of our lovers’ quarrel and make up for the sake of our child. Come back to the pack with me. Let's start a family.”
With every word he spoke, my anger rose to the surface. The twins were barely managing to keep still, and I knew it was only a matter of time before their control broke and they lunged at him.
“I am not your mate anymore. You rejected me, killed me, and my child. I died the day you asked your people to stone me to death, and so did your child. This child isn't yours. I am not yours. I am the Valentino twins’ mate.”
He didn’t believe me at first, but when he looked at the protective stance both men had taken close to me, his face flickered with the realization that I truly wasn’t bluffing.
“They are your second-chance mates?” he asked, shocked.
I didn’t need to nod to confirm. He already knew the truth.
His face contorted in fear before he suddenly started laughing. He laughed so much that tears began rolling down his eyes.
We were all confused by his reaction and just exchanged looks.
“What is so funny?” I asked once his laughter had reduced.
“You can't be that stupid, can you?”
My stomach sank because I knew that whatever he was going to say next wasn't going to end well.
“The Valentino twins don't love you. And they sure as hell don't want you either. Can't you see that they are only using you to get what they want?”
I scoffed. “And what could they possibly want from someone like me? What could they possibly need that I have to offer? The only thing I have to my name is the child in my womb.”
“Bingo!” he exclaimed, clicking his tongue. “That is exactly what they want. They want the same thing I want, the child. They don't want you. No one ever wanted you, and no one ever will. They only want the child, just like I do. Once the child is born, they'll dispose of you like you are nothing but waste.” He laughed.
“And why would they be after my child?” I frowned, his words not making any sense.
“Because your child is the only way they can secure their throne.”
I didn’t want his words to get to me, but something told me he was making a point. When I turned to the twins to gauge their reaction, they were both frozen like deer caught in headlights.
They looked like their biggest secret had just come out in the open, and that was enough for me to believe that there was some form of truth in his words.
But I was adamant, and I didn’t want Orion to see me break. So instead of confronting them or breaking down, I walked over to him and gave him the biggest slap I could muster. “I don’t care what they are after. Hell, I don’t care who else wants me or is using me. I would rather end up with the devil than go back with someone as disgusting as you.” I spat at him to emphasize my point.
I walked out without looking back, and it was only when I got to the door that I spoke. “Kick him out of the pack. If he ever steps foot in here again, you have my permission to kill him,” I told Damien.
I was about to walk out when his words stopped me.
“Do you really think I would let you go that easily? I'll be taking this matter to the Werewolf Council. They'll make sure I get my child back.”
I stumbled out after, on the verge of breaking down. I knew what would happen if he took the case to the council. As long as my child was male, they would take him from me.
I slid down the door when I got to my room, crying my heart out. Just when I thought things were falling into place and I could finally be happy, that bastard had to show up again. Worse still, I knew Damien and Damian were hiding something from me.
I didn’t want to jump to conclusions, but with the way they reacted, Orion was telling the truth.
I wanted to confront them. So I left my room for Damien's office. I wanted to know everything.
The prophecy. The painting. How my child would help them keep their throne, and if they were truly using me.
But Damian's angry voice stopped me before I could barge into the room. “We have to tell her everything, Damien. Danger keeps coming from every corner. She needs to know who she is and who the father of her child is. Keeping her in the dark will only push her away.”
“No! No one must tell her. She can’t know anything about it. We must protect the secret at all costs.”
“You can't be se—”
“I am fucking serious, Damian. She must never find out,” Damien growled.
I took my hands off the door handle, already confirming my questions.
I couldn’t keep staying with people who were using me. I needed to leave here fast.
And I was going to do that very soon.