Chapter 68: SIXTY SEVEN

CAMILLE'S POV

Hearing him say those words killed me a little. Because I felt the same.

Why did I feel guilty? I didn't do this. I didn't push Milana to do something so... permanent.

But there was also that voice at the back of my head that reminded me that this was as a result of my selfishness.

My throat grew heavy, and even breathing became increasingly difficult.

"Get her down!" Dimitri screamed. "Get her down this instant."

The hurt in his voice was nearly maddening. I watched in horror as the sentinels around scrambled to loose the noose from Milana's throat.

Rigor mortis has set in, making her body stiff. All of it except her head. The way it dangled as they cut the noose that wouldn't free itself off told me that her flesh was the only thing keeping her head attached to her body.

I couldn't watch. I turned away from the scene. Tears were beginning to form in the corner of my eyes.

I couldn't read them in. They streamed down my cheeks as I fled the scene.

I had barely made it to the hallway when I collided with Eva.

She looked worse than I was. Her hair was a mess. Her eyes were stained with mascara, and there were tears stains around her cheek. She had been crying. Loads. But when our eyes met, I noticed that there was a strange glint of amusement in the depths of steel orbs.

For a moment, I couldn't comprehend her reaction. How could she find anything humorous about what had just happened?

But then she spoke, her voice laced with sarcasm. "Well, well, well. Look who's shedding tears. Are those tears of sadness, sister? Or are they tears of joy, reveling in your win?"

I recoiled at her words, feeling a surge of rage awaken within me. How could she say such a thing at a time like this? Didn't she understand the gravity of the situation?

"They're tears of horror, Eva," I spat back, my voice trembling with disgust. "How can you find anything funny about what just happened?"

Eva's laughter only intensified at my response, her amusement bordering on hysteria. "Oh, lighten up, Camille. It's not every day you win a man's heart, now is it? That is what caused this, after all. Winning Dimitri's heart."

I turned to Dimitri when she mentioned his name. He was close to the bed where the sentinel had placed Milana's cold body. He had her in his arms and kept begging her to open her eyes.

It was horrifying, and I wouldn't have Eva's lack of etiquette or basic decency fuel his guilt.

It didn't matter if her words cut through me like a knife, fueling the guilt and self-loathing that churned within me. Was this what I had become? A woman who pushed others to do the unthinkable to get what she wanted?

"No one pushes anybody to hurt themselves." I maintained. "This is neither me nor Dimitri's fault. So you better watch your tongue, Eva."

"Why? You'll do something to make me hurt myself too?" She scoffed. "How can you even live with yourself, knowing what you did?" She then pointed to Dimitri, and my eyes followed. "Look at how much Dimitri is in pain. Your ultimatums are what brought this. He loved Milana, and Milana loved him. You just had to swoop in and destroy what they had. Is that your destiny, sister? To middle people's lives like you did with mine?"

Of course, that was the whole reason for this confrontation. Eva still hadn't let go of the belief that I had stolen her life. But I refused to give in to her antics. I pushed past her and walked away, only to have her follow me.

"Don't walk away from me, Camille! Tell me! This isn't the first time you've forced your way into people's lives, and tragedy has occurred."

I stopped in my footsteps. My anger was starting to consume me. Eva was beginning to get to me.

But we weren't dangerously close to Dimitri anymore. So I didn't have to hold back on my venom or ensure my tone was hushed.

I turned back to Eva and scoffed. "It has been five years. Let go of the victim complex, Eva. Don't act like this is even about Milana. We both know you barely care for anyone that isn't you. But if you want someone to blame for the tragedy that just happened, look in the mirror. None of this would have happened if you didn't steal my children's DNA. No one would know Camille was alive, and I would have lived a simple and fulfilling life as Cameryn. You took that away from me. So, don't you dare!"

"No, none of this would have happened if you hadn't kissed Dimitri by the pool."

"He was my mate!" I yelled back. "I didn't ask for this. I didn't ask for any of it. Hate me all you want. But my life was upended, too. Adele switched me, causing all these dominoes to fall. If Adele hadn't been a literal wicked stepmother, my life would not be in the mess that it is right now. You have a lot of anger stoked in the fire of your heart for me. But not for Adele. The one who ruined your life."

"She got her own karma." Eva retorted, stepping closer. "It is only fair you get yours."

"Instead of praying for my downfall and using someone's death to jab at me, why don't you spend all that energy to look for your biological parents?"

"I am a fucking Dumont."

I shook my head, disappointed at Eva's stubborn refusal to see reason. "You are not a Dumont, Eva. You will never be. You might have spent so much time clinging to that identity, letting it consume you. But it's not who you are. Find out who you fucking are, and let me fucking breathe. I am not tethered to you, and I never want to be."

Eva's eyes flashed with anger, her fists clenched at her sides. "You don't know anything about me, Camille. You don't know what it's like to grow up with a family, with a sense of belonging, and have it all taken in one day."

"Except I did. The Gallaghers brought me up when Adele ordered them to kill me. They were my family. They were my solid ground, and in one day, I had it taken away from me. Unlike you though, you still got to see Adele and Lucian. The parents you grew up with. They kept you. Mine were forced to let me go, and as if that wasn't enough, Adele murdered them for being decent people. I have a right to be angry, too. But who will I take it on? You? Can you take it, sister?"

"For all those small losses, you earned something greater. Did you not? Father isn't alive anymore. The seat of the Lily of the Valley is yours. You are also somehow the mate of Dimitri. You have his children, too. You are the most eligible woman to be the Lycan Queen. As if that isn't enough, you are a big-shot healer. Do you know what I did to my mind and body to awaken some latent healing abilities in myself because I believed that I was Abigail's De'Crescent's descendant?"

The story has completely changed. Eva went from accusing me of practically plotting the death of Milana to weeping about how she wasn't special when I was.

"So that is it? That is your reason for trying to make my life miserable both then and now?" I shot back, unable to contain my frustration. "Why is she so special when I am not?"

"Camille-"

"Eva!" I refused to be quieted. "You've spent years wallowing in self-pity, blaming everyone else for your problems instead of taking responsibility for your own life. You have the power to change your circumstances, Eva. You just refuse to see it, and it is the most depressing shit I have witnessed. That is why I can't have you taking the title of the Lily of the Valley pack. I don't even want it. Never have. But somehow, you feel you are entitled to that title. About Dimitri too. You wanted him for yourself too, did you not? Would that anger you held for me minutes ago still exist if he had chosen you?"

Eva's expression hardened, her eyes narrowing as she squared her shoulders, her usual defiance returning. "The bliss you must enjoy having everything just drop to your pretty feet."

I scoffed, disbelief coloring my tone. "And you think you're the only one who's had to fight for something? You have no idea what I've been through, Eva. You have no idea the sacrifices I've made, the pain I've endured, and I am still enduring. Don't you dare tell me the life I have gathered for myself came easy."

"But it did. I was there."

"You have no empathy. So no. You were never there. Do you think being the Lily of the Valley is some kind of prize?" I was downright furious now. "It is a responsibility that will weigh heavily on the shoulders of whoever will sit on that throne. And as for Dimitri, he's not some prize to be won. He's a person with his own thoughts and feelings, and I respect that."

Eva chuckled. "You seem to have it all figured out. Do you think things can remain the same with you two after this? Dimitri is fiercely loyal, and he probably made the choice to pick you because of the mate bond and the kids. Now that she is dead, he will blame himself. He will hate himself. But a huge portion of all that negative emotion will tip towards you. Instead of psychoanalyzing me, take that energy and try to save whatever will burn from this ill-fated union."

Eva wanted to have the last word. Of course, she did.

The moment she turned to leave, I got mad. There was this unwillingness to let her walk away with the upper hand.

I reached out and grabbed her arm, forcing her to face me once more. But as our eyes met, something shifted. It was as if a floodgate had been opened, unleashing a torrent of memories that flooded my mind with overwhelming clarity.

I saw red wine being poured into two wine glasses.