Chapter 10 Not Your Family
ADRIANA
I have always been the quiet one. Lisa has always been fearless. Even as children, she was the one who’d stand up to our parents, who’d speak her mind without hesitation.
That bravery was exactly why I’d gone to her for help that day. The day that gave her that scar across her face.
So watching her challenge the Lycan King didn’t shock me in the slightest.
“With all due respect, Your Majesty, I believe you’re overstepping.” My father grabbed her arm, trying to silence her, but she jerked away from him.
Elijah’s expression didn’t change. He simply leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and gave her his full attention.
“I’ll admit that mistaking you for a rogue was an error on my part,” Lisa continued, her voice steady despite the dangerous territory she was treading. “But that doesn’t erase the fact that Adriana broke pack law. She’s not just any pack member, she’s our family. The Alpha’s family. Which means we have every right to handle her discipline internally, according to our rules and traditions.”
Family? Was she actually claiming me as family now?
“So what you’re saying,” the woman beside Elijah spoke up, “is that you want the King to mind his own business?”
“Exactly. While we obviously can’t discipline a King, Adriana still needs to face consequences for violating pack law and committing such a serious offense.”
My hands clenched into fists. Every fiber of my being wanted to march over there and knock that self-righteous expression off her face. But I forced myself to stay seated, watching, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Even now, with her life potentially in Elijah’s hands, all Lisa could think about was making me suffer.
What kind of person was that twisted?
“She’s absolutely right,” my father’s voice cut through my thoughts, and something inside me crumbled. “This is a family issue. We’ll handle it privately, as families do. There’s no reason to escalate this into something bigger. You’re welcome to leave with your people, Your Majesty.”
I stared at him. The same pathetic cowardice that defined Landon had apparently infected my father too. The sight of him was physically repulsive.
Any remaining hope I’d harbored died in that moment.
Landon hadn’t surprised me, he’d always been spineless around Lisa. But some foolish part of me had thought maybe my father would find his backbone when confronted by a king.
He hadn’t said a single word since I’d entered this room. And he wouldn’t. He’d save himself and let the rest of us burn.
Watching all three of them kneel there, united in their campaign against me, ignited something hot and dangerous in my chest.
But I didn’t cry this time. Didn’t scream.
I laughed.
The sound bubbled up from somewhere deep inside, bordering on hysterical. I couldn’t stop it.
“Family?” I stood slowly, the word tasting like poison. “You actually just said family?”
“How dare you—”
“Not once since Mom died have any of you treated me like family!”
My voice cracked. Tears burned at the corners of my eyes, and my throat felt too tight.
“Shut your mouth, you ungrateful bitch!”
“Or what, Lisa? You’ll hit me? Throw me back in the dungeon? Try to murder me again?” The words poured out, unstoppable now. “You’ve already done all of that. I’m still standing. I’m not scared of you anymore. You’re just a pathetic bully who tears others down because you hate yourself. A coward hiding behind daddy’s authority.”
Her face flushed crimson.
“Don’t you dare speak to your sister—”
“My sister?” I whirled on my father, tears streaming freely now. “She stopped being my sister the day you chose her over me. She’s your daughter. Only yours. You abandoned me when Mom died. You stood by while she destroyed me. And now you want to play happy family? Now we’re suddenly related again?”
Movement caught my eye—Landon shifting his weight, looking uncomfortable.
I had nothing left to say to him. He’d made his choice. His silence spoke volumes.
But he wasn’t getting off easy.
I grabbed Landon's wrist and tore off the bracelet I’d made him—our bracelet—digging my nails in hard enough to leave marks. His eyes widened in shock, but true to form, the coward said nothing.
“Speak!” I demanded. “No? That’s what I thought. We’re done, Landon. You don’t deserve this bracelet. I’ll keep it though—a nice reminder of what a waste of space you are.”
Pure adrenaline flooded my system. Tears poured down my face, but I didn’t bother wiping them away.
I turned to Lisa.
She was practically vibrating with rage.
“I will kill you. I swear to God—”
“I’m sorry about your face.”
I meant it. I genuinely was sorry.
That didn’t stop my hand from cracking across her cheek.
The impact sent her sprawling. For a second, she just stared at me from the floor, like she couldn’t believe what had happened.
She scrambled back to her knees, clutching her face. Her teeth were clenched so hard I could hear them grinding. She’d always been unhinged, she just needed the right push to show it.
“That’s for fucking my boyfriend.”
The second slap landed harder. More deliberate. This one mattered more.
My father actually flinched when she hit the ground again.
“That’s for trying to kill me. For framing me. For having me thrown in a cell like an animal.”
“I’ll fucking kill you! I swear on everything, Adriana, you’re dead. You’re—”
The third slap cut her off mid-threat.
Something was wrong with me. This felt too good. Too natural. Watching her suffer brought me a peace I didn’t understand. Maybe I was just as crazy as she was.
She’d tormented me for years. And finally I was fighting back.
Blood trickled from her split lip as she shoved her hair back and glared up at me.
“That one’s for Mom. The woman you claimed never loved you. The same woman who left most of her precious belongings to you in her will. That slap was for her.”
“Liar! Dad told me she left everything to you!”
I turned to face him, daring him to deny it.
“Is that what you told her? That Mom gave me everything?”
He started stammering, unable to form a complete sentence.
Unbelievable. His greed had poisoned everything.
“You lied to me?” Lisa’s voice rose to a shriek. “You said Mom left me nothing! You said she gave it all to Adriana! You stole from me! You thief!”
For the first time since Mom’s funeral, I saw Lisa cry.
She collapsed completely, sobbing and screaming obscenities at our father. He tried to apologize, reaching for her, but she kept pushing him away.
He’d stolen from his own daughter and blamed me for it. He’d weaponized her grief and turned her into a monster.
I almost felt sorry for her.
Almost.
“Adriana, please, I didn’t mean to—”
“Stop.” I held up my hand. “Don’t apologize. I don’t want to hear it. You have one daughter now. Just one. As of today, I’m dead to you. You’re dead to me. Lisa is all you have left—which is fitting, since she’s the only one you ever really acknowledged anyway.”
The weight I’d been carrying for years suddenly lifted.
Speaking these truths out loud, everything I’d kept locked inside felt like breaking free from chains.
I smiled. I felt light. I felt alive.
When I turned to look at Elijah, he was already watching me. His expression was unreadable, but something in his eyes made my chest tighten.
I didn’t need words.
The gratitude in my gaze said everything.
Elijah stood, closing the distance between us until only a few meters separated us.
I swallowed hard, suddenly hyperaware of everything, the way he moved, the space he commanded, the quiet authority that radiated from him. How could I ever repay what he’d done for me?
Looking at him properly now, it was obvious. The power wasn’t just in the royal clothing or the crown. It was in the way he held himself, the way people instinctively deferred to him.
How had I been so blind before?
“Do you want to stay here? With them?”