Zevran.
I stood behind my brothers, my heart racing as the implications of what they were doing settled in my guts like a stone at the bottom of a pond.
They were setting Leilani up… because of Chalice.
Usually, I shouldn't feel bad. Hell, I also wanted Chalice safe, but something about this whole ordeal filled my heart with a heaviness that I couldn't explain.
"LIAR!" Leilani's hoarse voice tore into my conscience and I looked away.
Seems like everyone wants her dead. Who was to stand in the way?
I watched her close her eyes in resignation, my heart hammering against my chest when the blade pressed dangerously too deep into her neck. Then—
A loud howl.
It shook the ground, rattling the floors and the single light bulb hanging in the ceiling. A large black wolf leapt into the room, the entirety of its focus on Leilani which it bounded straight for.
I watched in both horror and fascination as it drove its teeth into the rogue wolf holding Leilani hostage and then I shifted too, joining to fight off the remaining rogues who now seem disoriented.
The fight lasted for about five minutes, or ten before silence ensued. And it wasn't until that moment that I remembered Leilani. My mate. Our mate. who was still sprawled on the floor all bloody and beaten up with a large cut on her neck.
I rushed towards her but I was too slow. A large male was now cradling her, his eyes and hair wild as he tried to slap her into consciousness.
"Leilani!" He screamed, sounding worried. Sounding broken— this was no stranger to her. "Baby, please wake up!"
B. A. B. Y?
My chest felt like ice. I immediately turned to my brothers to find them as hard as stones, watching the scene before us like it was something out of a nightmare.
"Girl, please don't do this to me!" The stranger continued to mutter, ignoring us. Ignoring the weird looks passing between Beta Blackthorne and his family.
When Leilani still wouldn't respond, he picked her up bridal style and rushed out of the room, his eyes trained on her face as he stumbled out.
I froze.
Something within me felt like it had been snapped open. Coiled tight until I could barely breathe. My eyes lingered on the door even minutes after he had disappeared… and so did my brothers.
"Caelum, Zevran, Kael… thank you so much!" Chalice's sugary sweet voice snapped me out of my daze, and I turned to her like a puppet, smiling even though it didn't reach my heart.
"What for?" Kael was the first to snap out of his momentary haze. He draped his arm around Chalice and pulled her into his chest.
"For what you did back there!" She responded sweetly. "Though I feel bad that Leilani had to take all the heat because of me."
Now this was the thing I liked about Chalice. The fact that she respected and cared for Leilani so much despite the fact that the other girl was a bitch to her.
I wish Leilani could learn a thing or two from her.
As if reading my thoughts, Caelum nodded. "I wish Leilani was like you," he drawled at Chalice who blushed so fiercely, she turned into a beetroot. "But don't worry about her. I do not mind doing it over and over again, as long as you're safe."
But I mind.
I mind it a lot.
Chalice then leaned away from Kael to trail a perfectly manicured finger over my chest. And with her voice dropped into a whisper, she asked; "I hope you guys won't get mad."
"About what?" I asked, frowning.
"Promise that you won't be mad at Leilani first." She drawled, playing out the words as she sweetly blinked up at me and my brothers.
And oh sweet heavens, my cock stirred.
"I can't." Kael growled.
"If Leilani did anything stupid then she must be punished." That was Caelum, the ever logical one. I said nothing. I simply watched them quietly, whilst enjoying the feel of her fingers on my chest, and ignoring the fact that she was doing the same to Caelum.
"I overheard her having a weird conversation with someone over the phone yesterday," she purred and I froze. I did too. But today. I overheard her talking about leaving.
"…and after I sneakily checked her phone, I noticed that she was talking to someone about a planned attack. She was giving them our pack's address. I didn't know what she meant until now… but I think she caused this rogue attack. And that guy, that one who saved her is in on it too."
I froze.
"THE BITCH!"
"But why?" I couldn't help but ask. "Why? She was the most hurt. Why will she do that to herself?"
Chalice flashed me an impatient look, whilst retracting her hands from my body. And with a flick of her wrist, she snorted. "Why else? She wants your sympathy!"
'She wanted to get your attention, and she did.'
Rage like no other sizzled through me, and in annoyance I snarled at the single guard standing by the doorway.
"Check if Leilani was taken to the pack hospital. And if she was, ensure that no doctor treats her. Tell them it's an order from me. Do you understand?!"
"Yes Alpha."
***
Leilani.
For the second time this week, I woke up to the sound of beeping monitors. But they were not connected to me this time, they were connected to the woman laying on the bed close to mine.
My body hurts like hell. My neck felt as though my throat had been ripped out and dumped into hot oil. I opened my mouth to speak, but no words would come out.
And then—
"Leilani brought the wolves here! I don't know what I ever did to her that's been making her come at me since we were children. But this time, she went a little too far!" Chalice's voice from outside the door had my eyes flying open as the memories of what happened earlier fleeted into my mind.
But wait…
What does she mean by 'I'd brought the wolves?'
Why does this wench always take pleasure in lying against me?
Just then, the door flew open and several people crowded into the room. They were my father, mother, my brother Gavin, Chalice and my mates. I gulped.
"I didn't—" my voice was hoarse— too hoarse.
"Spare me the act, scum!" My father bellowed. "Why did you do it?!"
From the corner of the room, lodged between Zevran and Kael, Chalice stood. Her face a picture of smugness and her lips curled into a smile only I could see.
My heart lurched in my chest, tears blurring my vision as I spat; "I don't know what this is about but I didn't do it. I never did anything wrong. I don't know why you're all always so quick to blame me whenever these things happen!"
My cut throat hurt as I spoke. I could even taste my blood in my mouth.
"Then explain this, Leilani!" My mom growled, shoving my phone into my hands. "Explain this treason!"
I glanced down at my lit phone screen and my breath hitched when I saw an open chat box between me and an unknown number. And in it, from my end, a message had been sent to the number asking them to attack our pack, especially Chalice.
It even appeared like I had even sent one of Chalice's picture to the number.
I gasped; "I didn't… the fuck? What is this?"
"Leilani, stop all of this already! You keep hurting me by all means when I've done nothing but love you!" Chalice snapped, causing the room to descend a chortling silence.
I couldn't take this anymore. Couldn't take the lies anymore. I spat. "You and I know that I didn't do this! You know I'll never hurt anyone. Talk more, myself!" I seethed, pointing at the cut on my neck.
"We know you'll do anything for attention." Gavin was the one who spoke next, and I looked up at him, stunned that he would even think that lowly of me.
One look at my mates had me freezing. They thought the same way too!
"Chalice!" I thrashed desperately. "You know I did not do this! Tell them the truth."
I saw her eyes flash with malice so deep it chilled my bones. But then, she looked away, bowed meekly at the triplets and muttered; "She won't admit it but we know she did it."
"I did not!"
*Crack!*
My father slapped me so hard that my head whipped to the side as my lips burst. But I didn't cry out. I was done crying out.
"As I was sayingggg…" Chalice's voice sliced through the thin air. "Let's not punish her please. She already seems so battered as it is."
"She must be punished." This time, it was Kael who spoke, and I didn't even need to turn to know that he was glaring at me. I could already feel it in the way my body lit up like a flame.
"Punish her in the ways of old!" My father snarled, plunging the room into another round of silence. "Punish her like she is not of noble blood… because she isn't! Henceforth, she is no longer my daughter! And every member of my household has nothing to do with her!"
"Father, you're…?"
"Do not call me father!" He seethed, turning to pin me with the deadliest glare I have ever seen. "I am not your father. I disown you!"
His words crashed down like a ton of bricks. I gasped, my eyes widening as I took on the satisfied looks on the faces of my family… and then my sister.
I shook my head. "You know, that's funny," I whispered, my voice tight with tears. "Because I've already procured a court-ordered emancipation form."