(Victoria''s POV)
"Why did Olivia push you down the mountain?" Ethan Stone''s grip tightened
around my throat, his amber eyes zing with his wolf''s fury. "If you hadn''t known
Olivia was suffering from severe moon sickness and deliberately used Lily''s ashes
to trigger her wolf, would she have lost control and pushed you down the
mountain?"
His Alpha strength was so overwhelming that I was suffocating, my wolf
whimpering pathetically beneath my skin. The air was being crushed from my
lungs as his ws pressed against my windpipe.
"This is your retribution, and you still dare to me Olivia, you are truly courting
death!" His voice carried the full weight of an enraged Alpha King.
The feeling of approaching death filled me with terror. I desperately tried to speak,
to exin that Olivia was framing me and that Lily''s ashes were safely in the
Silvercrest Pack Memorial Grounds.
But no words could escape my constricted throat. My vision began to blur as
darkness crept in from the edges.
Ethanpletely distrusted me, remembering how I had lied in the past when
pretending to be Little Orange. His wolf snarled beneath his skin, convinced of my
guilt and ready to exact pack justice.
I attempted to defend myself with my eyes, pleading silently for mercy. But Ethan
was deaf to my pleas, already condemning me in his heart.
Fueled by the revtion that I had deliberately stolen Lily''s moonlight herb
treatment, causing the pup''s death, Ethan''s hatred intensified. His wolf pushed
dangerously close to the surface, demanding retribution for the loss of his
daughter.
I was helpless against Ethan''s increasing force, my grip weakening, tongue
protruding, and pupils dting as I struggled to breathe. The world was fading to
ck when suddenly Maxwell Chen''s voice cut through the haze.
"Alpha Stone, killing her would be a crime against packw and not worth
sacrificing yourself and the pack''s future," Maxwell reminded him, his beta wolf
projecting calming pheromones.
Ethan, with immense effort, suppressed his murderous rage and released me. I
copsed, gasping for air, tears and mucus streaming down my face.
The sweet taste of oxygen flooded my lungs as I coughed violently. Maxwell,
disgusted by my presence, kicked my wheelchair away from Ethan, preventing
further violence.
He recalled Ethan''s murderous demeanor earlier that day when he''d discovered
the truth about Lily''s death, his Alpha''s wolf barely contained beneath his skin.
My wheelchair crashed into a flower bed, and I fell to the ground, coughing and
utterly humiliated. The expensive leather seat cushions were now stained with dirt
and my own saliva.
Maxwell ordered the pack security guards to drag me away. "Remove this filth
from Alpha Stone''s sight immediately."
With Ethan''s clear disdain, the guards treated me roughly, dragging me like a
rogue wolf, hoping to please their Alpha. Their ws dug into my arms as they
hauled me across the concrete.
Emma Frost, banished from pack activities, witnessed Ethan strangling me from
afar, her cries unheard and unheeded as her wolf cowered in fear. She had been
watching from behind a pir, too terrified to intervene.
I was dragged to where Emma stood, my expensive shoes lost, designer socks
torn, and manicured nails broken. The pain was excruciating, my wolf howling
internally from the rough treatment.
The guards dumped me and my wheelchair beside Emma, warning us to stay
away from Silvercrest Pack territory. "If either of you steps foot on packnds
again without Alpha Stone''s permission, we won''t be so gentle," one guard
growled, his eyes shing with werewolf warning.
Emma rushed to my side, tending to my injuries with tears streaming down her
young face. "Mommy, are you okay? You''re bleeding!"
Ignoring her daughter''s concern, I pped Emma, berating her for being useless.
"You couldn''t even warn me in time!"
Despite my anger, I realized Emma''s usefulness in my current helpless state and
decided against further abuse. I coldly demanded to be helped back into my
wheelchair.
Emma''s small wolf whimpered but obeyed, still loyal despite the mistreatment.
(Ethan''s POV)
Back in my Alpha Vehicle, I struggled
to contain my rage. My wolf paced
restlessly beneath my skin, wanting
to inflict unimaginable pain on
Victoria without killing her, making
her suffer for her crimes against my
daughter and mate.
The leather steering wheel creaked under my grip as I fought for control. Maxwell
sat silently beside me, knowing better than to speak when my wolf was this
agitated.
I thought of getting evidence from Connor ckthorn to bring Victoria to pack
justice through proper channels rather than vignte violence. Legal retribution
would be more satisfying than a quick death.
Remembering Olivia''s usations and Connor''s initial ims of having evidence
of Victoria''s involvement in James Knight''s murder, I questioned Connor''s sudden
retraction. Something had changed his mind about cooperating.
I recalled seeing Connor with Victoria at the Moonlight Manor and Connor''s
protectiveness towards Emma. The way he had shielded the young girl from harm
was telling.
I realized that Emma was Connor''s weakness, the key to making the imprisoned
wolf cooperate. His paternal instincts toward her could be leveraged.
Arriving at the Northern Territory Detention Facility, I learned that Connor refused
to see anyone. The guard informed me he had beenpletely uncooperative
since his arrest.
I asked to speak to Connor through the inte, threatening to make Emma''s life
miserable if he didn''t cooperate. "Connor ckthorn, if you don''t see me, I''ll
ensure Emma suffers for your stubbornness."
Connor''s agitated response, his wolf''s distress evident even through the electronic
system, confirmed my suspicions about his attachment to the young girl. "You
bastard! Leave her alone!"
Connor was brought to meet with me. Maxwell stayed with the facility guard to
monitor the conversation.
I offered to temporarily care for
Emma until Connor''s release in
exchange for the evidence against
Victoria I''ll ensure the pup is
well-treated and protected within the
pack I promised, my Alpha voice
carrying the weight of an
unbreakable vow.
(Third person''s POV)
Meanwhile, Victoria and Emma were in a taxi near the detention facility. Victoria
realized that Olivia had revealed her secrets to Ethan, including her role in Lily''s
death and her malicious actions towards the true Luna.
Fearing Ethan''s retribution, she rushed to the facility to silence Connor before
Ethan could reach him. Her wolf, though weakened from the earlier confrontation,
was driven by desperation.
"Driver, hurry!" shemanded, her voice hoarse from Ethan''s assault.
Inside the detention facility, Ethan
assured Connor that he would honor
his promise to care for Emma,
emphasizing that it was a minor
matter for an Alpha of his standing.
"The pup will want for nothing while
in my care," he stated firmly, his
wolf''s scent conveying sincerity
despite their adversarial history.
Connor studied Ethan''s face, searching for deception. The Alpha''s amber eyes
held steady, showing no signs of falsehood.
Connor, torn between trusting Ethan and protecting Emma, requested a day to
consider the offer. "I need time to think about this arrangement."
Ethan and Maxwell left the facility, with Maxwell optimistic about obtaining the
evidence and bringing Victoria to pack justice, believing it would pave the way for
Ethan''s reconciliation with Olivia.
As they walked to the car, Ethan received a call from Maxwell, informing him that
Evelyn Winters was being discharged from the Silvercrest Pack Medical Den
early.
Ethan asked, "Have the arrangements for the purchase of moonlight herbs been
made?"
"I will be right over," he promised, his thoughts turning to Olivia and her mother''s
recovery.