'S

hter of Alpha Lucian Dumont? I had it all. Power. Beauty and grace. All of

hild, the Dumont family still wanted to keep me. I knew how these sorts of things went, as soon as Camille had gotten the chance to assimilate,

the stale air that clung to the sheets. His irritation over the dead pheasants

sence of that wretched stepsister, Camille. I sank into the bed, trying to block out Hector

De'crescent, the strongest healer the supernatural world has ever known. My mother allegedly did not follow in her footsteps but talent always

f my prowess, a confirmation of my ri

ld become the catalyst for the un

e dim glow of the moon, surrounded by the pack druid, my father and the cur

from a genetic disease and with my healer blo

ts were not what I

able legacy of the Dumonts. I felt the eyes of the pack o

mont, the Alpha's daughter, was not Lucian

pha's blood, somewhere out there. The mere existence of this elusive figure th

them to Camille Gallagher, the intruder wh

k an alternative, a replaceme

dy-litte-two-shoes fuck me over. I

robably clueless about it. The pois

tation over the dead pheasants wafted through the room like a storm, and I couldn't hel

l probably fire m

fire you over some dead

ew why he was hopping from pack to pack with his envoys but since no one wanted another war, they were doing their best to impress the beast. What better way to impress

t her to face the council?" I aske

t the moment. All I can think about is my position. Dad is going to hate me when

e seemed to only really think about himself w

feast for King Dimitri. Surely she should be punis

tor muttered, as if th

t even faced her trial yet. How convenient is it that my father is making the process of making her go through the same

arly torn between loyalty to my father a

y admitted. "The greatest healer to walk the ea

lle, the supposed golden child, the granddaughter of the legendary Abigail. It w

ther to hate me. It would be the chasm that would now be between him and the Alp

him, sliding my fingers through his hair. "And, if it comes t

how my father is. He lives for the pack, and if I jeo

e it doesn't come to that," I d

errupted by a shar

t and found a servan

ou want?"

lp to you, Lady Eva," she said hesitant

revelation. Pregnant?

the servant to come in, e

ld me," I instructed, turning

ings, mentioning how she suspected Cami

arnal relations with Camille," I said

I've tried, but she reject

, I questioned, "How sure a

her about her last period. It was clear that she didn't want to talk about it at first, but then she asked me to go to the drugstore

tions were big. I liked big but not this

eased. "Why? You could b

your side. The winning si

be so great if you had the test here

" she

n proceeded to

lanced at the positive result, a tr

Lady Camille has been keeping

ack up, this was sure to do the trick. If there wa

*

LLE'

heavy with the weight

w while I tried to make a deci

go to the drugstore and get me a pregnancy test

ree months gone. While an abortion was not out of the

ly fueled the urgency to end thin

st. It had been two days since I had stepped outside. Each time I tried, the guard that Alpha

but that was it. I was

as enough to interrup

g my attention towards the

d?" the guard inquired, annou

ied, and he en

the council," the guard inf

his be about the pheasants? A surge of anxiety quicken

djusted my posture. However, my gesture seemed in

hing more appropriate," I requested, ac

to prepare myself for a confron

more fitting for the council, a mix of

my appearance, I approached the door and k

ady," I

y as a council summon still felt refreshing even when the air

d the guard was holding an ob

I asked, my voice re

ionary measure. The collar is designed to prevent

sank in. This was no ordinary meeting; I was being treate

usations about dead birds." I protested, my voi

ons. "Orders are orders, Miss Camille. The coun

y neck to allow him to fa

. As the guard secured the restraint, I couldn't shake the feeling that this encounter would be a turning poi

follow him. As we walked through the corridors, the weight

council chamber, and I steele

nd seen in passing glances. Two stone throws away from the Dumont hous

an imposing structure, cr

swung open, revealing a dimly lit room w

rs, their faces cast in shadows, creatin

grandeur, its walls lined with the gravity o

sembly of elders and leaders, observe

familial betrayal. His gaze which I never once re

the council, an unwitting defendan

oke. "Lady Camille, you stand accused of disrupting pack peace

he chamber, the collar a constant

elt charged, thick with tension. My voice wavered as I replied,

y every nuance. I could tell they could not buy a word I

imitri Galdina to spite your father and the pack nor did you break the tenets of matehoo

l the pheasants, nor did I intentionally break the tenets of matehood. As for the

ncil, and I could feel the weigh

nst accusations that seemed carefully crafted

umours of your romantic involvement with another pack member, and now this unexpected pregnancy. It paints a troub

I assure you, I have not had an affair with anybody in th

ector were also present. Hector stood there with a stoic expression, his eyes hinting

a one-night stand and got pregnant?" The c

ny tenets of matehood. I didn't know Hector when

tone, "Convenient, isn't it? Cl

to revel in my discomfort. The co

fed the birds regularly."

been responsible for the care of the pheasants

leading to the death of very valuable birds. If Lady Camille is innocent, then you

r. When we came to feed the pheasants, Lady Camille was already there. I noticed that she looked di

ot want to point an accusing finger. But the birds all died soon after she fed them. We were going

silent for a moment befo

u have anything to s

I was trying to contribute, to be a part of this pack. I never intended for any harm to come to those birds. As

honour, how convenient that Lady Camille, the long-lost daughter o

evidence presented and reach a verdict. Lady Camille, you will be informe

mpletely snapped. "No! I am not leaving this room

s expression a mix of frustration and disappointment. In the tense silence, he raised his

tain on this pack and the Dumo

hrobbing. "And what w

ened. "Camille Dum

physical; it was a deep, searing ache that spread through every fibre of my being. The man I thought was my mate had just severed our bond, and the repercussions o

ctor and forced the words out, "Hect