Chapter 13: Over The Squirrel

Charlotte.

The Queen wasted no time in rushing over, her anger evident as she prepared to confront the intruders. Nicholas, on the other hand, seemed thrilled to meet her. He carelessly tossed me aside and confidently faced her with a smile.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person, Renee," he addressed her by her first name, clearly upsetting the Queen. This man was truly pushing his luck, and I couldn't help but admire his bravery. "I've heard so much about you," he continued. "Would you mind sparing a minute to have tea with me? Or should I eliminate every single member of your pack, as instructed by my boss? Although, since you're so beautiful, I wouldn't mind taking you home as my second wife, even though I'm already married."

His audacity was astounding. I eagerly awaited the moment when the Queen would finally tear him apart. She stepped forward, ready to attack, but he interrupted her.

"Not so fast. How about you listen first before making a move? I assure you, acting recklessly won't end well for you," he warned.

I was lifted off the ground in the blink of an eye and a sword was pressed against my neck, but the Queen's expression remained unchanged, one could tell she didn't care. Nicholas did not seem surprised, but rather amused.

"I can see that she holds no importance to you. Well, that's not surprising, considering she was never a member of your pack to begin with."

"And how do you come to that conclusion?" inquired the Queen, her expression clearly indicating that she suspected me of being a spy.

However, Nicholas swiftly dispelled this suspicion by stating, "Before you make any assumptions, let me assure you that it's not what you think. I didn't expect her to, but she refused to reveal your hiding place. I only know her because she was part of my previous pack, a worthless omega who held no value for us. It's surprising that you have taken in such an insignificant individual. I remember that she couldn't even shift back then. I wonder if things have changed now."

 "What is it that you desire exactly?" questioned the Queen. 

"I believe I have made myself quite clear," he chuckled. "If you wish to prevent your feeble alliance from being dissolved, you have no choice but to become mine. Any objections?"

 She threw her head back and laughed, which didn't surprise me. Even I found his words to be utterly ridiculous. I didn't recall Nicholas being a lunatic, but it seems that much has changed over the years. I wonder if Kiana is still as wicked as she used to be.

 "It seems that you have no concern for her well-being. Well, then I have something that might pique your interest." With a wave of his hand, a man stepped forward with a black bag. He released the contents of the bag, and a squirrel came to life. The Queen's eyes widened in horror, and so did mine.

 Nicholas appeared pleased with the reaction and stated, "I made sure to gather all the necessary information before coming here. It was difficult to obtain, and I paid a significant amount for it. However, judging by the surprise on your face, I believe it was worth it. So, Renee, if I were to ask you to choose between this insignificant person and your beloved squirrel, who would you choose to save?"

 Even before she altered her words, I already knew the answer. Compared to the squirrel, my life could be seen as insignificant.

 In a cold tone, she commanded, "Kill the girl," without even blinking.

Nicholas chuckled, "Just as I expected. It's absurd that you would choose to save a squirrel over a member of your own pack, but don't worry, I understand." The sword moved away from my neck, seemingly aimed at my chest as if he were going to stab me. However, I could see in his eyes that it was merely a distraction for the queen. I knew he couldn't bring himself to kill me, as it would create numerous problems. Instead, he planned to strike the squirrel.

As I had predicted, it appeared as though he was going to strike me one moment and then aimed for the squirrel the next. His plan of deception was almost successful. It was too late for the queen to react, and everyone's eyes widened in terror as he approached the squirrel in slow motion. We all knew the catastrophe that would befall us if this were to happen. Undoubtedly, we might even be wiped out today.

Even though the Queen prioritized the life of the squirrel over mine, I could understand her reasoning. Nicholas said that I was useless, no matter where I went, which was true. However, in this particular moment, it felt like I was the only one capable of preventing the impending disaster.

Having spent three years in this pack, I had endured a great deal of bullying. Although nobody physically attacked me, there was an unspoken rule that no one dared to break. Iris may have seemed distant and cold on the surface, but she was actually a very warm-hearted person. The others had their own stories, and they were far worse than mine.

There was only one way I could repay them for their kindness. Without hesitation, I jumped in front of the sword, intending to protect the squirrel. And instead of stabbing the squirrel, the sword pierced through my chest, causing an agonizing cry to escape my lips. I knew deep down that there was no way I would survive this.

Nicholas was shocked by my action and quickly withdrew the sword, causing blood to gush out and soak my shirt. While everyone was distracted, the injured squirrel managed to escape from the man's grasp and sought comfort by snuggling against my legs, becoming drenched in my blood. As I closed my eyes, waiting for death to take me, something incredibly shocking occurred.