Chapter 4

I pulled Lily into a tight hug, stroking her back to soothe her.

"It's okay, baby, Mommy's here," I whispered, my voice still trembling, but I tried to sound strong for her.

Her sobs slowly subsided, but her little hands kept a tight grip on my shirt.

I looked up at Rowan, a bitter, mocking smile on my lips.

"Go back? Go back and starve?"

Rowan's expression changed from anger to shock. "What are you talking about? Starve?"

He took a step closer, his voice filled with disbelief. "What about the truckload of supplies I had sent to you every month? The money, the food—it was enough to provide for you both. I had Belle oversee the deliveries herself!"

Hearing that, I almost laughed out loud.

"Supplies? I'm telling you, Rowan, in three years, I haven't received a single thing!"

"That's impossible!" he snapped, turning to Isabelle. "Belle, what is she talking about? Didn't you send the supplies as I asked?"

Isabelle flinched, then quickly put on a wounded expression, her eyes filling with tears.

"I... I had them sent every month," she stammered, her voice thick with fake emotion. "Perhaps... perhaps something happened on the road? Or maybe you moved, Odette, and didn't tell us your new address?"

Then, she added in a soft voice, just loud enough for those nearby to hear, "But... Odette, are you sure you never received anything? Could it be that... life was so hard you felt you had to... invent a story to get some sympathy?"

Her meaning was clear. She was suggesting I was a liar, using a sob story to win sympathy.

Looking at her hypocritical performance, the rage inside me threatened to boil over.

As I expected, Rowan's resolve began to waver. He looked from Isabelle's tearful face back to me, and a flicker of doubt entered his eyes.

"Odette, is what Belle says true?"

I knew there was no point in arguing. Isabelle was a master manipulator, and Rowan was already on her side. He wouldn't believe anything I said.

Fine. I would show him the truth.

Ignoring them both, I grabbed Lily and made a break for the grand hall.

"Odette! What do you think you're doing?!" Rowan roared from behind me.

Just then, a few small figures came running out of the hall.

"Mommy! Mommy!"

"Daddy, we were looking all over for you!"

Two children, a boy and a girl about four or five years old, launched themselves into Rowan's arms.

I froze.

"Hey, little ones, what are you doing out here?" Rowan's voice instantly softened into a gentle caress. He knelt, stroking their hair. "Didn't Daddy tell you to wait inside?"

Daddy?

I felt a sharp, stabbing pain in my heart. So this was how he treated other people's children—with warmth, patience, and love.

Meanwhile, he couldn't even stand to look at his own daughter.

"Daddy, someone said you were fighting with someone out here. We were worried," the little girl said, her voice full of adoration.

"Mommy was worried too!" the boy added, looking up at Isabelle. "Mommy, what happened to your hand?"

I watched the picture-perfect family, and a wild, bitter laugh escaped my lips. "Hahahaha! Daddy? Mommy?"

"Odette, I can explain..." Rowan began, finally realizing how this looked.

But the little boy pointed a finger at Lily, his face scrunched in disgust. "Daddy, who is this filthy little mutt? Make her go away! She'll get our home dirty!"

Mutt?

Did he just call Lily a mutt?

My gaze turned ice-cold and locked onto the boy.

"Waaaah!" The boy, terrified by my glare, burst into tears. "Mommy! Daddy! That mean lady is looking at me! She's going to hit me!"

"Odette!" Rowan immediately shielded the children, glaring at me with renewed fury. "Don't you dare look at my son like that! He's just a child! He didn't mean anything by it! Why are you, a grown woman, picking on a child?"

His voice grew harsher. "Now take your daughter and get out of here! Stop shaming us all!"

I just laughed coldly.

Ignoring him, I held Lily tight and charged toward the entrance of the hall.

"Halt!" The guards at the door blocked my path. "No one enters without an invitation!"

I looked at the towering guards, my heart sinking with despair.

But then, through the open doors, I spotted a familiar face in the crowd.

"Ethan!" I screamed with all my might. "It's me, Odette! Let me in!"

My voice carried through the entire hall.

At the sound of his name, Ethan spun around, his face lighting up with shocked disbelief and joy. "Odette? You're alive?"

On the main stage, the Council Head, Lucas, who had been in mid-conversation, turned to see what the commotion was about.

At that moment, Rowan rushed over and grabbed my arm, trying to pull me out of sight while offering a frantic excuse. "Council Head, my deepest apologies for the disturbance! She's just a crazed woman from the pack. I'll have her removed at once!"

But as Rowan tried to silence me, I wrenched my arm free and pulled a necklace from under my collar.

It was the heirloom of the Silver Moon heiress. I fell to my knees and declared in a loud, clear voice:

"Uncle, I am no crazed woman! I am Odette of the Silver Moon Pack, and I am here to petition the High Council for permission to sever my mate bond with Alpha Rowan of the Blackstone Pack!"