Chapter 4

Tricia's POV

"Tricia, what have you done!" Maxwell exploded, his voice shaking with rage.

"How dare you! So this has been your plan all along, huh? You're jealous because you can't carry a pup so you decide to kill another she-wolf's child!”

"No, no," I shook my head rapidly, tears already blurring my vision. "I didn't push her, she made this up, you all saw everything… Vanessa, mom, please say something."

My voice cracked on their names, desperate, searching their faces for even a shred of truth.

But Vanessa looked away.

My mother-in-law didn't hesitate.

"She pushed her," she said flatly, as if it was already decided. "I saw her."

Laura's screams intensified before I could even process the betrayal.

"Max!" she cried, clutching her stomach. "The pup is moving weirdly, I think I'm bleeding, she's killed our pup!"

That was when everything around me collapsed into chaos.

Maxwell froze for half a second, then completely disorganized, shouting at the top of his voice.

"Call the pack healer! Call an ambulance! Someone do something!”

He turned toward Laura instantly, his panic turning into obsession.

"I need to save my mate and my pup's life!"

The words cut deeper than anything else he had said tonight.

I was still on the floor, shaking.

"I didn't do anything, Maxwell," I sobbed. "I didn't touch her…”

But he wasn't looking at me anymore.

Then the ambulance arrived, and everything moved too fast after that.

Laura was lifted onto the stretcher, still screaming and hurling accusations at me.

"She did it! She pushed me! She tried to kill my pup!"

Maxwell followed immediately without hesitation.

His mother and Vanessa went after him, leaving me behind like I had never existed.

I stayed on the floor long after they were gone.

My hands were shaking so badly I couldn't even wipe my tears properly, and my nose ran freely as I struggled to breathe through my sobs.

After all the years I had spent in this pack… slaving, enduring, trying to be enough…

This was what I got.

Being accused of attempted murder.

My chest hurt so much it felt like something had split open inside me.

I was still there, curled on the floor, when the door slammed open again.

Maxwell came back first.

His mother and Vanessa followed behind him.

I forced myself up immediately, wiping my face quickly, stumbling slightly as I stood.

"How is she?" I asked, my voice breaking.

Vanessa snapped instantly.

"How dare you even ask that?" she shot at me. "Because of you, my sister-in-law is fighting for her life and the pup is in critical condition!"

"I didn't—"

"Shut up!" Maxwell barked.

He stepped forward slowly, his expression darker than I had ever seen it.

"So you're this wicked?" he said coldly. "A murderer."

I shook my head frantically.

"Maxwell please, I didn't—"

"You know what?" he cut in sharply, stepping closer. "I've tolerated your excesses long enough."

His voice dropped lower.

"And now I'm going to show you how wicked I can be.”

Before I could even ask what he meant, it happened so fast I didn't understand it at first.

A sharp pain exploded through my hand and I screamed.

Maxwell had grabbed a fork and driven it into my hand, pinning it down as I collapsed forward in shock.

My scream tore through the room.

"Maxwell… my hand… my hand!" I cried, collapsing forward as pain exploded through my arm.

I tried to reach for something, anything, to stop the bleeding, my vision already blurring as panic took over.

"Oh my God… what have you done, Maxwell?" I sobbed, trembling violently.

But before I could even steady myself, another sharp pain hit me from behind.

I turned just in time to see my mother-in-law standing there holding a knife she had stabbed me with.

A broken sound left my throat as I staggered.

"Ahhh—"

Maxwell's voice cut through everything.

"For every minute Laura is fighting for her life," he said coldly, "you will feel triple of her pain.

My legs weakened.

I was shaking so hard I could barely stand, my clothes soaked with blood.

"Please… Maxwell… stop," I whispered. "I didn't do anything…"

But no one was listening.

Vanessa suddenly stepped forward, her eyes lighting up as if she had found a solution.

"Why don't we just throw her off the balcony?" she said casually. "She already pushed Laura down the stairs. It's only fair."

My breath stopped.

"I agree," my mother-in-law said.

"No… no, please," I shook my head violently, crawling backward. "You can't do this… please, I don't want to die…"

My voice broke into pieces as I tried to crawl away, dragging my injured hand behind me.

But they were already closing in.

"Please, Maxwell!" I screamed. "I'm your Luna! I didn't push her!"

Maxwell grabbed my hair before I could move further.

I cried out as he dragged me across the floor.

"Stop! Maxwell! Please!" I sobbed. "Don't do this to me!"

But my words meant nothing anymore.

They pulled me up roughly.

My feet barely touched the ground as I was dragged through the pack house, my cries echoing through every corridor.

"Please… I didn't do it…" I begged weakly. "Please…"

When I opened my eyes again, I was already on the balcony.

Cold night air hit my face.

My knees weakened instantly.

"No… no, please…" I whispered, shaking uncontrollably.

My mother-in-law stepped closer, looking down at me with something almost like satisfaction.

"Maybe this is the weight loss you've been praying for," she said flatly.

"Please…" I sobbed. "Don't do this… please…"

Maxwell's grip on my arm tightened.

I turned one last time, eyes searching his face.

"Maxwell… please…"

For a second, I hoped.

Then I felt myself suspended in the air.

Everything turned black.

When I opened my eyes again, I was in a hospital bed.

My head was bandaged and my legs were wrapped in thick gauze. Pain pulsed through my entire body.

I blinked slowly, disoriented.

"How… Did I get here?" I whispered.

I turned my head slightly, scanning the room.

"Hello… is anyone here?"

A nurse rushed in almost immediately, her eyes widening in relief.

"Oh my God… thank God you're alive, Luna” 

"Luna? I'm not anyone's Luna" I repeated slowly.

She nodded quickly, checking my chart.

"Yes, you were found after you were attacked and dumped near the edge of pack territory. You sustained severe injuries. Your husband, the Alpha, has been away on pack business, but he instructed the hospital to take full care of you before he returns."

My breath stalled.

"My husband?" I echoed.

"Yes, Alpha Maxwell Mercer," she said gently. "Alpha of the Silvermont Pack.”

I shook my head slowly.

"No," I said firmly. "You're mistaken. I'm not married."

The nurse paused.

"Ma'am… what?"

I swallowed hard, my voice steadier now.

"No. I'm not married and it's degrading that a small pack like silvermont is associated with my name” 

My gaze sharpened.

"I am Seraphina Montclair," I said slowly, "heiress of the Montclair bloodline… and rightful Alpha of the Crestwood Pack."