Chapter 21: The Reckoning

 

Briar was seven weeks pregnant.

Seven weeks and the nausea came in the mornings now. She had learned to keep crackers on the nightstand. She had learned a lot of small things in seven weeks.

Breakfast was toast and tea because that was what stayed down, and Mabel was talking about something she had seen in the market, some overpriced kitchen gadget that she had strong opinions about, and Briar was listening with half her attention while watching the steam rise from her cup.

Then Mabel said, in the middle of a sentence about the gadget, "Liam's family lost the distribution contract by the way, Gideon's people moved in last week, and Liam himself has been on border rotation since Monday so I haven't been able to reach him about the next injection and we might need to find another"

She stopped.

Briar looked at her.

"The whole beta family," Briar said.

Mabel pressed her lips together. "I shouldn't have said that."

"Mabel."

"It's being handled. Liam knew it was a possibility when he started helping you. He made his choice."

"Killian did that because of me," Briar said. "Because Liam was helping me."

"Yes," Mabel said. "And Liam knew that was the risk. Eat your toast."

Briar looked at the toast.

The knock at Mabel's door came at half past ten. 

She opened the door to find Stephanie standing there. Vivienne’s mother was dressed in an expensive fur coat, her face painted with layers of makeup that couldn't hide the greed in her eyes. She pushed past Briar without being invited in.

"Where is it, Briar?" Stephanie snapped. She didn't even look at the girl. She just started pacing the small living room. "My bank account is looking very empty this morning. You missed the transfer date."

Briar closed the door slowly. She felt that old fear trying to crawl up her throat, but she swallowed it down. "I’m not giving you any more money, Stephanie."

Stephanie stopped pacing. She turned around and let out a sharp, mocking laugh. "Excuse me? What did you just say to me?"

"I said no," Briar said. She kept her voice as steady as she could. "I don't have to give you my money. It belongs to me."

Stephanie’s face twisted. She stepped closer, trying to use her height to scare Briar. "You ungrateful little brat! Do you have any idea how much I’ve done for you? I spent thousands on your special vitamins when you were a child. I paid for the best doctors to look at your broken brain. I bought you clothes. I fed you when your own mother was too busy being a whore to care! I am the only reason you’re still standing in this pack. I am the one who talks to Killian for you. I make sure he doesn't throw you out in the street!"

She reached out to grab Briar’s chin, her long nails digging into the skin. "I am the only thing keeping you in that Luna seat. You give me the money, and I keep helping you. That’s the deal. Now, get your laptop and make the transfer."

Briar felt the sting of the nails, but she didn't cry. She looked at Stephanie and realized for the first time how ugly the woman was on the inside. Everything she was saying was a lie.

"No," Briar said, pulling her face away. "Go away, Stephanie. I don't want your help. I don't want to be Luna if it means talking to you."

Stephanie looked like she was about to explode. She had never been rejected by Briar before. Usually, the girl was so confused and scared that she would just hand over whatever was asked.

"You’ll regret this, you stupid pig!" Stephanie screamed. She turned on her heel and slammed the door as she left.

Briar sat down on the sofa, her breathing heavy. Mabel came in from the kitchen, her eyes wide.

"Briar, that was incredible," Mabel said. "But she’s right about one thing. You’ve given them a lot of money over the years."

"Mabel," Briar said, her voice small. "I’m not good at the big numbers. Can you help me? Stephanie takes thirty thousand dollars every month. For three years. How much is that?"

Mabel grabbed a piece of paper and a pen. She did the math quickly, her face turning pale as she looked at the final result.

"Thirty thousand a month... times twelve months... that’s three hundred and sixty thousand a year," Mabel whispered. "Times three years... Briar, that is one million and eighty thousand dollars. They have stolen over a million dollars from you."

Briar stared at the number on the paper. A million. She didn't fully understand how big that was, but she knew it was enough to buy a hundred houses. It was a mountain of money. And they had taken it all while calling her stupid.

"I want it back," Briar said. Her voice wasn't childish anymore. it was hard. "I want it all back."

She stood up and walked out the door before Mabel could stop her. She knew where Stephanie would be. She was staying at the pack’s guest villa while Vivienne was busy with Killian.

Briar marched up to the villa and pounded on the door. When Stephanie opened it, looking smug as if she expected Briar to come crawling back with an apology, Briar didn't give her a chance to speak.

"Give it back," Briar demanded.

Stephanie blinked. "Give what back?"

"The million dollars. Mabel did the math. You took thirty thousand every month for three years. That’s a million dollars. It’s my money. Killian gave it to me, not you. You are a thief, Stephanie. You are blackmailing me and I want you to stop. And I want my money back right now!"

Stephanie’s jaw dropped. She looked at Briar as if she were seeing a ghost. The girl was standing straight. Her eyes were sharp. She was speaking in full, clear sentences. The "idiot" was gone.

"You... you delusional bitch!" Stephanie hissed, her voice shaking with rage. "You think you can come here and talk to me like that? I’ll tell Killian you’ve gone completely insane! I’ll have you locked in the dungeons!"

"Tell him," Briar said. She took a step forward, and for the first time, Stephanie was the one who flinched. "Tell him everything. Tell him you’ve been stealing from his wife for three years. See what he does to you then. And don't worry about 'helping' me stay with him. I don't want him. I’m going to tell him I want a divorce. I’m going to reject him. I don't need a thief like you to save me!"

Briar turned around and walked away, her heart racing. She felt like she could fly.

For three years, she had been a prisoner to these women. No more.

Stephanie stood on the porch, watching Briar go. She was trembling with fury, but also with a cold, sudden fear. She quickly used mindlink to contact Vivienne.

"Vivienne! Pick up the damn phone!" Stephanie screamed when her daughter answered.

"Mom? What is it? I’m busy trying to get Killian’s attention," Vivienne’s voice sounded annoyed.

"It’s Briar! She’s lost it! She’s totally lost it!" Stephanie paced the porch, her voice rising to a screech. "She came here demanding a million dollars! She knows exactly how much I took! And Vivienne... she said she’s going to reject Killian. She said she’s leaving him for good!"

There was a long silence on the other end of the line. Then, Vivienne let out a small, breathless laugh. "She said she’s rejecting him? For real?"

"Yes! She was acting so... so sober, Vivienne. It’s like she’s not even the same person. It’s like she’s been faking being an idiot this whole time or she suddenly woke up. She’s not falling for my tricks anymore. She told me to go to hell!"

Vivienne’s voice turned thoughtful. "If she rejects him publicly, the bond will snap. He’ll be free. I can be Luna by next week."

"But what about the money?" Stephanie cried. "She wants the million dollars back! We’ve already spent half of it on your jewelry and my trips to Paris!"

"Forget the money, Mom," Vivienne snapped. "Once I’m the Luna, I’ll have access to the entire Sterling fortune. We won't need Briar’s scraps. But this change in her... it’s weird. "

Stephanie frowned. "It’s like someone who was on drugs just cleaned up. She’s too sharp. She’s too clear."

Vivienne went quiet for a moment.

"Just stay away from her for now," Vivienne said. "If she wants to ruin her own life and leave Killian, let her. In fact, encourage it. "

"Fine," Stephanie grumbled. "But you better hurry up and get that ring on your finger, Vivienne. I’m tired of dealing with that little brat."

"Don't worry, Mom," Vivienne said, her voice dripping with venom. "Once Briar rejects him, I'll be the only thing Killian has left. I’ll make sure she disappears for good this time."