บททั้งหมดของ A MIRROR OF MALICE: บทที่ 11 - บทที่ 20

ALPHA RICARDOMy mind was a battlefield. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Maria’s broken face, then Pauline’s tearful eyes, and finally, the smug, cold expression of Leo."Moon Goddess, give me a sign," I whispered to the empty forest. "How do I protect my sister without destroying the woman I love?"The universe answered, but not with peace.As I walked deeper into a secluded, bushy trail—a place where few dared to go—I heard voices. Low, intimate murmurs. My Alpha senses sharpened instantly. The scent of woodsmoke and expensive cologne filled the air. Leo.I moved silently through the thicket, my heart hammering against my ribs. There, in a lonely clearing surrounded by overgrown shrubs, stood Leo. He wasn't alone. He was holding hands with Kim, his fingers interlaced with hers as if they were the only two people in the world. The way he looked at her... it was a look of devotion, a look of pure adoration.It was the look he should have been giving my sister.The sight felt like a

PAULINEMy heart hammered against my ribs so hard I thought it might burst. I looked at Ricardo, hoping for a sign, but he looked like a man who had been struck by lightning. His face was pale, his eyes unfocused as the drugs and the shock battled in his system.“Her family cannot disgrace our daughter while we honor theirs.”The words were hollow and cold. I looked at Ricardo’s father and then at Ricardo himself. Their voices were so similar, and in the darkness, with my vision blurred by tears, I couldn't tell who had spoken. But the weight of those words crushed me. It was a declaration of war—a statement that I was nothing more than a piece of property to be traded in a bitter deal.I covered my face with my hands, the sobs racking my body. I felt like a ghost haunting my own life.Suddenly, a rough hand grabbed my wrist."That's it," Leo growled, his voice vibrating with protective fury. "We’re leaving, Pauline. Right now. I won't have you staying in a house where you're treated

PAULINEThe world seemed to turn into a slow-motion nightmare. The hallway, which had smelled of passion and sweat just moments ago, was now thick with the metallic scent of blood. I stood frozen in the doorway of our bedroom, my robe clutched tightly to my chest. My legs felt like they were made of stone.This was the end. I knew it in my heart. This was no longer just about Ricardo’s anger or Maria’s jealousy. This was blood. In the pack, an attack on the Alpha’s sister was an attack on the throne. His dad, the retired Alpha, would demand an eye for an eye. Evelyn, who hated my family already, would scream for a head. It was the law of the wolves. It was the fairest thing to do in their eyes, and I had no way to stop the wheel of justice from crushing my brother.I looked at Leo. He was standing there, his hands trembling, his face whiter than the moon. His eyes were wet, swimming with a terror I had never seen in him.Did you do it, Leo? my heart screamed.I looked at his eyes, and

The doctor finished her examination, packing her stethoscope back into her bag with a gentle click. She looked at me with a soft, lingering concern that made my stomach tighten.PAULINE"The baby is strong, Pauline," she said quietly. "But I must tell you something before I go. I also stopped by the dungeons to check on the prisoner. Your brother, Leo... his health is poor. He is weak, and the stress is taking a toll on his body."My heart plummeted. "Did they beat him? Did the soldiers hurt him?"The doctor looked away, her silence giving me the answer I dreaded. "He is receiving treatment now. Maria gave orders that he should be kept alive, but... the soldiers are angry. They love Maria."A cold rage flickered in my chest. Considering that Maria’s life was officially out of danger, I thought it was more than appropriate for them to stop beating my Leo. He was a human being, a husband, and my brother. When Maria finally woke up, she would have to speak the truth, or at the very least

PAULINERicardo left me alone in the dark. I stood on that balcony watching his car disappear, feeling the weight of the walls closing in. I wasn't in a stone cell with iron bars like Leo, but make no mistake—I was in a prison. This house, with its silk sheets and golden chandeliers, was a cage built of silence and betrayal.But as the sun began to peek through the curtains the next morning, something inside me snapped. I refused to cry again. I was tired of being the broken girl, the quiet wife, the victim of everyone else's schemes. If today was the day they were going to tear my life apart, I was going to face them with my head held high.I went to the wardrobe and pulled out my best outfit—a short, red floral gown that hugged my curves and showed off my legs. I sat at the vanity and applied my makeup with a steady hand, finishing with a heavy, glaring red lipstick. I styled my hair in soft waves that bounced against my shoulders. When I looked in the mirror, I didn't see a girl who