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Chapter 4
I wheeled myself back to the packhouse.
As I entered, I saw Scarlett perched in Maximilian’s lap, the two of them cooing over their pup.
Maximilian’s mother came out of the kitchen carrying a bowl of bone broth, gently feeding Scarlett spoon by spoon. They laughed like a perfect little family, their happiness loud and deliberate.
When her eyes landed on me, all warmth vanished. “Well, look who finally crawled back. Haven’t you done enough
damage?”
“My son gave you everything-shelter, comfort, loyalty-and what did he get in return? Misery. Miscarriages. A house full
of grief.”
She sneered, voice like a whip. “You should’ve stayed in that ditch you fell into. Would’ve saved us all the trouble.”
She stepped in close, her words slicing through the air like a whip.
“You knew you were pregnant, and you still went stumbling around like some reckless fool. How many lives have you put
at risk with your carelessness? Honestly, the only tragedy is that fall didn’t snap your neck.”
Her voice climbed, shrill and venomous. “Scarlett is the only daughter-in-law worthy of this pack. You? You’re nothing but a bad memory we haven’t scrubbed out yet. So do us all a favor and leave-before your filth spreads any further.”
Scarlett let out a light laugh, leaning her head against Maximilian’s shoulder. “Godmother, don’t say that. What if Juliette gets jealous and starts spreading rumors that I seduced Maximilian?”
Maximilian’s mother huffed. “Let her try.”
I’d always known her despised me. I was too independent, too difficult to manipulate. She feared I would outshine her
precious son.
Scarlett, on the other hand, was the perfect puppet. A soft-spoken Omega with Alpha blood, always catering to their egos,
playing fragile when it suited her. She had once married into another pack, while I gave up everything-my rank, my
ambitions-for this home.
That was the only reason she ever tolerated me.
But over the years, my repeated miscarriages-seven in total-turned her silent disapproval into open hatred. And now,
with Scarlett back and having given birth to Maximilian’s only heir, she finally let it all out.
What she didn’t know was that those pups she mourned were killed by the very son she adored, destroyed by the same
woman she now praised to the skies.
In the past, Maximilian would’ve stepped in. Now, holding Scarlett’s pup, he sat in silence, as if he couldn’t even hear the
venom being spat at me.
Scarlett pouted and nestled deeper into his arms. “Maximilian, if you keep doting on Buddy like this, I might start to feel left out.”
He chuckled and pinched her cheek. “Now, now. You know you’re my world. Look over there-what do you see?”
I followed her gaze to the coffee table, where a document lay in plain view: Equity Transfer Agreement, bold and unmistakable.
Scarlett squealed with delight. “You’re too good to me!” She kissed him on the cheek, eyes flicking toward me with smug
satisfaction.
I gave her a slow, cold smile.
Enjoy it while you can.
Because soon enough, both of you will come crawling back-begging.
