At the center of the hall stood Alpha Xavier, commanding attention as always. His arm rested comfortably around Victoria’s waist. She wore a crimson dress that hugged her figure, her smile bright and triumphant. She looked like she owned everything around her.
And perhaps she did—at least, she owned what used to be mine.
I moved toward the refreshment table, pretending not to notice the lingering gazes. My fingers wrapped around a wine glass, and I poured myself a drink just to keep my hands from shaking. The liquid sloshed slightly as I lifted it.
“Brielle,” a gentle, honey-sweet voice called behind me.
I turned slowly.
Victoria Blackwell approached, her smile polished but hollow. The scent of jasmine clung to her, thick and overwhelming, making my stomach twist.
“Happy birthday,” she said brightly. Then she tilted her head, her lips curling faintly. “Or maybe I should say… happy Liam’s day instead?” She let out a soft laugh that scraped against my nerves.
I said nothing. I simply watched her, waiting for whatever cruelty she had prepared.
She leaned closer, her breath brushing against my ear. “I heard you can’t have children anymore,” she murmured softly, her voice coated with false concern.
My heart stumbled.
“Didn’t Xavier tell you?” she continued, her tone dropping into something colder. “He admitted it to me himself. He poisoned you. He didn’t want you carrying his pup, Brielle. He even said he’d rather never have children at all than have one with you.”
For a moment, everything around me faded.
I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe. Her words echoed in my mind, shattering something deep inside me. Months earlier, when the pack doctor delivered the devastating news that I couldn’t conceive, I had broken down completely. Xavier had held me that night, whispering comforting words, telling me he didn’t care about children—that I alone was enough.
So it had been him.
He had taken that dream from me himself.
Victoria leaned back slightly, her smile sharpening. “He doesn’t love you, Brielle. What he loves is your family’s wealth. You’re nothing more than a convenient source of money… a walking bank account.”
Something inside me finally snapped.
Before I could stop myself, my hand moved.
Slap!
The sharp sound rang through the hall. Victoria stumbled backward, her hand flying to her cheek, shock flashing across her face. Conversations halted as everyone turned toward us.