The sound was so brutal that Victoria’s face twisted to a side, blood trailing down her lips.
For the first time, the woman who always looked untouchable looked small.
Her face went blank with shock before twisting with humiliation, rage and disbelief.
I stared at my own hand, breath ragged, that furious strength wasn’t me.
For the first time in my life, I felt it.
My wolf.
A slow presence simmering in my heart.
Not roaring, not awakened completely but still there breathing inside me.
"Lianna, you lowly whore, how dare you hit me?! "
"The whore was never me. "
I leaned closer, fury settling into my bones like winter frost.
"And If what you said is true then get ready to be replaced by another woman. …younger and more beautiful because men never keep mistresses forever. It's like a matching shoe, once old and used…it will be discarded for another. "
The last thread of sanity snapped inside her eyes and she stared at me like she wanted to rip my soul out of my chest.
"Fine" she whispered" Then tonight…you will see who is the real wife! "
Before I could move, her nails dug into my skin as she dragged both of us into the freezing river with a violent splash.
My scream drowned inside my throat as my hands frantically slaped the water to stay afloat.
It was then I heard a small laughter. "Remember, how I drowned your pet dog as your birthday gift and framed you sister? Lets play that game again. "
I gasped at the ruthless memory when Victoria's hand pressed down on my head, forcing me under ruthlessly.
"Sister, you can't swim because of that trauma right? Tonight I will make you relive that hell."
Her monstrous satisfaction quickly shifted to a gently cry.
"Lianna…please don’t be angry…I just wanted to see the festival…Sister, don’t hurt me…. No! I didn’t mean anything! "
My body convulsed, drowning, the world going dark at the edges. Through the muffled chaos, a loud roar shattered the night.
"VICTORIA! "
A splash followed immediately as Zyan jumped in the river, pulling Victoria in his arms immediately.
"Victoria! Are you hurt? Don’t be scared! I am here! "
It was then with the last of my strength, my arm shot out of the surface, water filling my lungs, mouth and ears as my daughter twirled in my stomach like she was crying frantically.
And only then Zyan looked at me.
One glance.
One cold, raged glare.