"It wasn’t me who was impregnated by an unknown man and still walked the pack without shame. " My eyes lifted, steady.
"Shouldn’t father first ask his ‘good daughter’ which man she chose to share her bed with? "
CLANG!
A hand slammed hard against the table.
"You shameless woman, do you think Victoria is like you! "my elder brother exploded, his voice ripping through the room as he stood up furiously. "Wasn’t killing mom enough that now you even want to sow discord between our family? ! "
My fingers went numb against the edge of the table. "I-I never-"
"Oh really? " My twin brother Damien stood, his gaze sliding downwards slowly until it landed on my stomach with disgust.
"Let it be brother." He smirked "Maybe God saw what kind of woman she was and kept her barren for years, even when she conceived…. it was all but a dead child.”
Something broke then.
Not loudly.
Not dramatically.
Just the quiet understanding that I had loved people who never once tried to love me back.
For years, I had stood between my twin and father’s temper, taken the blows meant for him, swallowed my own pain so he could remain unscarred.
But from beginning to end, none of them ever looked back.
"Brother Damien" Victoria sobbed softly then, clutching at his sleeve. "Please…don’t say such things. Sister didn’t mean it. "
Zyan looked at me sharply and did not bother to defend me as if saying I deserved it.
It was then father cut in sharply, his impatience freezing the room.
"Enough. Victoria especially cooked the meal herself despite being pregnant. Must you always ruin the atmosphere, Lianna?!
Go on and serve the food, that’s all you are good for! "
I stood unable to breathe.
"I am leaving. "
Zyan’s hand closed around my arm, rough and unyielding.
"You will not" he said quietly. "Didn’t you already ruin everything…I am already at my limit Lianna. "
"No-"
"Do it" he said quietly, his grip tightening.
"Or I will announce to the entire pack that your mother died because of your weakness.
That the rogues came for you and she stepped in to die because you couldn’t even shift."
My world tilted violently as he twisted the deepest of my wounds and tore it open.
I turned toward the kitchen because there was nowhere else to go.
Each step felt heavy as I carried the food back, settling with a heavy silence, each mouthful felt like I was chewing on cold wax.
Then warmth touched my lip.