Chapter 65

• Violet's POV
• "You can come back to the pack. You still have your place there," Adrian mutters. I stop sobbing immediately, fixing him with a long, hard stare. "He has the nerve!" Aria hisses in my mind. Realizing he'd probably blurted out something stupid, he bites his lip and looks away, but I continue to look. To think I could trust him… Of course, Red Moon Park was my safe haven, a place where I could live peacefully without watching my back every minute. But then again, it wasn't that easy. Bending my head down, I let out a bitter laugh that comes out low and croaky. Nothing is ever as easy as it seems. "And what about Emily? What happens to her?" I question, my gaze dropping as he chews on his lower lip. "Aren't the two of you still married?" My voice is louder this time. My eyes drift to Reynold, who gives me a sorry look. I don't ask these questions because I want answers—hell, I know the answers. I only want him to see how impossible his request is. "And when I'm back, what would I be to you?" I pause, straightening my posture. "Oh, I think I know—your ex-wife who’s been competing for your attention for almost a decade with your current wife." Releasing a dry laugh, I fling my hands open, a “you see what I mean?” expression on my face. Like the hell, what did he take me for? A loser? Someone he can just dump and get back with anytime? "I want to believe your offer wasn’t meant as an insult, but let me tell you something I’ve realized. I’ve come a long way to go back. Apart from a legacy I’m still building, I also have my pride, and it’s plenty. I’d rather die than be an object of ridicule in that park—or anywhere, for that matter." I state firmly, poking my index finger at his chest as I make my stand clear. "You can’t keep staying here," Adrian’s voice is firm and unwavering, and I roll my eyes. In case he’s forgotten, I’m no longer Mrs. Wolfe. "Roll your eyes all you want, but something about this place doesn’t feel right. My instincts are never wrong," he insists, his eyes scanning the building. "Nice try, but it's safe enough for me. It's better than staying in the same environment with your crazy wife," I say airily, very aware of the jab I’ve just made. I’m not joking when I say the only way I’m going back to the park is if I’m dead. That place is a constant reminder of my heartbreaks and betrayal. No way am I stepping foot there. And it's not just about the park. I know I’d have to take Harry with me—that's my main reason. I’m not prepared to tell my son or his father that they exist to each other. Being an Alpha, I know Adrian, once he knows about Harry, would want him to live with him, to train him to take over the pack... "He needs a father figure in his life," Aria’s voice is calm and soothing, but I shrug it off. "He has Xavier," I say weakly, knowing full well Xavier is nothing close to being Harry’s father figure—or anyone’s, for that matter. "Nonsense," Aria sighs. "The only time Harry sees Xavier is when Xavier wants to meet you in person at home, and probably now that he’s acting as a messenger for you," she reminds me. This is why I hate thinking about Harry’s relationship with his dad. It’s always a constant struggle between doing what’s logically right for everyone and doing what suits me. "Don’t you want him to know his father? Harry is growing up, Violet. If you don’t tell him, he’ll find out someday, and he might hate you for gatekeeping such important information from him," Aria goes on. Everything she says, I’ve already told myself. I’ve weighed the pros and cons of my decision and somehow pushed the right time to somewhere in the future. "I’m not being entirely selfish. What about Emily? She and Adrian are still married and living under one roof. If she’s tried to assault me, think about what she’d do to my child!" I whimper. Emily hates everything that belongs to me, and what she can't claim, she destroys. "You know what? Since you have nothing reasonable to tell me, I want you off this property. Go away and don’t ever come back!" I surprise myself as my voice rises an octave higher than I intended, my eyes practically popping out of their sockets as they stare loathingly at him. "If you think I’m some broken vessel that needs fixing, it’s too late. Go fix your deranged wife!" I spit. If I’ve said anything to annoy him, it doesn’t show—his expression is neutral and distant, as though he’s contemplating something. The way his lashes flutter and his eyes dart around make it clear. Letting out an exasperated sigh, his long fingers sweep through his hair in a backward motion, and he kicks the floor. Shaking his head, he glances at me for a while before looking away again. "I think I have a clue about who’s behind your threats, but you’ll have to help me first. The pack needs you," Adrian pauses, his eyes staring intently at me as he gauges my reaction. I remain quiet, observing his intentions unfold. "I don’t think you know, but the birthmark you have—it's significant in one of our prophecies. Since you left, there’ve been killings in the park with strange marks on the corpses. The pack is getting smaller, and you’re the only one who can help. Please, innocent people are dying," Adrian rambles. I paused reflecting on his words, was he for real? The reason he had find me, or perhaps been looking out for me was for the pack sake? Another of his selfish gain? Does he even loves me a bit or I was just a toy of his another using game. Innocent people dying, indeed. I was very wrong to have assumed he’d changed—he's still the same. The only reason he really wants me back is because of the pack, not my safety. Once a pawn… always a pawn... I've made so many sacrifices for Adrian. And yet, he still wants me as a pa
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