Chapter 4 Vengeance

(Diane)

My heart twists painfully at the words. My mother—my strong, unshakable mother—had never looked so broken, so utterly lost. Her grief has consumed her, leaving no room for reason or recognition.  

I take a cautious step closer, keeping my hands visible and my movements slow. “Mom, please,” I pleaded. 

“Her snarl turns into a growl, her whole body trembling as though she’s on the verge of shifting. She looks at me like I’m an enemy, and Nina growls softly in the back of my mind, urging caution.  

I stop moving, swallowing hard as I look down at my father’s lifeless form. My chest tightens painfully, and a lump forms in my throat. 

This can’t be happening.

Tears blur my vision as I try to think, try to figure out how to reach her, how to bring her back from this. But her eyes… they’re filled with too much pain, too much loss. 

And I know—this moment has broken something in her that can never be fixed.

I swallow my sobs, forcing the lump in my throat down as I turn away from my mother. She’s lost in her grief, clutching my father as if holding him tighter could bring him back. My chest aches with the weight of helplessness, but I have to keep moving. 

I have to do something.  

My father’s Beta, Gregor, steps forward, his face pale and etched with sorrow. He looks at me for a long moment, as if trying to gauge whether I’m ready to hear what he has to say. I brace myself, even though I already know nothing he says will make this better.  

Finally, he hands me a sealed document, its edges stained with faint smudges of blood. My fingers tremble as I take it from him.  

“He named Victor as the next Alpha of this pack,” Gregor says quietly, his voice heavy with regret.  

The words hit me like a physical blow, knocking the air from my lungs. 

Victor? 

My chest tightens as anger and disbelief swirl within me. For a brief moment, the old me—the one who once admired Victor and dreamed of his approval—would’ve been thrilled by this news. 

But now…  

The memory of the hotel room flashes in my mind like a cruel taunt: Victor lounging smugly on the bed with Savannah, his mocking gesture, her shrill laugh. The bile rises in my throat as I recall the way they both looked at me, like I was nothing.  

Victor is behind this.

The thought takes root, twisting and spreading like poison. 

My father would never just leave me and my mother—not like this. My father had always been careful, cautious. This… this doesn’t feel right.  

I glance back at my mother, who still hasn’t moved, her body trembling as she cradles my father’s lifeless form. Her mental state is already fragile, hanging by a thread. If she finds out about this—about the man responsible for her husband's death being named Alpha—it could tip her over the edge entirely.  

I clutch the document tightly, my nails biting into the parchment as I fight to steady my breathing. I can’t let my emotions consume me—not now.

“Why?” I ask Gregor, my voice hoarse but firm. “Why would he choose Victor? He never said anything about this to me before…”  

Gregor hesitates, his gaze darting toward my mother before returning to me. “I don’t know,” he admits. “But your father was adamant about it. He said it was for the good of the pack.”  

I narrow my eyes, suspicion prickling at the back of my mind. 

For the good of the pack?

“Was there any indication… anything unusual about my father’s behavior before this?” I press, my tone sharper now.  

Gregor shakes his head slowly. “He seemed stressed lately, but… nothing out of the ordinary. At least, nothing he shared with me.”  

I bite my lip, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. If my father suspected something—if he was in danger—why didn’t he tell me? Why didn’t he tell anyone?  

I carefully sank down onto the bloody floor next to my parents, my knees trembling as I tried to hold myself together. The coppery tang of blood filled my senses, and I could barely hear my own ragged breathing over the storm of emotions raging inside me. 

Then, I felt it—a familiar, nauseating scent creeping into the room like a shadow. Musk, smoke, and something sickly sweet. Victor.  

My back stiffened instinctively, and Nina bristled, snarling in the depths of my mind. I didn’t turn to face him. I couldn’t. 

Instead, I kept my eyes on the floor, on my father’s still, lifeless form. My voice came out hoarse, trembling.  

“Why… why did you do this?”  

The words were barely more than a whisper, but they carried all the raw pain and betrayal coursing through me.  

Victor didn’t answer right away. His footsteps approached, slow and deliberate, until he stood just behind me. “The Werewolf Council is coming soon,” he said, his voice as calm and detached as if he were commenting on the weather. “Let’s talk in my office.”  

My office.

The audacity of those words struck me like a slap, and my jaw clenched so hard my teeth ached.  

I stayed rooted in place for a moment, the urge to turn around and tear him apart nearly overwhelming me. Nina was practically howling now, begging me to let her loose, to take back control. 

But I couldn’t—not here. Not now.  

Forcing myself to stand, I pressed a trembling hand to my side, where the document Gregor had given me was tucked away. It felt like a weight dragging me down, anchoring me in this surreal nightmare. 

I turned slowly, keeping my gaze low so I wouldn’t see the smug look I knew was on Victor's face.  

I followed him down the hall to what had always been my father’s office—his sanctuary. 

Now, the very sight of Victor stepping inside it made my stomach churn.  

He walked around the massive oak desk, settling into the high-backed leather chair like he belonged there. I stood just inside the doorway, my fists clenched at my sides as I fought to keep my composure.  

“He gave me his pack,” Victor said, leaning back and steepling his fingers like the smug bastard he was. “And his life.”  

The words hung in the air like a death knell, and I couldn’t stop the sharp intake of breath that followed.  

“But don’t think that means you’re safe.” His dark eyes met mine, gleaming with cruel satisfaction. “He gave me those things so I would leave you alone.”  

My nails dug into my palms, Nina growling furiously within me.  

“But,” Victor continued, a smirk playing on his lips, “I am not one who honors my promises.”