All Chapters of Scarlett (Second Edition): Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Scarlett’s POVLucian’s eyes flicked over me, sceptical yet intrigued. “And how do you plan to reach the West? To survive out there, penniless, without protection?” His voice carried a biting edge as if daring me to falter.I met his gaze steadily. “I’ll walk as far as I can. Someone will show me kindness eventually.” I could see a flicker of disbelief in his eyes, a scornful smirk. “And I’ll make sure no one knows I’m a Vladislav.”He let out a mocking laugh. “You think you’ll survive on determination alone, trudging through the cold on foot?”“Determination is a strong force,” I replied evenly, and he stopped laughing, a glint of surprise dawning in his eyes.“You’re serious,” he murmured, finally grasping my resolve.Maxwell stepped in. “Of course, she’s serious, Lucian. You can feel it, can’t you?” Lucian sat heavily on the couch as if caught off guard, leaving me standing, the weight of my words settling in the air between us.“When Clay gets here…” Lucian paused, considering. “I

Maxwell’s POV“Maxwell, if you have grievances, take them out on me. Leave Stasia out of this,” Lucian said, positioning himself protectively in front of her.“When you get her out of here, I will,” I shot back, my voice cold. “There’s no place for her in this apartment. And if you insist on forcing her to live with us, then I’ll take my part of the North and leave. Enough of this ‘brotherhood’ nonsense, Lucian. You’re selfish and heartless, thinking only of yourself.”Lucian’s eyes narrowed in anger. “All this…for a tainted whore?”The rage surged inside me, and I stepped closer, refusing to let his words go unanswered. “Don’t you dare call Scarlett a tainted whore again. She’s better than your social-climbing mistress, who, by the way, wasn’t a virgin when you first brought her here.” Stasia’s face crumpled, tears streaming down as she realized the disdain we all felt for her now. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Scarlett rise quietly from her seat and make her way to the door, de

Maxwell’s POVScarlett stepped back from the door, her eyes darting to mine with a mixture of curiosity and unease. I offered her a gentle smile, hoping to ease her nerves. Clay and I entered, glancing around the small, modest room. It was simple, far from the opulence she must have known in the South, but she seemed to find peace here. Her expression was calm, as if grateful for the small space and its quietude. She didn’t need luxury; she needed a haven.“Scarlett,” I began softly, wanting to break the silence, “when’s your next birthday?” The question made her eyes shift away, as if she knew why I was asking. If anything between us was to bloom into something deeper, she’d have to be of age, and we’d have to wait until then. I felt an odd impatience twist inside me, wanting to skip ahead to a time when there’d be no such barriers.“Four months,” she replied, her voice low, and I nodded, feeling the weight of those four months like stones in my chest. But I’d wait. I had to wait. So

Scarlett’s POVLucian’s words struck like daggers, each one sharper than the last. “Clay and Maxwell might care for you, but I don’t, and I never will. I didn’t bring you here to dine with us—you’re beneath me. I don’t eat with people like you. I brought you here to set your boundaries.” His tone was icy, his gaze filled with disdain. Each word was designed to hurt, to remind me just how little he regarded the bond we shared.A shiver of anger and pain shot through me, but I held back my tears, swallowing them down. He was the one who disrespected the bond, not me. He was the one flaunting his lust for someone else. And now, with Clay and Maxwell gone, I was forced to endure every word, every bitter drop of his contempt, without an ounce of protection.“Stasia has moved in today,” he continued, gesturing to her with an approving glance that turned my stomach. “I don’t want you entering this place again. She’ll handle the chores here, and I’m sure Clay and Maxwell will agree. Make your

Lucian’s POVScarlett had set that trap deliberately, urging me to reject her in front of Stasia, knowing full well I couldn’t do it. She wanted to get under Stasia’s skin, wanted to create conflict. I couldn’t deny that the mate bond compelled her to feel jealousy; it was natural, expected even. But it felt like a low blow for her to act on it. She knew I felt nothing for her. She had to know that, and yet she chose to provoke me. After all, she was my fated mate, and the bond was impossible to ignore. It tugged at me in ways I despised and couldn’t control.It had taken every ounce of resolve to bring Stasia here, to share my space with her, to commit to something I could control. And I knew, without a doubt, that I’d pay for it when Clay and Maxwell returned. They’d be furious, livid that I’d let another woman take Scarlett’s place here. And, as if the weight of their anger wasn’t enough, my wolf, Tiger, was giving me no peace over it. Tiger wanted Scarlett, a desire so intense it