Claimed By My Cheating Mate’s Rival Alpha Chapter 04

Claimed By My Cheating Mate’s Rival Alpha Chapter 04

SCARLETT

It all made sense to me now. That was all they cared about.

“The Blackwood territory,” Gerald spoke for the first time. “was merged under a formal Pack agreement. You signed those documents yourself, Scarlett.”

“I was seventeen and grieving when I signed those documents. Your son told me it was the safest option for what was left of the Blackwood Pack.” I held his gaze. “The mining company alone doubled the Crowford Pack’s annual revenue. The territory expanded your borders by forty percent. Your family didn’t take me in out of kindness. You took me in because I came with an empire.”

I paused. “And now, I want my empire back.”

Vivienne stood. The movement was sharp and I didn’t see the slap coming before it landed on my cheek.

“You ungrateful child,” she hissed, as my cheel stung. “Everything you have—your position, your home, the food you eat—came from this family. Your father’s Pack was collapsing when Mason brought you in. We saved you. We gave you a name when yours was worth nothing.”

“You gave me nothing! You took my name and wore it like a trophy.”

Vivienne picked up her glass from the side table. For a moment, I thought she was going to drink from it. Then she hurled it at the wall beside my head.

It shattered two inches from my face. Shards exploded outward—a piece sliced my cheek. Before I could blink, she took a shard and sliced my palm open.

Blood welled up instantly, hot against my skin.

I stood there stunned, but I didn’t cry out in pain. I looked down at the blood pooling in my hand, then back at a crazed Vivienne.

Her chest was heaving, her eyes wild with a fury I’d never seen before.

“You have no one, Scarlett.” Her voice shook with barely contained rage. “Your father is dead. Your brothers are dead, and your mother abandoned you for another man. You have no Pack, no family, no allies, and no money. You have the right to even ask for a divorce because of us. We’re cutting all ties with you. You’re worthless to us.”

Her eyes narrowed into slits as she let out a manic laughter. “You’re wasting your time if you think you can actually win this.”

My heart felt like it had been shattered into a million pieces. I’d given these people all I had left of my family, and this was how they repay me?

They were right. I’d signed all my family’s legacy, and it would be impossible to get it back.

As I walked through the hallway, past the family portraits, I walked past the photo of Mason and me at our mating ceremony that hung beside the front door. I didn’t look at it.

I made it to my car before I broke into sobs. My body shook violently, like I was having a seizure. I pressed my bleeding hand against my chest and bent forward over the steering wheel until the world stopped tilting.

Vivienne was right about one thing. I had no family, and I had nothing to my name. They smiled at me and offered condolences to keep me exactly where I was, because my misery was profitable.

But she was wrong about something else. I wasn’t worthless.

I pulled out my phone with my good hand and scrolled until I found the number my mother had given me. Silas Hale. My father’s Beta. He’d managed the Blackwood mining company alongside with my father before he passed.

He still ran it, technically, under Crowford oversight. But his loyalty had always been to my father first.

He picked up on the second ring. “Hello?”

“Silas. It’s Scarlett. Scarlett Blackwood.”

Silence.

“Little one, I’ve been waiting for this call,” his voice was soft and thick with emotions.

My throat tightened. Hearing him call me that reminded me so much of father, and so many memories came flooding back.

“I need your help,” I said. “I’m leaving Mason. I’m selling my shares in the mining company and starting over, and I need someone I can trust. Can I trust you, Silas?”

There was a long pause, then he spoke.

“Your father saved my life twice and gave me a purpose when I had none. You can trust me with anything, little one. Anything at all.”

I closed my eyes, and let out a breath I didn’t know was lodged in my chest.

“Then help me. I want nothing left connecting me to the Crowford Pack.”

***

MASON

I stretched out on the lounge chair and let the sun in Maldives warm the tension off me.

The resort was immaculate. I’d booked it three months ago for Scarlett, but I had a change in plans.

Celeste emerged from the water and I watched the way her body swayed as she walked towards me. She dropped onto the chair beside mine, wringing salt water from her dark hair.

“I feel so guilty, Mason.” She bit her lower lip, those pretty, wide brown eyes staring at me from under wet lashes. “This was supposed to be you and Scarlett’s trip. She won’t be angry, will she?”

“Of course not.” I took a sip of my drink. “You’re her friend. She’d want you to enjoy it. Besides, we’re only here temporarily and for work.”

She tucked her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them, looking out at the ocean with an expression so earnest it made me feel protective.

“Scarlett is just the best! I don’t know what I’d do without her. Without both of you.” She turned to me and smiled. “You’re so tense. Do you want me to give you a massage?”

Her fingers were already on my shoulder before I answered. Her fingers were soft and her perfume drifted over me—jasmine and vanilla —nothing like Scarlett’s honeysuckle scent.

I closed my eyes, and my mind was taken back to last night, in our bedroom. I remembered Scarlett’s face, her sexy body curves, and the way her back arched perfectly into mind.

I opened my eyes expecting to see Scarlett.

Instead, Celeste’s pretty face was inches from mine, her fingers still kneading my shoulders, and my hand was resting on her thigh.

“You left her alone on her birthday,” my wolf growled, condemning me.

“You left her, and now you’re here with another woman.”

I shoved him down. Scarlett was fine.

“I can’t imagine having a wife who won’t always let you touch me,” Celeste said, as her hand slid lower to my groin. I felt myself already getting hard despite having thoughts of Scarlett. “She should’ve been more understanding of your needs as your wife and Luna. She’s always been too reserved.”

Celeste was right. There was nothing wrong with what I was doing.

Scarlett loved me and cared more about my wellbeing than she cared for hers. She wouldn’t be angry with me.

And even if she were, I could always go back and make it up to her.

My phone buzzed on the sand and I looked at the screen to see it was a message from my mother.

Your wife came to the house today. She’s demanding a divorce and wants the Blackwood territory returned to her.

I read it twice, then a third time, and the shock hit different each time.