Eight Years Of A Fake Mate Bond Chapter 04

Eight Years Of A Fake Mate Bond Chapter 04

“Riona, you knew this whole time. You just pretended you didn’t, to get back at Maeve and me, didn’t you?!”

Alaric was heaving, dark red swirling in his eyes, seconds from losing control.

“It was you. You killed our pup.”

I pressed my lips together, meeting his accusations head-on.

“I didn’t send the photos.”

“Riona… how could you become like this?”

Maeve was sobbing, clinging tight to my hand.

When we were kids, she’d protected me a hundred times just like this. But this time, her hand was cold, foreign.

“I know Alaric and I hurt you. But I couldn’t help how I felt.”

“I shouldn’t have kept this from you, shouldn’t have taken his mark behind your back. That’s all on me. I own it.”

With every word, her tears fell harder.

The next second, she dropped hard to her knees in front of me.

“Riona, I’m begging you. I’m sorry. Please?”

Alaric bent to yank her up, but she wouldn’t budge.

“Maeve, you just lost the pup. Get up…”

His eyes were red with desperation as he looked up at me.

“Riona, make her get up. She’s your best friend, isn’t she?”

“It’s my fault. I didn’t figure out my own feelings. I was with you, and then I realized I loved Maeve. Take all your anger out on me!”

He grabbed my wrist hard, trying to force my hand to slap himself. I fought against him, but I couldn’t break free.

My parents spoke up from the side, trying to reason.

“Riona, let it go. Maeve and Alaric have tried their best to make it up to you. All these years, they’ve never denied you anything you wanted.”

“Yeah, be reasonable. They threw you eight ceremonies to make up for it. That’s more than enough.”

Their words drilled into my ears, pressing heavy on my chest.

I didn’t answer. I just pried Alaric’s fingers off my wrist, one by one.

Maeve only clung harder, wrapping her arms around my legs, shaking all over.

“Riona, I don’t blame you for the pup. Let it be my and Alaric’s punishment!”

“We promised to be best friends forever. I’m begging you, don’t be mad at me…”

I took a deep breath, forcing back the tears that had been building for days.

“Let go.”

My wolf had reached its limit, a low growl thrumming deep in my chest. My tone carried the unyielding, dominant authority of our pack.

“Riona, what the hell are you growling at Maeve for?!”

Alaric roared, grabbing my wrist so hard it felt like he’d shatter my bones.

“I said, take it out on me!”

He hauled Maeve up off the ground, still yelling.

“She’s been living in fear of you finding out for eight years! She’s suffered enough!”

“Even if we messed up, you owe that pup an apology. You owe Maeve an apology!”

His face was bright red from yelling. Maeve was curled up in his arms, sobbing so hard she could barely breathe.

I stared at him, disbelieving.

“I didn’t do anything wrong. Why would I apologize?”

“Alaric, I already told you. I didn’t send the photos.”

He didn’t answer.

But the sharp, distrustful glint in his eyes spoke volumes.

I couldn’t help but laugh.

I was about to speak when Maeve spotted the company’s acceptance page on my laptop screen.

“Riona… you’re leaving Silverpine City? Is it because of me?”

She lunged toward me, again making like she was going to kneel.

“Riona, I’m sorry… I messed up…”

When I didn’t react, she jumped up, rushing for the laptop, trying to click reject for me.

I stepped forward instinctively to stop her.

Alaric hurried after her, shoving me out of the way.

My body slammed hard into the corner of the desk. A sharp, searing pain shot through my abdomen.

Maeve was trapped in Alaric’s hold. She struggled wildly, snatched a fruit knife from the desk, and pressed the blade to her throat.

“Riona, this is what I owe you. If you leave because of me, I’ll kill myself right in front of you!”

Alaric’s face went white. He lunged for the knife.

His wolf fully lost control. When he looked at me, there was nothing but hatred in his eyes.

“Riona! You didn’t just make us lose our pup—now you’re trying to drive Maeve to kill herself?!”

I pulled a bitter, thin smile. Before I could react, someone slammed into me hard in the chaos.

A dull thud. The cold, sharp blade sank deep into my abdomen.

Alaric’s face drained of all color in an instant.