Chapter 135

The morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a golden glow across the room. Lillian stretched lazily, her muscles still sore from last night’s training session. The scent of freshly brewed coffee drifted up from the kitchen, making her stomach growl.

She padded downstairs, her bare feet sinking into the plush carpet. The mansion was unusually quiet, save for the distant clinking of silverware.

"Good morning, Miss Lillian," Giselle greeted with a warm smile as she set a steaming cup of coffee on the table.

"Morning," Lillian murmured, wrapping her fingers around the warm mug. "Where is everyone?"

"Master Sebastian left early for a meeting with Alpha Harrison," Giselle replied. "And young Master Oliver is still asleep."

Lillian nodded, taking a sip of the rich, dark brew. The bitterness was sharp on her tongue, but it chased away the last remnants of sleep.

Her phone buzzed on the counter. A message from Beatrice lit up the screen.

"Emergency girl talk. Meet me at the café in 20?"

Lillian frowned. Beatrice rarely sounded this urgent. She quickly typed back, "On my way."

The campus café was bustling with students, but Beatrice had secured their usual corner table. Her usually bright expression was clouded with worry.

"What’s wrong?" Lillian slid into the seat across from her.

Beatrice leaned in, lowering her voice. "I overheard Cassandra talking to Professor Sinclair. They’re planning something—something about you."

Lillian’s grip tightened around her cup. "What kind of something?"

"I don’t know the details," Beatrice admitted. "But it sounded serious. They mentioned Donovan’s name."

A chill ran down Lillian’s spine. Donovan had been quiet since their last confrontation, but she knew better than to think he’d given up.

Before she could respond, her phone buzzed again. This time, it was a message from an unknown number.

"You should have stayed away."

Lillian’s breath hitched. The words were simple, but the threat behind them was unmistakable.

Beatrice noticed her reaction. "What is it?"

Lillian turned the screen toward her. Beatrice’s eyes widened.

"We need to tell Sebastian," she said immediately.

Lillian hesitated. Sebastian was already dealing with pack politics and Alpha Harrison’s scheming. She didn’t want to add to his burdens.

But the look in Beatrice’s eyes told her this wasn’t something she could handle alone.

"Fine," Lillian relented. "But let’s wait until tonight. He has enough on his plate right now."

Beatrice nodded, though her frown didn’t ease. "Just promise me you’ll be careful."

Lillian forced a smile. "Always."

But as she glanced back at the ominous message, she couldn’t shake the feeling that danger was closer than she thought.

That evening, Lillian waited in Sebastian’s study, pacing the length of the room. The fire crackled in the hearth, casting flickering shadows across the walls.

The door creaked open, and Sebastian stepped inside, his expression weary but alert. "Lillian? What’s wrong?"

She handed him her phone without a word. His jaw tightened as he read the message.

"This isn’t just a threat," he said quietly. "It’s a warning."

Lillian swallowed hard. "What do we do?"

Sebastian’s eyes darkened with resolve. "We find out who sent this—and we end this before it escalates."

But as the firelight danced across his face, Lillian couldn’t help but wonder—was it already too late?

Lillian clenched her fists as Eleanor and Arabella continued their cruel laughter, their voices dripping with venom. It was as though she had become invisible to them, nothing more than a ghost of her former self in their eyes.

"What is that dreadful stench?" A familiar, icy voice cut through the air, sending a chill down Lillian's spine. She turned slowly to face Margaret Winslow—Donovan's grandmother—her piercing gaze filled with disdain.

"Oh... it's you," Margaret sneered, her lips curling in disgust. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be hiding somewhere, licking your wounds? My grandson finally realized his mistake and chose someone worthy. Don’t tell me you’re foolish enough to think he’d ever take you back?"

Lillian forced a polite smile, despite the sting of her words. No matter how cruel Margaret was, she had been raised to respect her elders. "I'm not here for him, Mrs. Winslow."

"Don’t you dare call me that," Margaret hissed, her eyes flashing with fury. "I was never your grandmother, and I never will be. Even when Donovan was foolish enough to marry you, I knew you were beneath him. Your entire family is nothing but trouble. It’s no surprise your father ended up where he belongs."

Lillian’s breath hitched. Margaret had always been civil—even friendly—with her parents. So why the sudden hatred?

Eleanor smirked, crossing her arms. "Honestly, it was only a matter of time before your father got locked up. He was always a snake. I never understood how he climbed so high—now we know he didn’t deserve any of it."

A fire ignited in Lillian’s chest. They could insult her all they wanted, but her family was off-limits.

Arabella giggled, twirling a strand of her hair. "He’s barely even her father, remember? She’s just some adopted stray—unwanted by her real parents, abandoned by everyone. Even Donovan saw how pathetic she was."

Their laughter rang in Lillian’s ears like shattering glass. She hated how much their words affected her. She was training to be a Gamma, for Moon’s sake! But the truth in their taunts cut deep.

She had been abandoned—by her birth parents, by Donovan, by friends who’d once claimed to care. The only constant had been her mother, Evelyn, who had been her rock through everything.

Lillian’s gaze flickered to where Evelyn stood, chatting with a few packmates. She had been lost in grief after her husband’s imprisonment, but lately, she seemed to be finding her strength again.

Then Lillian’s eyes landed on Donovan and Victoria. He was introducing her to his inner circle—the same people who had once welcomed Lillian with open arms. Now, they acted as if she didn’t exist.

The only one who had stayed by her side was Beatrice, who had warned her from the beginning that Donovan wasn’t worth her tears.

I should have listened.

The thought burned in her mind as she turned away, refusing to let them see her pain.

But she would rise from this.

And when she did, they’d regret ever underestimating her.

"He's my fated mate, Beatrice!" I had snapped at her during one of our heated arguments. "I love him. The Moon Goddess herself destined us to be together."

"But something feels off about him, Lillian. Please, just trust me on this. There's something... wrong," she had pleaded. I had brushed her off, stubbornly refusing to listen.

I didn’t realize it then, but that was the exact moment Donovan was secretly courting Victoria behind my back. The memory twisted like a knife in my chest, and I let my shoulders slump just slightly, my fingers curling into fists at my sides.

"Look at her... she knows she’s worthless, and now she’s zoning out," Arabella sneered, her voice dripping with venom. "What, are you going to start crying now?"

I lifted my chin, meeting her cold gaze head-on.

"Shedding tears over someone as heartless and pathetic as your brother would be beneath me," I spat, my voice sharp as steel. "I have too much self-respect to let him ruin my mood. Honestly, I’m glad he’s with someone like Victoria—maybe she can finally fix him. As for you? I doubt anyone could ever fix your rotten soul. Your cruelty disgusts me, and it’s almost laughable that I ever wasted time trying to earn your approval. Thank the Goddess I’m not shackled to your wretched family."

A collective gasp rippled through the room.

"You vile little—!" Eleanor hissed, her face contorted with rage.

Then, the icy splash of red wine hit my face, dripping down my cheeks and staining my blouse. I gasped as the bitter tang of alcohol touched my lips, and when I turned, Arabella stood there, her empty wine glass still raised, her lips curled in a vicious smirk.

Sophia cackled, and Eleanor folded her arms, satisfaction gleaming in her eyes.

"Don’t you ever dare speak to me like that again!" Arabella snarled.

"What exactly is going on here?"

That deep, commanding voice sent a jolt through my entire body, my skin prickling with heat as humiliation burned through me. My wolf stirred instantly, recognizing that voice—because we both knew exactly who it belonged to.