Chapter 199

The door clicked shut behind them, sealing them in tense silence. Donovan exhaled sharply, but Victoria felt no relief. She crossed her arms protectively over her chest, her piercing glare burning into him from across the room.

"How could you lie to me, Donovan?" Her voice trembled with barely restrained fury after a weighted pause.

He turned to face her, remorse darkening his expression. "I shouldn't have," he admitted, his voice rough with regret. "I'm so sorry. Please, forgive me..."

"Forgive you?" Victoria let out a bitter laugh, swiping at the traitorous tears on her cheeks. "Just like that? After everything?" Her breath hitched. "Tell me the truth—are you still sleeping with her?"

"No," Donovan answered instantly, but the firmness of his reply did little to soothe the ache in her chest.

Her nails dug into her palms. "Do you want to?"

This time, hesitation flickered across his face—just a fraction of a second, but it was enough to fracture what remained of her trust.

His jaw tightened. "It's... complicated." He raked a hand through his hair. "My wolf still craves her because she's our fated mate. Until we complete our bond and I mark you, that pull won't vanish completely." His gaze locked onto hers, desperate. "But I swear, Victoria, I would never act on it. You're the one I choose. The one I love. Lillian and I... that's over."

Her throat burned. "Why?"

"Because she betrayed me." The words tore from him like a confession. "She slept with someone else. And now—" His voice turned venomous. "She's been manipulating your father this whole time just to get to me. She admitted it."

Victoria recoiled as if struck. The revelation hung between them, sharp as shattered glass.

The morning sun filtered through the sheer curtains of Lillian's bedroom, casting golden patterns across the silk sheets. She stretched languidly, her werewolf senses immediately picking up the faint scent of bergamot and sandalwood that always lingered in Sebastian Blackwood's wing of the mansion.

Downstairs, the mansion buzzed with unusual activity. Lillian could hear the clinking of fine china as the staff prepared for the day's important meeting. Giselle Beaumont, the head maid, directed a team of servants with quiet efficiency while Lucien Dubois, the flirtatious head chef, argued passionately about the lunch menu.

"Miss Lillian!" Beatrice Whitaker's voice carried up the grand staircase as she bounded into view, her cheeks flushed with excitement. "You won't believe what's happening today!"

Lillian arched an eyebrow as she descended the stairs, her bare feet silent on the marble steps. "Should I be worried about that gleam in your eye, Bea?"

Beatrice grabbed her arm, practically vibrating with energy. "Alpha Maximilian Voss is arriving within the hour! The entire Darkmoon delegation is coming to finalize the territorial agreements."

A cold shiver ran down Lillian's spine. The last encounter with Alpha Voss had ended with broken furniture and bruised egos. She could still remember the way his golden eyes had assessed her like a piece of meat at their last meeting.

As if summoned by her thoughts, Sebastian appeared in the foyer, his imposing frame dressed in a tailored navy suit that accentuated his broad shoulders. Oliver clung to his hand, the seven-year-old looking unusually serious in his miniature version of his father's outfit.

"Lillian," Sebastian's deep voice resonated through the hall, "I need you at my side for this negotiation. Voss respects strength, and your presence will... unsettle him."

The unspoken meaning hung between them - her rejection of Donovan and subsequent bonding with the Lycan chairman had become legendary among the packs. What better demonstration of power than his former fated mate standing proudly beside his greatest rival?

Victoria chose that moment to make her entrance, her designer heels clicking sharply against the floor. "Father, must we really entertain these barbarians?" Her nose wrinkled in distaste. "Last time they were here, that brute Tristan Whitlock nearly broke Julian's nose."

Sebastian's jaw tightened. "Diplomacy requires patience, Victoria. And Julian should have known better than to challenge a Darkmoon warrior to an arm-wrestling match after three whiskeys."

Theodore Whitmore appeared with perfect timing, bearing a silver tray with steaming coffee. "The helicopters have been spotted approaching, sir. They'll land in twenty minutes."

Lillian accepted the offered coffee, her mind racing. She'd need to change into something more formal - perhaps that emerald green dress Genevieve Laurent had designed specifically for pack negotiations. The color brought out her eyes while the strategic slit allowed for quick movement if violence erupted.

As she turned to head upstairs, Sebastian caught her wrist. His touch sent electric currents through her skin. "Whatever happens today," he murmured for her ears alone, "remember you're mine. Let Voss see that truth in your eyes."

Outside, the distant thrum of helicopter blades grew louder. The game was about to begin.

Victoria gaped at him; she had suspected as much, but hearing Donovan confirm it aloud was utterly staggering.

"What?" she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper. "She's using my father to get to you?"

"Obviously," he replied with an exasperated eye roll. "Why else would she cling to him like this? It's honestly pathetic. She's been throwing herself at every man in sight since she started working here, and I keep telling her I'm not interested. She's not the sweet, innocent girl you thought she was, Victoria. You should watch your back around her."

Deep down, Victoria already knew this, but hearing it from Donovan made it all the more real. Fury surged through her veins, and her dislike for Lillian intensified. Now, even her poor Donovan had fallen victim to her schemes.

Seizing the moment, Donovan closed the distance between them, wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace. His wolf bristled at the contact, but he needed to comfort her—his plans depended on it.

"I love you," he murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "I hate that you got hurt. But I swear, I’m not keeping anything else from you."

Victoria nodded against his chest, exhaling slowly. The conversation had lifted a weight off her shoulders. Now, she knew exactly who her allies were—and Lillian was not one of them.

Lillian's POV

Sebastian pressed a warm cloth to my nose, carefully wiping away the dried blood. Silence stretched between us since Victoria and Donovan had disappeared upstairs. I had hoped she would send him away for good, but the moment she took his hand, I knew she was going to forgive him.

What surprised me more was that Sebastian was allowing it. He knew exactly what kind of snake Donovan was. Yet, he was still letting his daughter marry him.

"Were you the one who told her?" Sebastian asked abruptly, breaking the quiet.

I blinked up at him, startled by the question.

"No," I said firmly. "I would never do that. I wouldn’t want to hurt her like that."

"Then how did she find out?" His tone was sharp, accusatory.

I frowned. "I don’t know. It wasn’t me."

He studied me for a long moment before nodding and returning his attention to cleaning my face.

"You shouldn’t have fought with her."

My eyes narrowed in disbelief.

"She threw the first punch," I reminded him. "I barely fought back. You know I could have—"

"You should have walked away before it got to that point."

His words struck me like a physical blow, leaving me speechless. The silence between us stretched, thick and suffocating. When he finally finished wiping the blood from my face, he leaned back, his piercing gaze studying me with an intensity that made my skin prickle.

"Until filming wraps, you should stay at the Blackwood estate," Sebastian declared, his voice firm. "I'll send Oliver to keep you company."

My brows lifted in surprise. "You're not worried he'll find out I'm living here?"

A slow shake of his head.

"Oliver's only been there a handful of times himself," Sebastian admitted. "If he asks, we'll say you needed a place to stay, and I offered the estate. Nothing more to it."

I bit my lip, the sting of his dismissal sharper than I expected. Still, I nodded.

"Right," I murmured, forcing the word past the lump in my throat.

His next words were softer, but no less final. "And it's best if you keep your distance from Victoria. At least until tensions ease."

He didn’t need to tell me twice—Victoria had made her feelings painfully clear. Losing a friend hurt, but clinging to my ex’s fiancée was a recipe for disaster. I nodded again, hating how my cheeks burned under his scrutiny.

"You should go," he said abruptly, rising to his feet. "I won’t be back tonight, but I’ll try to stop by tomorrow."

"It’s fine," I whispered, wrapping my arms around myself. "I understand."

He didn’t respond, but I could feel the weight of his stare.

Swallowing hard, I dared to glance up through my lashes. "C-can you tell Victoria I’m sorry?"

His jaw tensed, a muscle feathering before he gave a stiff nod.

"Sure."

I offered a weak smile before turning away, unable to bear looking at him a second longer. The moment I stepped out, the dam inside me threatened to break. But I held it together—just long enough to disappear down the hall before the first tear fell.