Chapter 263

The crisp autumn air carried the scent of fallen leaves as Lillian stepped onto the balcony of Sebastian Blackwood’s mansion. Her fingers tightened around the railing, the cold metal biting into her skin. The moon hung low in the sky, casting an eerie glow over the sprawling estate.

Inside, the grand hall buzzed with tension. Donovan’s voice cut through the murmurs, sharp and venomous. "You think you can just take what’s mine?" His gaze locked onto Lillian, a predator circling its prey.

Sebastian moved like a shadow, positioning himself between them. His voice was calm but carried an unmistakable warning. "She was never yours to claim."

Evelyn, Donovan’s new mate, scoffed from the sidelines. "Pathetic. Still clinging to scraps?"

Lillian’s wolf bristled beneath her skin. She had spent months rebuilding herself, but the past had a way of clawing its way back. Beatrice, ever the loyal friend, squeezed her hand. "Ignore them. They’re not worth it."

But the night wasn’t done with its surprises.

A sudden commotion erupted at the entrance. Victoria, Sebastian’s daughter, stormed in, her face flushed with fury. "Father! You can’t seriously expect me to—" She froze mid-sentence, her eyes landing on Lillian. A flicker of recognition, then something darker.

Theodore Whitmore, the ever-composed butler, cleared his throat. "Dinner is served."

Yet no one moved. The air was thick with unspoken threats, old wounds, and new rivalries.

Lillian exhaled slowly. This wasn’t just a dinner—it was a battlefield.

And she was ready to fight.

"Oh, I understand," she whispered, her fingers nervously twisting the hem of her sweatshirt. "That makes you quite extraordinary then."

"What about you?" I tilted my head. "Aren't you participating in the competition?"

Her gaze dropped to her faded college logo again, shoulders curling inward slightly as if trying to disappear into the fabric.

"No," she admitted quietly. "But I have to attend. My gamma expects me there."

"Oh?" My brows lifted in question.

She exhaled sharply before meeting my eyes, a flush creeping up her neck.

"We're... involved."

My lips parted in surprise.

"You're dating your pack's gamma?"

A jerky nod, teeth worrying her bottom lip. Beatrice scanned the boarding area with a frown.

"Then where is he?" she pressed.

"He left earlier with his friends," the girl murmured, fingers tightening around her backpack straps. "I got left behind. But I'm still going."

The overhead speaker crackled to life, announcing our boarding group. I glanced at Beatrice, who gave a sharp nod - she'd heard it too.

"We need to go," I said, rising. "Maybe we'll run into you there?"

A fragile smile flickered across her face.

"Maybe," she echoed softly.

With that, Beatrice and I moved toward the gate, handing our tickets to the stewardess before stepping onto the jet bridge.

"Next stop - island getaway!" Beatrice declared, dragging me forward with infectious enthusiasm.

Third Person POV

Back at the Blackwood estate, Victoria hesitated outside her brother's door.

The phone call with Donovan still burned in her ears. He'd been evasive, defensive. That woman at his penthouse - Lillian - was clearly more than just some random pack member. She wouldn't rest until she uncovered the truth. But her father's warning echoed in her mind. This wasn't just Lillian's deception. Donovan had lied too.

Perhaps his betrayal cut deeper.

She rapped sharply on Oliver's door. When silence answered, she pushed inside.

Her little brother sat cross-legged on his gaming chair, controller in hand, eyes glued to the screen. Typical.

"Hey," she called, stepping inside.

"What do you want?" he snapped without looking up.

The venom in his voice froze her mid-step. Since when did her baby brother speak to her like that?

“What’s with that tone?” Victoria demanded, crossing her arms tightly as she glared down at Oliver.

His fingers paused on the game controller, and he finally tore his gaze from the screen to meet hers with a defiant scowl. “I heard what you said to Lillian yesterday,” he muttered, his voice thick with accusation. “You were awful to her. You blamed her for my accident when it wasn’t her fault.”

“Because she shot you,” Victoria snapped, jabbing a finger toward his bandaged leg—already healing well, thankfully. “She was the one holding the bow.”

“No, it was my fault.” Oliver’s jaw clenched. “I moved in front of the target because I saw something on the ground. Lillian told me a hundred times not to shift position when someone’s shooting. She aims based on placement. I messed her up by moving. It was a stupid mistake.”

Victoria froze, stunned into silence. She had seen Oliver step out of position, but Lillian should’ve noticed before releasing the arrow.

“She wasn’t even aiming at me,” Oliver continued, his voice cracking. “She was showing me a trick shot. The arrow just happened to go where I moved.”

“A trick shot?” Victoria repeated, her brows knitting together.

“You don’t know anything about what Lillian can do,” Oliver shot back, his small hands curling into fists. “She’s an amazing archer—better than anyone I’ve ever seen. This wasn’t her fault. I tried to tell her last night, but everyone was yelling, and then Dad listened to you and made her leave. He Alpha-commanded her, Victoria. Because of you.”

Her stomach twisted.

“I—I didn’t—” she stammered.

A sharp knock interrupted them. Sebastian stepped inside, his sharp gaze flickering between them. “Everything alright in here?”

“The accident wasn’t Lillian’s fault,” Oliver repeated, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “I moved after she told me not to. If anyone should be blamed, it’s me. But please… don’t be mad at her anymore. I don’t want her to quit. I don’t want her to leave.”

A pang of guilt speared through Victoria’s chest. What have I done? All of this—the accusations, the anger—just for Donovan? Was he even worth it?

Sebastian rested a hand on Oliver’s shoulder. “Thank you for telling me.”

“Dad… you’re not going to fire her, right?” Oliver’s voice wavered.

Sebastian shook his head. “No. I’ve been trying to reach her, but her phone’s off. I’ll have to talk to her when I get back.” He straightened. “Actually, I came to tell you both I’m leaving now. I’ll be gone for a few weeks.”

“Are you going straight to the Gamma competition?”

“Not yet. It doesn’t start for a couple of days. I’m heading to the resort first—might meet some competitors for dinner tonight.” His gaze hardened slightly. “Behave while I’m gone. Both of you. Call if you need anything. Marcus will be here if you do.”

“Okay…” they mumbled in unison.

Sebastian left, and Victoria turned back to Oliver, who was still blinking back tears.

In that moment, she knew—she’d messed up. Badly.