“Why haven’t they said anything? Why is everywhere so quiet?” Gabrielle questioned pacing rapidly.
Cynthia didn’t even look up as she answered, continuing to knit the baby stocking she was making.
“Be patient, Luna. This process cannot be rushed. Things are coming along the way they should.”
“Patient? Do you know how patient I have been already? You promised me that you would make me Luna. You have to deliver on your word, Cynthia.”
Cynthia almost laughed at her desperation instead she plastered on an understanding smile. “I have already planted the right seeds, Luna. Rest assured, the position is yours.”
Gabrielle seemed mollified by Cynthia’s words.
Cynthia continued to knit away, her hands steady. She had returned for one purpose and one purpose alone. To rip this pack apart from the inside out. She had come to exact vengeance upon Adrian who had gotten her banished, Ava who she hated with every fibre within her body and last but definitely not least, Gabrielle, her former best friend who abandoned her in a pivotal part of her life.
They would all pay and no one would ever suspect the new and improved innocent pregnant Cynthia as she would play them like a fiddle. Her first pawn was Gabby. She would feed into Gabby’s greed to make her own dreams become a reality.
This was going to be so much fun.
“Gabrielle.” Ava said.
Gabby stopped in the middle of her work. She was helping their mother dice up some veggies. She looked up at Ava, a sweet smile on her face. “Ava!” She hugged her sister.
“It’s wonderful to see you. Do you want any snacks, food, …” Gabrielle gestured at the spread she was making.
Ava gave a smile that didn’t reach her heart. She was way too keyed up to smile.
“I would like to discuss something with you in private.”
Gabrielle looked up at her with what looked like mild surprise. “Sure.”
They took a brief detour from the house into the woods. The silence between them felt uneasy and charged or maybe that was just the way it felt to Ava since she was about to call her sister’s character to question….
“What is so urgent that you wanted to talk to me about so soon?” Gabby asked congenially as they moved through the forest.
“What drug did you give me?” Best to rip it off like a bandaid.
“Pardon?” Gabby said with a confused look on her face.
“When you stayed with me that night when Adrian was gone, what drug did you give me?” As she spoke, she got flashbacks of that night. Of Gabby encouraging her. Goddess, she hoped she was wrong.
“Ava, what are you talking about? We watched a movie and you said you were tired so I left. What do you mean I drugged you?”
“I’m not a fucking child Gabrielle. I am missing parts of that night because of something. I only ate what you gave me so speak up now. What did you give me?”Ava said, her gaze unflinching.
She wasn’t sure that Gabby had anything to do with what happened to her but she wasn’t going to rule out any possibility. She hoped that Gabby continued to deny all this. That she proved her innocence.
More than anything, Ava so desperately wanted everything to have been in her head. She wanted an explanation that didn’t implicate her sister that Ava had only just gotten back. Was that too much to ask for?
Gabby looked even more confused then suddenly she threw back her head and began to laugh. Ava’s heart sank. Gabby’s laugh was mean, and cruel and sounded so messed up.
“Goddess. That took you long enough. I thought that I might have to send you a message detailing exactly how I did it to get your brain thinking again.” Gabby said, rolling her eyes, unimpressed.
“You did it. You actually did it. Why would you do something like that, Gabby?” Ava fought back tears. When had Gabby become so callous?
“You set someone up to assault your sister for what exactly? Do you know what your actions have caused? A wolf has lost his life, the Primo pack almost demanded for Adrian’s life in exchange, and Adrian hates me so much right now. Why would–”
“Shut the hell up, Ava. You are such a hypocrite. Why should I care about any of those events? Did you care when you stole my mate from me at the altar? Did you care when you left this pack for two years and I worked my way up from Omega to Adrian’s mate?”
“Do you know how many times he broke my heart because you were gone? Day in, and day out, it was a different woman. I woke up every day planning out his day-to-day activities. I made sure he saw the elders on time and was properly dressed. I related with the pack and gave him the feedback. I did so many things for him.” The mocking tone in Gabby’s voice morphed into pain.
“I suffered so much but it didn’t matter because I still loved him. I hoped that after we mated he would change. That he would become the former Adrian I had fallen in love with since I was a child but you had to come back. You couldn’t have waited one more day to return. You ruined my life. And now you are crying when I merely returned the favour. Classic.”
Ava wiped away her tears. “Oh, Gabby. I apologised. I explained everything to you. I begged you so many times. Is it so difficult to forgive a mistake that I made? Was it all just a pretence then? From the ambush at the shop?”
Gabby smirked. “What do you think?”
Ava thought that she didn’t really know her sister. How could she have done something so wicked and preemptive? So while she had been smiling, taking a bullet for Ava, she had been keeping something like this in her head and had nursed something so despicable in her heart?
“Goddess, Gabby.” Ava gasped, rocking back in betrayal.
“And this is just the start. Just forget about being Adrian’s mate and the Luna of this pack. I intend on taking my position back from you with any and every possible means.” Gabrielle threatened and Ava could see that she meant every word.
“I will never accept this. Adrian is my mate and this pack is mine. I am Luna of this pack. I have responsibilities to both of them. You cannot make me abandon either of them.”
“Responsibilities? Adrian doesn’t want to see your face after the way he caught you with that wolf. I remember how he was with me. I can only imagine how much more ruthless he will be with you, his real mate.” Gabby scoffed.
“And the pack? They don’t know you or respect you as a person. All they see you as is Adrian’s mate, not their Luna. None of them really care for you. If you stand on the path to my goal, Ava, I won’t hesitate to obliterate you. This is my final warning to you.”
Ava should have been scared. Maybe she was underneath all the anger.
“We shall see about that.”