Denderick’s POV
I paced back and forth, running a hand through my hair, my mind spinning with everything that had gone wrong. Aria was still missing, and the more time passed, the more certain I became that something terrible had happened. I was so distracted that I didn’t even hear the door open until Giselle’s voice cut through the silence.
“Denderick?” she sneered. “You’re still obsessing over her?”
I stopped pacing and turned to face her. Giselle stood in the doorway, arms crossed, her lips pressed into a thin line. There was fire in her eyes-fury, jealousy, all of it radiating off her in waves. I didn’t have time for this. Not now.
“What do you want, Giselle?” I asked, my voice flat, exhausted.
She stepped into the room, her movements deliberate, every step calculated. “What do I want?” she repeated, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “I want to know why the hell you’re so obsessed with that girl. You’re pacing around here like she’s the center of your world, while your own Luna-your wife-is standing right in front of you, being ignored.”
I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to stay calm. “This isn’t the time, Giselle.”
“Oh, it’s always the time when it comes to Aria, isn’t it?” She took another step closer, her voice rising. “Even when you thought she was in harm’s way, you dropped everything to go to her. You’ve always had a soft spot for that little brat.”
“She was in harm’s way, Giselle. A mercenary was sent to take her out!” I growled. “I had to save her!”
“Every time she runs off, every time she stirs up trouble, you drop everything to go after her.” Giselle cut me off. “But what about me, Denderick? Your Luna? The woman you’re supposed to stand beside?”
“You’re forgetting that our marriage is only for convenience!” I felt the anger building inside me, but I held it down. “This isn’t about you.”
“It’s always about her!” Giselle snapped, her eyes blazing now. “You never look at me the way you look at her. You never care about me the way you care about her. I see the way you react whenever her name comes up, and I’m sick of it!”
“Enough,” I said, my voice low but firm. I didn’t have the patience for this argument, not now. Not when Aria was missing.
Giselle’s eyes narrowed. “You think I don’t see what’s happening? You think I don’t know why she’s constantly in your thoughts? You’re pathetic, Denderick. Chasing after some girl who doesn’t even belong here. She’s nothing.”
My fists clenched at my sides. “I said enough, Giselle! This conversation is over.”
But Giselle wasn’t backing down. She took another step toward me, her voice cutting like ice. “Why can’t you see it, Denderick? She’s nothing but trouble. I tried to help you get rid of her. I tried to fix the problem.”
I froze, my eyes snapping to hers. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Giselle’s face paled for a split second, but she quickly covered it with a smug smile. “Oh, don’t act so surprised. You think I was going to sit back and let her ruin everything?”
I grabbed her arm, forcing her to meet my gaze. “Giselle, what did you do?”
She hesitated, just for a moment, and in that hesitation, I saw the truth. My stomach dropped.
“You… you hired someone, didn’t you?” I asked. “That mercenary….”
Her lips twitched, and she rolled her eyes as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “I had no choice! She was getting in the way, distracting you, weakening you. I had to do something, Denderick. But don’t worry-” She waved a flippant hand around. “The mercenary has been taken care of as well.”
“YOU WHAT?!” I roared.
Giselle pulled her arm from my grip, taking a step back. “It wasn’t supposed to happen like this, Denderick. But that fool of a mercenary… he messed up. He killed the wrong person.”
My heart stopped. “Who?”
Her face paled, and she stumbled over her words. “Mia,” she finally revealed. “He killed Mia.”
The room fell into a deafening silence. I could barely breathe as the full weight of her confession crushed me. Mia. Her sister.
“You…” I struggled to find the words. “You had Mia killed?”
“No!” Giselle shouted, her face contorting with panic. “I didn’t mean for that to happen! It was supposed to be Aria! It was always supposed to be Aria! The mercenary just-he made a mistake!”
“A mistake?” I repeated, my voice low with disbelief. “You had your sister killed. You hired someone to murder Aria, and now your sister is dead because of you.”
Giselle shook her head wildly, panic rising in her eyes. “I didn’t mean it, Denderick! I didn’t want this! I was only trying to get rid of Aria. She was ruining everything between us!”
I stared at her, unable to comprehend the cold-bloodedness of her actions. Mia is dead. And for what? Because of Giselle’s jealousy? Her petty need for control?
“You…” I took a deep breath, my voice trembling with rage. “You are a monster.”
Her face crumpled, and she reached for me. “No, Denderick, please. You don’t understand. I did it for us! For this pack! Aria was a threat!”
I shoved her hand away. “Get out,” I growled.
Giselle blinked, stunned. “What?”
“I said get out!” I repeated, louder this time. “You are no longer my Luna. You are no longer part of this pack. Get out of my house and never come back.”
Her eyes widened in shock, and then fury. “You can’t do this to me! My father will have your head for this! You’ll regret it, Denderick!”
“And what will your father say about you killing your sister? I don’t care what he thinks!” I snapped. “You’re not welcome here anymore. Get out before I throw you out myself!”
For a moment, Giselle stood there, her chest heaving, her eyes filled with panic. I turned away from her, facing the window. I didn’t want to look into her eyes and see the hatred that was mirrored in mine. I stood still, in silence, until the door clicked shut behind her.