Lucy’s POV
The letter made me uneasy, because it could seriously implicate me if anyone else came across it. I couldn’t have people thinking that I had a hand in the death of Daven, even though I didn’t care much about the man. Especially now that his sons were around, I had to be more careful than ever.
I ripped up the paper into tiny bits that I was sure wouldn’t be readable, and disposed of them into a little nylon bag before disposing of it. Doing something like this made me feel like I was some sort of criminal, but I couldn’t let my guard down at that moment.
The letter bothered me for the whole day, and was the last thing I thought about before going to bed.
The next morning brought only more situations to anger me, because while on my way to get some breakfast, I saw that the triplets were already seated in the dining room-which was filled with about half a dozen women who were giggling and flipping around like idiots.
“What’s going on here?” I questioned, unable to believe what my eyes were seeing.
Across the room, Scoot and Seth were seated, watch with one woman splayed across their thighs like blankets with arms and legs.
They pretended to not hear, but I knew better. “Hello?!”
“Can you just shut the fuck up and leave?” Shaun said, pulling one of the women close to him and glaring at me from over her head.
Of course. They could care less about what happened to the pack. All they knew how to do was probably chase women and host parties. Nothing about caring about the pack.
“No, I won’t. This isn’t acceptable.” I gestured with my hand to the room. “You can’t just bring people in here-and especially not by this hour of the day.”
Shaun reluctantly pulled away from his little plaything and walked over to me. With every step he took closer. Something felt weird in my brain-a fuzziness that I couldn’t just shake off.
“Now look here, you,” Shaun seethed, towering over me like some kind of tyrant.
“My name’s Lucy. You’d do well to remember that,” her intercepted, folding my arms across my chest, hunger long forgotten. In its place, only a growing irritation bubbled.
“I could care less what your name is,” he said, flipping his hand in the air like he was swatting an invisible fly. “To hold your neck up high like you’re someone important, but you’re not. You’re just a tiny little thing and just because you’re pretty, every man should fall to his knees at the sight of you.”
Hearing at the vile words spewing from his mouth, I couldn’t help but think about how I couldn’t reconcile the image of that kind stranger that had spoken nicely to me a few days back.
This was his true character.
“Insult me all you want, but it doesn’t change the fact that this place remains a dining room, and not some place you guys can invite women over.”
“Does it matter to you?”
“It doesn’t, but as far as I’m concerned, we all have equal power here. If you’re not ready to co-exist, then you might all as well run back home.”
He scoffed, and the deep rumble it made tickled something on my insides. “Just admit that you want us all gone so that you can have this pack all to yourself.”
The instinct to defend myself came, but I held on my tongue and did something else that was sure to thoroughly unnerve him.
I smiled. “You’re so right.” I was tired of it all already. It was barely halfway into the day and I had already been drained from my interactions with the man before me.
At this time, the women in the hall had also noticed my presence. Their earlier hiccups and playful laughter has ceased, as her eyes were not focused on me.
With one final glance at Shaun, I turned around to leave. “I suggest you get them out of here now.”
Shaun’s growl was the last thing I heard before I reached the door and exited the room. Now out of their presence, I could finally think better, and continued on to the kitchen to get some food to eat since my belly had already resumed its growling again.
A buzz of energy remained within my body since I went to see the triplets.
Seth and Scott didn’t seem to mind so much about my presence-sure, they were cold towards me and acted like I was just a worthless statue, they were a better choice than Shaun. I could endure silence, but not unfair accusations.
I got so deep in thought that I nearly forgot whereI was supposed to be walking and nearly bumped into someone.
Rosa steadied me, holding on to my arm. “Be careful, Lucy,” she said calmly and averted her eyes-like looking at me was some sort of offense.
But Daven was dead, and I was going to make sure that his ideals died along with him.
“Please, Rosa, look at me,” I gently pleaded. “You are no stranger of mine, and you don’t have to be scared of looking me in the eyes.”
She shrugged. “You know it’s part of the rules that the Alpha gave.”
“The Alpha is dead,” I said coldly. I couldn’t stand anyone mentioning him anymore. The dead were supposed to be quiet, but this man certainly didn’t want to vanish from the world so soon.
From the way Rosa’s eyes went wide with her grimace, I must have allowed too much of my hatred to slip in that simple statement.
I cleared my throat and took a deep breath. “He’s dead, Rosa, which means that our people are one step closer to freedom.”
She looked around to confirm that we were alone before pulling me into a dark, empty hall. “Freedom that has yet been snatched away by his sons. Or do you think we don’t know that they are now the ones in charge?” she whispered harshly. Tears started to pool in her eyes. I could tell that she probably felt betrayed.
“Look, Rosa, I understand how you’re feeling-”
“No you don’t! You never had to toil like the rest of us, Lucy. Heck, you were the Alpha’s wife for crying out loud. You had everything you could have ever wanted. You didn’t suffer like the rest of us being used like rags and then tossed away. You promised us freedom, but it’s just been from one excuse to the other for the past three years.”
“Rosa . . .”
“You know what I think?” she said quietly after a pregnant silence. “I think that you’ve gotten so comfortable, that you’ve actually forgotten about your real home. So now, all that matters to you is simply keeping your claws on that throne.”
I shook my head. Now it was my turn to be so hurt to the point of tears. “How could you ever think that, Rosa? You don’t know what I’ve been through for these past three years. I watched my own family die right before my own eyes.”
“Very much like the rest of us. But you were taken in by the Alpha and treated like a princess-”
“I was raped over and over, Rosa! For the past three years, I was forced to sleep with a man I hated and feared. Can you imagine going through that with a man twice your age? Can you even imagine what it’s like having to see the face that ripped into your father’s body hovering over you for nights on end?”
Rosa sniffed, but said nothing. Shame filled her expression.
“Yeah, I’m sure you can’t.” I handed my plate of food over to her. Certainly now, I couldn’t eat anything and hated to waste food.
She received the plate with shaking hands.
“Eat it, or give it to the others. I’m not hungry anymore.” I pushed away from the wall I had been using for support and got ready to leave. “I promised that I was going to free you all, and I don’t plan on going back on my word. You don’t have to believe me, or even put your faith in me anymore, but I just want you to know that my loyalty remains with Bloodbath Pack, and will always remain so.”
I left her standing alone after that. Once again, I had been reminded of the heavy hand I had been dealt with, and the reason why I couldn’t afford to lose.
To get the power needed to free my people, I had to start from the heart of the pack. Daven was dead, but his sons had taken his place. The only other person that could be of help to me was Ahmad, but he too, was loyal to the late Alpha.
Then I remembered the letter I had gotten. Someone planned on killing the triplets. If I could discover their identity . . . surely even Moongrowl as a pack would become so indebted to me that they would have no choice but to listen to my simple request for the freedom of my people.
With my new plans in mind, I got ready for the coming days.