Chapter 16
· Aubrey ·
My mother got a phone call this morning; she woke me in a panic, saying the doctors urged her to come in immediately, they finally got the toxicology report back last night.
He had lethal doses of wolfsbane in his system which caused his heart to fail; had his Beta not found him he’d be dead.
Mom is beside herself, worried he tried to end himself with all the stress of Rhett.
I know my father, he wouldn’t give Rhett the satisfaction of thinking he won.
I’ve tried calling her but received no answer on my drive to the hospital.
I take a deep breath as I approach my father’s room, anxiety swirling in my stomach.
The sterile scent of antiseptic fills the air, burning my nostrils.
My hand trembles as I reach for the cold metal doorknob.
I hesitate for a moment, steeling myself for what I might find inside—hoping he has somehow woken up. I push the door open and step inside.
My heart drops.
My mind races, desperately trying to process what I’m seeing and why she is here.
This isn’t at all what I had prepared myself for. The shock of it leaves me reeling, struggling to catch my breath. I close my eyes for a moment, willing this to be some terrible dream. But when I open them again, nothing has changed.
Bianca’s head snaps up, her eyes narrowing as they meet mine.
She’s perched on the edge of my father’s bed like some predatory bird, her presence a jarring intrusion in this already surreal scene as I try to make sense of why she is here.
My stomach churns at the sight of her perfectly manicured hand resting possessively on my father’s arm.
In the corner, my mother’s shoulders shake with silent sobs, her face hidden behind trembling hands. The sound of her muffled cries cuts through me like a knife. I’ve never seen her so broken, so defeated. It’s as if all the strength has been drained from her, leaving only this hollow shell behind.
“Mom?” I manage to croak out, my voice barely above a whisper. She doesn’t respond, doesn’t even look up. It’s as if she can’t bear to face me.
My hands clench into fists at my sides, nails digging into my palms.
“What’s going on?” I finally ask, my voice trembling despite my efforts to steady it.
Before my mother can respond, a chill runs down my spine feeling the nudge of a mate bond that I don’t want, making me gasp in horror. Rhett’s voice skitters across my neck from behind me, smooth and cold. “I warned you.”
My heart leaps into my throat, and for a moment, I’m frozen in place. The familiar timbre of his voice sends a wave of dread through me. I hadn’t even heard him enter the room. Was he waiting for me to pull up and then follow me up here?
Slowly, I turn around, my pulse racing so fast I can hear it thundering in my ears.
Rhett steps into view, and the gleam in his eyes makes my stomach churn.
He stands tall and imposing, with broad shoulders and a chiseled jawline.
He looks exactly as I remember him with that infuriatingly handsome face that masks the monster he truly is.
This can’t be real. It has to be some sort of twisted nightmare. But the cold fear gripping my heart tells me otherwise.
“What are you doing here?” I manage to choke out, trying to keep the fear from my voice.
“I came to see my slut of a mate,” he says, his tone as cold as the look in his eyes.
Before I can say anything, he steps closer.
“Rhett,” I manage to choke out, hating how weak my voice sounds. How did he find me? What does he want? And why isn’t anyone stopping him?
The silence stretches between us, thick with tension. I can feel Bianca’s smug gaze burning into my back, and I can hear my mother’s quiet sobs. But all I can focus on is Rhett and the threat of him as I step back, and he follows me into the room.
Rhett’s lips curve into a sinister smile, his eyes never leaving mine. “I’m here to collect what’s mine,” he purrs, his voice dripping with malice.
My heart plummets. The way he says “mine” makes my skin crawl, and I take another involuntary step back. What does he mean? I’m not his, he has Bianca. The certainty in his voice terrifies me.
I can feel his presence looming over me, his eyes burning into mine with a fiery intensity. I’m no match for him - physically or mentally. Rhett always had a way of getting under my skin and making me feel small.
I can’t let him win. Not again.
I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself, and come up with a plan. “Rhett, what are you talking about? I’m engaged,” I lie, trying to keep my voice calm while hoping to deter him.
He takes another step closer, closing the gap between us until we’re only inches apart. His hand reaches out and grabs my chin roughly, forcing me to meet his intense gaze. “You know exactly what I mean,” he snarls, his grip tightening.
I wince at the pain in my jaw but refuse to show any weakness in front of him. “I don’t owe you anything,” I spit out defiantly.
His grip tightens even more, and for a moment, I think he might actually hurt me, when he lets go abruptly and takes a step back, his expression shifting from anger to amusement.
I glare at him, taking the opportunity to put some distance between us. “What do you want from me?” I ask through gritted teeth.
He tilts his head slightly, studying me with an unsettling intensity that makes my skin crawl. “I want what’s rightfully mine.”
“You have Bianca.”
Before he can respond, my mother’s desperate voice cuts through the tension. “Please, Rhett!” she cries out, and I turn to see her staring up at him, her face etched with panic. “We’ll cover whatever she stole! Just let her go!”
Her remark hits me like a physical blow. Stole? What is she talking about? I want to shout, to defend myself. My mother knows I never stole that money, and she must be playing along by the way she glares at Bianca. The room spins around me as confusion and fear battle for dominance in my mind.
I peer back at Rhett, searching his face for any hint of what’s going on. All I see is that cruel smile, promising consequences I don’t even want to imagine.
“No!” I shout, my voice finally breaking free, fueled by a surge of anger.
“I didn’t steal anything! Mom, call Soren!
” My declaration echoes in the sterile hospital room, bouncing off the walls and amplifying my panic.
I turn to my mother, but her gaze is fixed on Rhett, terror etched into every line of her face.
My breath comes in short, sharp gasps as I struggle to make sense of the situation. I desperately try to come up with a plan. I need to get out of this situation, and the only person who can help me is Soren.
My gaze moves to Bianca, who laughs at my frantic expression. It’s only then that I notice her claws, glinting dangerously as she moves closer to my father, stopping at the base of his throat.
“Nobody will be calling anyone,” she purrs, her voice dripping with satisfaction. She digs one claw into the hollow of his throat, and my heart drops into my stomach. I take a step toward her without thinking.
“Try it, Aubrey,” Bianca taunts, turning her sharp gaze toward me. “He’ll be dead before you reach me.”
My feet freeze in place as fear grips me, knowing Rhett will intervene; I know I could kick Bianca’s ass into next week, Rhett not so much.
“You both need to leave before Soren gets here!” I snarl.
Rhett’s laughter cuts through my thoughts like a knife, a chilling sound that sends a shiver down my spine. I whirl to face him, my heart pounding so hard I fear it might burst from my chest.
“Oh, you haven’t heard?” Rhett asks, his voice laced with mock surprise. His eyes glitter with malicious glee as he leans in closer, invading my personal space.
“There’s a bounty on your head,” he continues, his voice dripping with disdain. “The only way you’re not going to be sentenced to death for betraying the king is if you mark me… and I mark you.”
My mind struggles to make sense of that. A bounty? On my head?
“Excuse me?” I spit at him; and my gaze darts to my mother, who whimpers at his confirmation.
“The council put a bounty out for you,” she sobs, and I can only stare at her in disbelief. Soren wouldn’t. He couldn’t possibly have betrayed me like this.
“No,” I whisper, shaking my head in denial. “Soren wouldn’t do this.”
“He already has,” Rhett sneers, his lips curling into a cruel smirk. “And now it’s time for you to pay the price.”
My heart sinks even farther. Tears build up behind my eyes as anger boils within me. How could they all just betray me like this?
Before I can fully process these emotions, Rhett moves forward again, pressing dangerously close as he whispers into my ear.
“But there is a way out for you, and I can’t just let them kill my mate. Not when I’m not done with her yet.”
Horror drowns out all other thoughts and senses. I stare at Rhett, disbelief coursing through my veins mingled with anger and fear. This can’t be happening. It has to be some kind of sick joke. Just another fucked up game Rhett has decided to torment me with.
“You’re lying!” I protest, my voice wavering despite my attempt to sound confident. “Soren loves me! He would never…” My statement trails off as Soren’s face flashes in my mind; his kind eyes, his gentle smile. He wouldn’t let this happen. He couldn’t. Max would never forgive him.
Rhett only smirks, “Oh, but he would. He did. What did you think would happen once he learned you betrayed him?”
My hands clench into fists as I struggle to control my rising panic.
It can’t be true. It can’t be. The look on Rhett’s face tells me otherwise.
He’s reveling in my pain, enjoying every second of it.
“She really thought he could still love her after what she did?” Bianca cackles like it is the most absurd thing she has ever heard.