One Night

Chapter 199

Edwin

I didn’t even wait for the sun to rise before I was storming into my father’s study. I knew he was awake, anyway-the bas**rd hardly ever slept..

My father didn’t look up from the papers he was poring over as I flung the door open with a crash.

“Mind yourself. Edwin,” he said, adjusting his wire-rimmed glasses on his nose. “Unless you intend to repair the hole in the wall yourself.”

Without a word, I threw the baggie of silver down on his mahogany desk, the metallic powder inside glinting ominously in the low light. The bag landed with a soft thud, sending a small puff of silver dust into the air.

My father sputtered and dropped his papers, his eyes widening in shock as he quickly covered his mouth and nose with his handkerchief.

“What-What on earth is this?!” he demanded, his voice mu**ed behind the cloth.

I pointed at the baggie, my voice low and dangerous. “Next time you try to accuse my mate of poisoning her own mother, maybe you should do your own research first.”

My father’s eyes narrowed, his brow furrowing as he looked from the silver to me. “Explain yourself. Quickly. Before I have you thrown out.”

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the fury that was coursing through my veins. My hands were shaking, and I clenched them into fists to steady myself.

“Charles and I searched Claudia’s house tonight. We found traces of silver in the kitchen, and followed the scent to Fiona’s room. This,” I gestured to the baggie, “was hidden in a secret compartment in her closet. I think it’s pretty d**n clear that Fiona poisoned Claudia, not Audrey. Do you disagree?”

My father leaned forward in his chair, still holding the handkerchief to his face. Carefully, with nothing more than his thumb and forefinger, he pinched the baggie and held it up to the light. The silver inside shimmered as it shifted.

“Pure silver powder,” I growled. “My guess is that Fiona was angry about Claudia removing her as Silverbite heir, or angry that Coldclaw discarded her since she’s not the Silver Star, or likely both, and this was her revenge.”

My father was silent as he gingerly laid the baggie back down on the desk. Carefully

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Chapter 199

pulling the handkerchief away from his face. I could now see that his expression was. unreadable, a mask of calm that I knew all too well.

It was the face he wore whenever he was about to deliver a particularly cruel blow.

The face he wore when he beat me as a child,

“And how should I know that you even found this in Fiona’s possession?” he asked, his voice dripping with skepticism. He folded his hands on the desk, his eyes boring into mine. “For all I know, you found this bag in Audrey’s things and are framing Fiona. Or maybe you and your little mate were in on it all along.

His words knocked the air from my lungs. I stared at him, incredulous, feeling as if I had just been transported back to my childhood, back to the days when I was constantly trying to prove my worth to a man who would never believe in me.

“Are you serious right now?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. “Why would I do that? Why… Why do you think so lowly of me?”

His lips curled in a sneer, and he shrugged. “You tell me, Edwin. You’ve always had a penchant for trouble. From the moment you could walk, you were causing problems.” Without warning, I slammed my hands down on his desk, but the impact didn’t so much as make my father flinch. I leaned forward, my face inches from his. “I am an honest person who only ever wants the best for my family, friends, mate, and pack. I love Claudia like my own mother, and I’m mated to her daughter. I would never conspire to hurt her or anyone else, for that matter.”

My father’s eyes flicked to my fingers digging into his desk, a look of grim satisfaction crossing his face. Slowly, too slowly, he pushed his chair back and rose. I watched, barely containing my fury, as he calmly walked over to the cr***ing fireplace.

“Is that so?” He reached for the fire poker, casually using it to p**d the logs on the fire. Little red sparks fluttered up into the chimney as he worked. “I suppose you never conspired to make that boy lose his eye, either.”

I recoiled as if I’d been slapped. Blood… So much blood….

“That was an accident,” I managed around the lump that had suddenly formed in my

throat.

My father scoffed. “An accident,” he echoed. “How convenient; the boy was leaps and bounds more talented in the ring than you ever were. He was set to become the champion that year, but it was an ‘accident’ Was it an accident, too, when you let your wolf take over in those moments when it was strictly forbidden in the ring? Perhaps no

saw the way your eyes flashed gold, but I did.”

now what to say. It was true: I had let my wolf take over, just for a moment, all

ars ago.

dn’t meant to. I was young, and s**d, and out of control.

I ever wanted was my father’s approval. So I had done something completely rly m***n

hed my fists so tightly that my nails dug into my palms, drawing blood. “I was a I growled, fighting to keep my voice steady. “And maybe I wouldn’t have acted my own father had treated me like a real son instead of a punching bag.

done plenty for you as my son,” my father scoffed. “I allowed you to become Alpha escent, put a roof over your head-”

beat me!” I roared, cutting him off. The force of my shout made the windows

– in their frames. “Or did you conveniently forget about that? The belt, the bruises, nights I spent crying myself to sleep?”

heart a moment, silence hung heavy in the air between us. I could hear my nding in my ears, my breath coming in short, sharp gasps. Then, my father slowly ed, and there was nothing but malice in his eyes.

course I didn’t forget. And I would happily beat you again if it would knock some ise into you.”

mething snapped inside of me at his words. All the years of pain, of trying to please is man who would never be satisfied, came rushing to the surface. I felt my eyes flash llow, my wolf pushing against the surface of my skin.

We could crush him,” my wolf hissed. “He’s old, and c**, and-”

lo. I shook my head as if to dispel the thoughts. No, I wouldn’t stoop. He was egging ne on, trying to get a rise out of me. He wanted me to crush him, if only to prove that I vas the animal he always thought I was.

slowly, just as slowly as he’d picked up the fire poker, I straightened and smoothed

12:41 Mon, Sep 23 GUG.

Chapter 199

down my shirt. I calmed my wolf, myself, the glow in my eyes dimming.

I think I saw my father’s eyes widen slightly at that.

“You’re a cold b**d,” I said, taking the baggie of silver and slipping it into my pocket. “And someday, when you die, you won’t be missed. Not by me, not by Peter or Eliza, not even by Mom or Malakai or Axel. And I will have children of my own who will never have to suffer the same abuse that I did. They will know what it’s like to have a father who loves them unconditionally.”

My father’s face contorted with rage, his own eyes flashing yellow in response to my challenge.

His mouth opened, ready to deliver what I was sure would be another cutting remark, another attempt to tear me down and put me in my place.

But before he could speak, the door creaked open. We both turned, and there he was.

Peter.

“He’s right, Father. You are a cold b**d. And no one will miss you when you’re gone.”

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