177 The Cost Of Silence
Mara
“Oh really?” Martha asked suspiciously of my intentions. I could see it in her eyes but I threw them off.
“Tiffany and I thought we’d stay at the mansion while our mates are in Neev seeing Richard,” I said casually.
Alpha Vander frowned. “Why didn’t you go with him?”
I gave him a small smile. “Morning sickness,” I lied smoothly. He accepted it with a nod.
Without asking, Martha stepped in and plucked Emma from my arms, cooing at the baby like she hadn’t been cold and
distant. Then she turned to Tiffany and said, “Come on, Tiffany,” like she still ran this house.
Tiffany hesitated, looking to me for guidance.
“She’ll be staying with me, Martha,” I said firmly.
Martha froze and slowly turned to face me, eyes sharp. “Are you out of your mind?” she snapped, as though I’d just insulted her lineage.
I’d had enough.
“Kindly refrain from using that tone when speaking to me,” I said, my voice level but edged with warning.
She blinked, caught off guard. “Vander, did you hear this girl?” she hissed, waiting for him to scold me.
But Alpha Vander just rubbed his temples, clearly exhausted. The man looked like he lived in a constant state of regret-
and I didn’t blame him. If I were married to Martha, I’d need blood pressure meds too.
When he didn’t come to her rescue, Martha turned her fury on me directly.
“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you? The position, the money, the power. Lucian dotes on you, but don’t forget who put you in his life. I made my husband buy you, remember?”
I didn’t even have to respond. Alpha Vander’s voice cut through her venom like a blade.
“Martha, don’t you ever learn?” he roared. “Lucian made it crystal clear-Mara is his wife. You will not speak to her that way
again.”
She started to interrupt, but he shut her down hard.
“You’ve caused enough damage between me and my son. Every day, you chip away at what’s left of this family. You want the truth? I curse the day I claimed you. I haven’t known a moment’s peace since. Not one. If I could go back, I’d raise Lucian alone and never look in your direction.”
He turned and stormed off, the echo of his footsteps leaving a stunned silence behind.
I walked up to Martha and gently took Emma from her stiff arms.
“When Darian returns, take it up with him,” I said, looking her straight in the eye. “If you cared so much about your granddaughter, maybe you should’ve given a damn about her mother-when she was pregnant and completely alone.”
Then I turned and walked toward the left wing.
Everyone who came with me followed, leaving Martha rooted in place-speechless for once.
And honestly, it felt good.
I knew I could do as I pleased-and Lucian would never question my choices. Just like Vander had been a fool for Martha,
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I had my Alpha, and we were in control now. The sooner Martha accepted that, the easier life would be for everyone.
+8 Points >
As we walked through the halls, Tiffany suddenly squealed and wrapped her arms around me in a spontaneous hug. She whispered a thank you, warm and sincere. I passed little Emma to her with a smile, heart softening at the sight of them.
The Clearwaters were shown to their rooms, but I kept Tiffany and Emma with me. It felt right, protective, and-truthfully-
I enjoyed the company.
Once we settled in, hunger hit hard. Austin brought up a lavish spread, a full-course meal lifted straight from Martha and Vander’s portion of the pantry. He even assured me of it with a wink. That made the food taste even better.
Later, Tiffany nursed Emma, gently burped her, and tucked her in with care. We let the afternoon pass in quiet ease, flipping through movies and trading stories. Our worlds had been so different at the academy-me, toughening up in combat and tactics classes; her, learning the soft skills of homemaking and matehood. Honestly, I used to find those
classes ridiculous. But as she spoke, I saw her pride. Her dream had always been Darian.
It still sounded extreme to me-building your life around a person. But I understood it better now.
“You need something that’s yours, Tiffany,” I said gently, looking at her. “Something that gives you joy and value. For you- not just Darian.”
She nodded, her expression brightening. “We took sewing classes… and I always wanted to go into fashion. When Emma’s a bit older, I want to go to fashion school. Darian and I have talked about it a lot. He’s trying to start a tech
company first-wants to do it on his own, no help from my father. He’s hoping his big brother might support him when the
time comes.”
She looked at me, hopeful. “Could you… maybe put in a word for him?”
I smiled. “Already did. His pitch was solid. Lucian and I talked about it. You don’t need to worry. Lucian would have
supported him without my input. He had made up his mind to do so anyway.”
Her eyes sparkled, and she reached for my hand with gratitude. I never expected Tiffany and I would become… well,
friends. But here we were.
“So we should be careful around Keisha, huh?” she asked casually.
I nodded. “I don’t think she’s outright malicious. But anyone close to Tina? That makes me cautious.”
Just then, her phone rang. She looked down, and her whole face lit up. She didn’t even have to say his name. I knew.
Darian.
She stepped away to answer, cradling the phone to her ear like it was the most precious thing in the room. I turned the
volume down on the TV and smiled to myself. Maybe peace wasn’t a myth-just rare. And maybe, for now, we had a little
slice of it.
I picked up my phone and saw it had been on silent. Several missed calls from Lucian stared back at me, his name lighting up the screen just as I was about to return the call. I let it ring once more before answering-just long enough to steel myself.
“Darling,” I said, trying to sound light, unaffected. But my stomach was tight, my pulse too quick.
“What’s up?” he asked, his voice calm but curious.
“Everything’s fine,” I lied smoothly, keeping my voice steady. I didn’t tell him about the mansion, the move, or Martha’s latest drama. There was no point adding weight to his shoulders-not yet.
He paused, clearly not convinced, but didn’t press me. Instead, he shifted gears and began sharing what he had found
out.
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By the time he was done, I was frozen in place.
The truth hit like a slap.
+8 Points >>
Alpha Vander-his own father-hadn’t lifted a finger for Natasha and her family. The only reason he’d done anythingwas because her cousin had threatened him. He hadn’t acted out of grief, or duty, or even guilt. Just self-preservation.
I felt sick.
Lucian ended the call with a tired goodnight. I whispered mine back and stared at the ceiling for a long time after the
screen went black.
I missed him terribly, but what he’d told me cracked something in my chest. How could a man be so spineless? So cruel? Vander didn’t just fail Lucian-he betrayed Natasha and her entire bloodline. All while letting Martha whisper poison in his ear like a damn puppet master.
Yes, the mate bond was powerful, but it wasn’t supposed to strip someone of their moral compass. And Vander? He’d lost
his completely.
He was a disgrace.
Lucian deserved better than that man’s name. The only thing giving me comfort was that he’d finally found Natasha’s family. Maybe, just maybe, they could start healing-together. Reclaim something that had been stolen from them.
But after hearing it all, I doubted we’d ever get to the bottom of Natasha’s death. If Vander had been that indifferent, that careless, twenty-three years ago… what hope did we have?
Still, one detail wouldn’t let go of me.
Vander married Martha the same year Natasha died.
Sure, he spent two years waging war on Neev afterward, but that didn’t change the timing. Was he already with Martha when Natasha was still alive? Was she a mistress turned replacement?
The thought made my skin crawl.
I decided to keep that question locked away for now-something to bring up with Lucian when he returned. Because if that man had moved on that fast, we weren’t just looking at neglect.
We were looking at betrayal.
And that changes everything.
