We're actually at chapter 40! Thank you so much if you're still reading at this point♡

Thank you all for 4k. I don't know if it's true or not but that's what it says and I'm completely blank. Thank you all for consistently reading and even though most of you are silent readers I still appreciate you for reading my book, so much more than you know. So for everyone reading this, thank you so much for giving my book a shot!♡

I walked into Evander's office, exhausted after my swim in the pool. I wouldn't doubt it if I fall asleep within the next minute.

It's been too long of ignoring Evander and after everything that happened with William at the hospital, I needed to talk to him. He immediately pushed off the chair when I entered, I opened my mouth to say something when the door shut behind me.

William stalked past me, walking up to Evander. "Will, what are you doing?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.

He said nothing. Evander's hands were folded across his chest as he emotionally stared at him. William pulled his hand back only to swing his arm with much force, punching Evander in the jaw making his head tip back.

"William! What the bloody hell!" I scream, bolting between them. "He deserved it, you know it," William told me, glaring at Evander.

"He didn't do you shit!" I defended, wanting to turn around and make sure Evander was alright. "But he did to you, and I know it! He had a fricken fake mate, he marked and fucked her! I'm shocked he didn't screw her over with a child!" William shouted.

"Will, you need to calm down," I advised.

"No, what I want to know is why you went back to that piece of shit!" He shouted back. "I'll tell you another time, you should calm down because I'm not telling you anything," I declared.

William's eyes finally snapped to me and I almost shudder at the power surging out of his body. He sighed, looking down at his shoes with his hands unclenching. "I need to go see Ev," he mumbled, turning around and storming out of the room.

A sigh leaves my lips as he left and I finally turned around to see Evander who was still "So you take punches now?" I tried to lighten up the mood. My thumb raised to swipe away the drips of blood on his jaw. The small gash that William left behind was already healed.

"I guess so," he whispered, casting his eyes down on me. "I really fucked up with Iris and I don't deserve you at all," he says, holding my hand to his cheek.

"You're right," my jaw clenching. "Why didn't you tell me that Mikey was there? Why was he holding you like that?" He asked, his questions blurting out with impatience. "You're mine," he added softly. So soft that I barely heard him. "Because I didn't want to distract you from handling those rogues and he was just saving me from falling," I defended myself.

"You told Iris about us, she knew all along, didn't she?" How could Iris continue to play everyone knowing that Evander had a mate and was hurting her?

"No, I didn't, I promise. I only told her the night she was leaving and she literally punched me three times while shouting at me in Italian," a grin broke out on his face as he told me.

"Thank God," I sighed, leaning into him further. Evander's hand brushed down my sides before they wrap around me and he pulled me into a hug which I returned. "Since when William know?" He asked and frowned at how terrible I went down. William and I can never be mature enough to have an important conversation.

"Since I told him that I'm not going home earlier today," I answered. That grabbed his attention, pulling him back. "What? You're staying here?" He shockingly asked.

"Yeah, my dad lives outside this pack and I don't know my other family. Do you want me to leave? Because I can live with my father," I answered. I don't know what it would be like living with a bunch of vampires but I'm sure I can make something work.

I can't go back to my mother and her mate. I just can't. Knowing what they did to my father, I can't.

"Definitely not, you're sleeping in this house and you're staying with me," he answered. My shoulders sagged in relief and in response his arms tightened around me. "So I'm your prisoner now?" I asked, my eyebrow playfully raising at him.

"If that means that I can have you forever then yes, even if it means I have to chain you to my bed."

I don't think I'd ever had a problem with that.

_♤_

"Are you okay?" Renee asked as we grabbed our suitcases from the trunk.

It was the next day after William punched Evander. After having a long conversation with my father on the phone I decided to confirm my leave and approach my parents. After declining Evander's request to join me ten times, we finally made it home.

Home.

This pack was my home.

Shaking away the sad thoughts, I thought of a reply to Renee's question. I decided on being a good girl and carried William's suitcase out for him since his arms were holding a sleeping Everest.

"Yeah, just angry," I mumbled. Before leaving for the Blue Lilac pack I sent a selfie of my father and me to my mother but she just opened the message and never replied. I wonder how she feeling, knowing I caught up to her lie.

"Angry about what?" She hummed. I sighed, turning to her. "You'll find out," I brushed her off before walking into the castle.

As expected, my mother and Joseph were sitting around the small coffee table in the hall. They froze upon seeing me and I spread a wide and fake smile across my face. The previous king and queen are currently on vacation with the previous gammas. My parents got back early and they were the only ones in the castle before we returned.

"There are the filthy bastards!" I happily cheered, leaving the suitcases as I walked into the room. "Honey, we can explain," my mother tried to bargain but I wasn't going to allow any of it. She obviously knew what I was angry about since I sent her the picture.

"Explain what? That you both had an innocent man in a cell for twenty years?" I suggested, getting right to the point. "And I wouldn't put it past you that you knew Shawn was going to experiment on him," I added, mentioning Evander's father's name.

Their eyes widened, proving my point even further. I shut my eyes, calming down myself, and White. I told myself I was willing to give them a chance to explain.

"You both better have a damn well reason for this because there is nothing holding me back to this pack anymore," I spit out. That was a lie. In this pack, I had my family like Renee and Ethan, even William. Also, the hospital that I worked in and loved. I knew this pack grounds like the back of my hand and my childhood memories were scattered all around the pack.

"What do you mean? You can't think that you can just leave this pack, I won't allow it," my mother snapped with worried and guilty eyes.

"Yes I can, isn't that right, William?" I turn my head to see William standing behind me where I left his suitcase. I felt his presence behind me since I started talking. Jayden and Renee were also standing next to him, none of them knowing what the hell was going on.

"Yes, you do," he answered and I turned back to my parents with a sarcastic smile. I was beyond relieved that William agreed after everything. I suppose it's because he heard everything that was just said. "So you both have three minutes to tell me why you lied to me and held a man captive in a cell for twenty years," I spoke.

"He was only going to try to come between us, your mother knew she didn't love him anymore when I came along and he was a vampire. It was obvious he was going to come between us," Joseph spoke. I was about to speak when my mother spoke. She sighed first. "We didn't tell you because I didn't want him back in my life and if I told you he was alive then that would raise questions that we didn't want to answer.

"You took my father away from me for selfish reasons! You two don't even deserve me or Jay!" I scream at them. "My father is alive! Didn't it bother you? That you all lied to me and said that my father was dead for twenty years?!" I continued, forbidding myself to cry but the tears were stinging my eyes, threatening to unleash against my will.

"Rie," I felt like all the anger and sadness just left my body with that one word from the soothing voice I needed to hear the most right now.

How he was here was beyond my knowledge.

Leaning into my touch, I let out a small sigh of relief. Yet, I was still angry. I had so much anger towards the two people I called my parents. "I'll be leaving, today. There is nothing you can say or do because it's already decided. If you want to speak to me you would have to reach my father's phone first," I stated.

Evander and I turned around to see everyone staring at us. By everyone, I meant Renee, Will, and Jayden. We both just stood there, my parents remained silent behind us.

Jayden was the first to walk forward, I was cautiously staring at him. His eyes were stained with glassy tears but he seemed ghosted. Jayden fisted his hand strongly before thrusting it into Evander's jaw.

•

ruthless deception

(BTW this was before I changed the title and I'm too lazy to remake them lol)