Caden’s POV
She stayed on the floor for a mont, coughing and trying to steady her breathing after I released her throat, and for a second I thought maybe she would understand the situation she was in and keep quiet and leave.
But Daphne had never been that kind of person. I know too well.
Slowly, she pushed herself up to her feet, her hand brushing against her neck as if she could still feel my grip there. Her eyes lifted to et mine, and the shock that had been there a few seconds ago started fading away.
It was replaced by sothing else.
Stubbornness. Defiance. Challenge.
And that sa twisted confidence that had been growing in her over the years.
She shook her head once, like she had already made up her mind.
"I’m not leaving," she said.
Her voice was firm, not even a hint of hesitation in it.
I stared at her, not sure if I heard her right.
"What did you just say?" I asked slowly.
"I said I’m not leaving," she repeated, this ti louder, her chin lifting slightly like she was challenging .
"I can’t leave," she continued. "This is my father’s pack."
My jaw tightened imdiately.
"Do not test , Daphne," I said, my voice dropping into sothing colder.
"I am not asking you," I added. "I am telling you."
But she didn’t back down. Not even a little.
Her lips curved slightly, not into a smile, but into sothing that looked almost mocking.
"You think you can just throw out like that?" she asked.
"Yes," I replied without hesitation.
Her eyes flickered for a mont, like she wasn’t expecting that answer to co so easily.
"This pack belongs to all of us," she continued, her tone rising now. "You don’t get to decide that I don’t belong here anymore just because you suddenly feel like playing judge."
I let out a short breath, trying to control the anger rising inside .
"Playing judge?" I repeated. "You’re the one who decided to start killing people and working with enemies, and you think I’m the problem here?"
She rolled her eyes slightly, like she didn’t take that seriously.
"You don’t understand anything," she muttered.
"Then make understand," I snapped imdiately. "Because right now, all I see is soone who betrayed her own family."
Her expression hardened.
"Family?" she echoed, her voice filled with bitterness. "You only rember that word when it suits you."
"That’s enough," I said sharply.
"No, it’s not enough," she shot back. "You don’t get to stand there and act like you’re better than when all of you are just as guilty."
My patience was running thin.
"You’re crossing a line," I warned.
"And what are you going to do about it?" she asked.
The way she said it made it clear she wasn’t afraid of anything.
I took a step closer to her.
"You’re leaving," I repeated, slower this ti, making sure she understood every word.
"By morning, you won’t be here anymore."
She stared at .
Then suddenly, she laughed.
Not loudly. But enough to make sothing twist in my chest.
"You really think it’s that simple?" she asked.
"It is," I replied.
She shook her head again, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"No, Caden," she said. "It’s not."
There was sothing in her tone now.
Sothing different. Sothing that made pause.
"What are you talking about?" I asked.
She tilted her head slightly, studying my face like she was looking for sothing.
"If you want to leave," she said slowly, "then Gunnar should leave too."
My brows furrowed imdiately. "What?" I asked.
Her lips curved slightly again, but this ti it wasn’t mocking.
It was knowing.
"What are you talking about?" I repeated, my voice sharper now.
She didn’t answer imdiately. Instead, she took a small step closer, her eyes locked onto mine.
"You heard very well, Caden," she said quietly. "If I don’t belong here, then neither does he."
My heart started beating faster, not from fear, but from sothing else.
Sothing that felt wrong.
"You’re not making any sense," I said.
"Oh, I’m making perfect sense," she replied.
"No, you’re not," I snapped. "Gunnar has nothing to do with this, so stop trying to drag him into your ridiculous ss."
She let out a small breath, almost like she was amused.
"You really don’t know, do you?" she asked.
Sothing about the way she said that made my chest tighten.
"Know what?" I demanded.
She looked at for a mont longer.
Then she spoke.
"Because Gunnar is not Sebastian’s true son."
The words hit instantly.
Hard.
I froze.
For a second, I wasn’t even sure I heard her correctly.
"What?" I asked, my voice lower now.
She didn’t look away.
"Your dear mother Luna didn’t conceive him with Sebastian," she continued calmly. "She had him with another man."
My mind went blank for a second.
"That’s not funny," I said imdiately.
"I’m not joking," she replied.
Anger flared up instantly.
"Watch what you say," I warned, my voice turning dangerous again.
But she didn’t stop. "You all know it, including you Caden, don’t pretend," she said.
I stared at her.
"Are you insane?" I asked again.
"You heard ," she said. "You all know it."
My fists clenched tightly at my sides.
"You’re trying to lie your way out of leaving," I said.
"You really think so?" she asked quietly.
Her eyes didn’t waver. Not even for a second.
"And you know what makes it even worse?" she added.
I didn’t respond.
Because I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear anything else.
She smiled slightly."He’s not even a full wolf, Sapphire knew this, I guess that was why he murdered her with the excuse of poisoning her daughter!" she snapped , her voice loud as if she wanted anyone that was passing by to hear it.
Just then, I stepped closer towards her "Daphne, you will do well in keeping your mouth shut or I do it for you"
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