A few days passed, and I was feeling much better. My ankle was still tender, but I could move around the house with little difficulty. Harlan, after making sure I was comfortable and didn’t need anything, finally left to attend a pack meeting that required his presence.
The house felt quieter without him, and I decided to spend some time in the library. The shelves were slightly disorganized, and I thought arranging the books might help distract my restless mind.
I was reaching up to place a leather-bound book back on the shelf when I heard the door creak open behind me. I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was; the faint scent of roses and the sharp click of her heels were unignorable.
“Anya,” Lila’s voice came, sickly sweet but laced with venom.
I glanced over my shoulder. “Lila.”
She stepped inside, her arms crossed as she leaned casually against the nearest bookshelf. “You seem to be recovering well,” she said, “It’s impressive how quickly you’ve managed to bounce back. Harlan must be relieved.”
I turned back to the books, unwilling to engage. “Is there something you need, Lila?”
She chuckled as she walked closer. “Need? No. I was just wondering how it feels to have Harlan’s attention only because you got yourself injured. Must be nice having someone dote on you all the time.”
I froze for a moment but kept my focus on the books. “Harlan is my mate. Of course, he’d care for me.”
She laugh. “Your chosen mate,” she corrected,“But I wonder… how long will that last? Harlan’s a man of duty, Anya. He’s devoted, yes, but for how long can he ignore the… incompatibilities?”
I placed a book down carefully, my patience starting to fray. “What are you trying to say, Lila?”
She smirked, stepping closer. “I’m saying you don’t fit into his world as well as you think you do. You’re clinging to a man who deserves someone who matches him…someone like me.”
“You’re wasting your time, Lila. Harlan chose me. And no amount of scheming or petty comments will change that.”
“Scheming?” she asked,. “Oh no, I don’t need to scheme, Anya. I’m simply stating the obvious. Harlan doesn’t look at you the way he used to. And honestly, I can’t blame him. You’re... distracted, aren’t you? Thinking about someone else, maybe?”
My heart skipped a beat, and I turned to face her fully, my anger rising. “Enough, Lila.”
But she didn’t stop. She stepped closer, “Don’t think I haven’t noticed. You’re restless, uneasy. And why is that, Anya? Is it because of him? Because of the way Kael…”
“Don’t,” I snapped,
“Oh, I hit a nerve, didn’t I? Poor Anya, torn between her chosen mate and the one her wolf truly wants. Does Harlan know? Or are you planning to keep playing the perfect little mate while your thoughts betray him?”
My wolf stirred, her growl rumbling in the back of my mind. I took a step forward, narrowing the distance between us. “You don’t know anything about me, Lila. And if you value your place in this pack, I suggest you stop pushing me.”
She raised an eyebrow, “Or what?”
I leaned closer, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “Or you’ll find out exactly what happens when someone crosses me.”
“You think you can scare me?” she said. “You’re nothing, Anya. Just a placeholder. And sooner or later, Harlan will see that when I tell him the truth about kael.”
I straightened, my anger simmering just below the surface. My patience finally snapping as Lila continued to provoke me. Her words felt like daggers, and every part of me wanted to scream at her to leave. But when she mentioned Kael, something inside me broke.
Before I even realized what I was doing, I lunged at her, my hands gripping her shoulders and slamming her into the nearest wall. The force of the impact rattled the shelves, and Lila gasped in shock, her eyes wide with fear. I held her there, my fingers tightening around her neck, lifting her off the ground slightly as my wolf roared within me, demanding control.
“You don’t get to talk about him,” I hissed, “You don’t know anything about me, Lila. And if you ever try to come for what’s mine again, I will make you regret it.”
Her hands scrambled at my wrist, gasping for breath, but I didn’t let go. My gaze was locked on hers, my anger boiling over.
“You… you’re crazy,” she choked out, “You can’t…”
