Chapter 238: 238-The Stolen Crown
Clementine:
Silence settled over us after I told them everything about that night. Troy slid away, staring out the window. I knew he was going through a lot, and I truly felt bad for him. He had been so close to becoming a crowned Alpha, and they had stolen that chance from him.
It just showed how unfair it was having too many mates meant some were bound to be neglected, and then things like this happened with the stepmothers. It was heartbreaking.
"Hey man, are you okay?" Haiden finally broke the silence, reaching out to touch Troy’s elbow. Troy turned to look at us. His cheeks were clean now, but it was clear he had shed some serious tears.
"I know they took your chance of becoming Alpha from you that night," Haiden murmured, giving him a sad look.
"No, that’s not the only thing they took from me, Haiden.
"They took my friend from me," Troy finally spoke, his voice shaky.
I stared at his face in disbelief. He was really upset about that. After all that had been done to him, I thought he’d focus on how wrong everyone had treated him.
"When I was upset, I couldn’t even share my worries with my best friend back then," Troy complained as he remembered the aftermath of that night.
"Why didn’t you let her explain herself to you?" Haiden asked.
"Because I was sixteen. I was fucking manipulated by everyone. My mother was crying hysterically, telling me I made a mistake by trusting Clementine. Then the crown was taken away from me. I knew I was going to be sent away to the North. So imagine, all these years when I acted like it was a surprise, I knew it wasn’t. I knew my life ended that day. There could have been no explanation at that time. I just thought maybe she got angry. I had no clue why. I just didn’t want anyone to explain anything to me. I wanted to feel as much pain as possible. I wanted to be alone," Troy explained.
And at that moment, I understood. Our friendship had been used to ruin him. Of course, he couldn’t just come back and act like my friend anymore.
"I know I’m being insensitive," Haiden said, "but one package means the phone. Who were they going to sell Clementine to? Who was this buyer?"
Kudos to Haiden for changing the topic. Suddenly Troy didn’t look as sad. He looked worried. He glanced at me, then back at Haiden.
"Maybe they were just trying to get rid of me so I couldn’t explain myself," I offered, trying to give Haiden a reason. But he shook his head and wagged his finger.
"That couldn’t be. They knew there was nothing you could do to tell anyone anything. They knew nobody would believe you. They were targeting two birds with one stone, but why? Who would want to buy a freaking fifteen-year-old, and for what?" Haiden pressed, making me sink back into my seat, confused.
"And more importantly, who would make such a deal with a seventeen-year-old Messi," Troy added.
And suddenly I started to feel so odd about it.
"I don’t know," I whispered.
Now, we had way too many things to cover. First, the mystery behind Messi and the buyer. Second, why did I have so many mates? And third, what was the deal with the North and the Academy? What were the ringleaders hiding?
With all that in mind, we finally reached Yorick’s place. It was a small cabin, and what confused me more was that none of his pack members seemed to be around. There was nobody outside, and the other cabins were locked.
The weather was turning bad too. As we followed the lurker toward the cabin, we noticed the sky darkening, looking like a storm was about to settle in. It made me wonder if we were going to stay here longer than planned.
I stepped ahead and knocked on the door, waiting for someone to respond. When it opened, I straightened immediately. It was none other than Lady Rimi.
Lady Rimi was a scientist and doctor, well known for her brilliant work alongside her husband, Jill. But all I remembered about her was how creepy she’d always seemed.
She had a smile on her face when she opened the door, but it faded almost instantly. The look in her eyes was nothing but disdain.
"What are you doing here?" she demanded, not even noticing the lurker or the others behind me.
"I was sent by the Headmaster to fetch Yorick. We have to go back to the Academy," I explained.
Her eyebrows scrunched together, and her face darkened with anger.
"What? Who are you to decide when he should return? Doesn’t he have two weeks before he’s called back?" she snapped, placing her hands on her waist. Her eyes narrowed at me.
I froze, awkward and unsure how to respond under her sharp gaze.
"Actually, there’s been an issue, which is why our squad was called back," Haiden intervened quickly, stepping forward with Troy. They positioned themselves slightly in front of me, shielding me from her glare, and I was grateful they did.
"Oh, you must be Alpha Haiden and Alpha Troy," she said, her tone changing immediately. "I’ve heard so many things about you two."
"Hello, Miss!" Haiden greeted awkwardly.
"Yes, congratulations on taking revenge for your mother’s and sister’s killers," Rimi said before turning to Troy. "And all that nonsense spread on social media about you, I feel sorry for you. You were just a child. Children make mistakes."
I clenched my fists and closed my eyes. She couldn’t see me behind them, but I felt deeply embarrassed for Troy. I noticed the way he pinched his fingers together, trying to stay calm.
"It’s alright. It was in the past," Troy said confidently.
Peering over Haiden’s shoulder, I noticed her smile waver. I guess she wanted Troy to look broken and defeated, but when he stood tall instead, she didn’t like it.
"Anyway, come in. He’ll be so excited to see you. And my mate will be thrilled to see Clementine," she said, her tone shifting as Troy and Haiden walked in. Then she looked at me, and it gave me goosebumps.
What the fuck did she mean by that?