Chapter 78
As soon as Riley spoke, the Dean’s entire body tensed. Her hand, already outstretched toward the emergency summoning rune, froze midair.
Finished
Alaric, seeing the Dean flustered, stepped forward with a glint of concern in his eyes. He stormed toward Riley, grabbing her arm roughly. “You insolent girl! Haven’t you made enough of a disgrace of yourself today? Get out of here–now!”
Riley yanked her arm free, her eyes blazing with fury. “You want to talk disgrace? You and Zara have spent five years protecting Scarlett–an adopted daughter–while your true–born daughter rotted in a prison cell for a crime she didn’t commit. If you two aren’t ashamed, why should I be afraid? Today, I’m taking justice
back!”
“You—!” Alaric’s face turned a dangerous shade of red, but under Riley’s determined gaze, he found himself helpless.
Zara, visibly shaken, pleaded with tears in her eyes, “Riley, enough, please. Can we just go home and talk about this? There’s no need to keep making a scene.”
Riley turned toward her mother with ice in her stare. “Home? So you can bury the evidence and protect Scarlett again?”
“You really are a pair of perfect parents–so devoted to your foster daughter, terrified she might suffer the consequences of her crimes. But your real daughter? You never feared my pain.”
With each bitter word, Alaric’s face grew darker, while Zara had already burst into full sobs, barely able to stay upright.
“Riley, no! You’re my daughter–I carried you for ten moons! I would never want you to suffer. Everything I did… it was for your own good!”
For her own good? Riley almost laughed.
“For my good, you let me rot in prison? You let them take everything from me while you stood silent?”
“I’ve carried the blame for five years,” she said through gritted teeth. “All I want is for Tessa to speak the truth–finally. And if you really care about me, Luna Zara, you’ll stop protecting the one who did this.”
Alaric and Zara fell silent, shame silencing their protests.
They knew the truth.
Alaric had seen Scarlett lead Tessa into the Black Forest that day.
Zara had seen the surveillance stone, watched Scarlett abandon Tessa as the rogues closed in.
Back then, Riley had no proof. Her cries for justice had fallen on deaf ears.
But now Tessa, the victim herself, had awakened. And Riley would never let this chance slip through her fingers.
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The Dean watched the rising panic in Scarlett’s eyes and nearly trembled from the sight. Her heart broke for her. But Riley’s unrelenting pressure sent the Dean into a cold fury. She pointed a sharp, trembling finger. “If you don’t stop this madness, I will call the Pack Enforcement Bureau!”
Riley let out a chilling laugh. “Oh, please do. That way I can tear off the mask of your precious Scarlett in front of the enforcers.”
Of course, the Dean had no real intention of involving the Bureau. She grit her teeth, eyes full of venom.
Something about the Dean’s behavior gnawed at Riley.
But now wasn’t the time to dig deeper. All that mattered was clearing her name.
Riley stepped forward. “Well? You said you’d call them. What are you waiting for?”
The Dean hesitated, clearly trapped.
Riley pulled out her communication rune–a slick, silver Howler Stone embedded with the sigil of the Northern High Council. “If you won’t call them, I will. After five years, it’s about damn time we bring the truth into daylight.”
She lifted the stone, ready to summon the enforcers.
But a large hand suddenly slammed into hers, knocking the stone from her grip. It shattered on the floor with a piercing crack.
Before Riley could react, the same hand struck her across the face–hard enough to send her flying into Tessa’s bed.
Pain exploded through her cheek, her ears ringing.
“You disgraceful child!” Alaric roared like a furious Alpha. “Is dragging the Ebonclaw name through the dirt the only way you’ll be satisfied?!”
He raised his hand again, eyes wild, fists trembling with rage.
Riley couldn’t focus on him–her gaze shot immediately to Tessa.
Tessa had just awakened from years as a soul–trapped shell. She was already frail. Riley’s fall had jostled the bed–and worse, struck Tessa.
She had collapsed, unconscious again.
“Tessa! Tessa!” Riley’s voice cracked with panic as she reached for her. “Don’t do this, please–just hold on a little longer!”
If Tessa didn’t name Scarlett now, it might never happen. And without that, Riley’s truth would vanish again.
Alaric, Zara, Kael, even Maddox and the Dean–they all let out small sighs of relief.
But Ronan was the first to act. He shoved Riley aside and rushed to Tessa’s bedside.
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“Tessa–wake up! Come on, little moon, don’t scare your big brother like this!”
He shook her gently, his voice cracking. But no matter how he called, Tessa didn’t respond.
Pain contorted Ronan’s face. Then he turned to Riley with eyes full of blame and fury.
“This is all your fault,” he growled. “If you hadn’t kept pushing–if you hadn’t dragged this out–Tessa wouldn’t have collapsed! If anything happens to her, I swear I’ll make you pay.”
But Riley didn’t hear him.
L
Her hands were trembling, tears blurring her vision.
Because this time–it wasn’t just about vengeance.
It was about truth.
And the truth had just passed out in her arms.