Chapter 204
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Finished
Lord Duskcliff drew a steadying breath, forcing calm into his voice before asking again, “Then tell me–Tessa didn’t say Riley was the one who harmed her?”
Ronan Duskcliff’s face turned pale. Memories flooded back: the chaos in the hospital, Riley’s desperate attempts to declare her innocence, the confusion in her eyes–her grief as deep as a fresh wound. He had ignored it all, even stopping Tessa from naming Scarlett as the assailant.
That image still throbbed in his chest, and guilt had become a physical ache.
Ronan’s voice emerged fractured and burdensome, every syllable drenched in regret. “No… it wasn’t Riley.”
Lady Duskcliff’s eyes narrowed. “Then who?” she demanded fiercely. “Who had the heart to guide Tessa to the frost? If she hadn’t been strong, she would’ve died!”
Ronan remained silent. He’d grown up beside Scarlett; he knew her well enough to be certain she would never do such a cruel thing. It was more likely Tessa had slipped by accident–Scarlett never intended harm. And as for Riley… what had Riley even gained from confessing? She would have spent five more years behind bars, and yet she bore the weight without complaint.
The truth Ronan buried wasn’t Riley’s silence–it was everyone else’s deception: Kael Vale fabricating evidence, the luna Zara of the Ebonclaw Pack deleting critical footage, Maddox–his own defense attorney–spinning lies, and Ronan himself refusing Riley a chance to speak her truth.
All of them had pushed her into the abyss.
Yet now, he blamed her for refusing to clean that abyss.
“Why won’t you tell us?” Lady Duskcliff shrieked, her voice raw with betrayal.
Ronan stared down at the floor. He couldn’t speak.
Seeing Tessa–a fragile girl, fragile for five long years–held in hospital beds, bits of herself fading after each day… the rage in Lord Duskcliff’s heart boiled over. He lurched forward, slipping his fingers through the irons and grabbing Ronan by the
collar.
“Tell me! Tell the truth–who did this?” Lord Duskcliff demanded, eyes wild with anger.
Ronan’s silence only stoked the flames further.
Then Lord Duskcliff struck. A flurry of blows rained down, each slap branded with the weight of the family’s broken heart.
“You ungrateful pup!” he hissed. “Do you even care about your sister?”
“You know how much your mother and I fought just to keep you alive–ridiculed in the presence of the Duskgrave family- only because of you!”
“Alpha Lucien gave us one day. One day to prove the truth–or the Duskcliff name collapses!”
Lord Duskcliff spat the words through clenched teeth “And you still won’t speak!”
Tears streaked down Lady Duskcliff’s face as she joined her husband, her voice trembling between mourning and pleading “Boman. if you can tell me who did this.. just tell me where Tessa
Ruman lowered tas brad further, grief and shathe clashing in his eyes. Finally, has voice energed ragged and hollos “Tessa. I acat her to jsemite sare tuary in M land”
The wards echoed like a death knell
“Tator Lord Duski spet dropping his son. “Tessa is your blood she wakes aftes Bve your want yous you seat her away! Do you even have a heart!
He stood wer has sun, towering with fury “Yum teed to pray she’s safe Because if anything happen to her it won’t be past
3:55 PM P P •
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the Duskcliff name that dies. It’ll be you.”
Without another word, he turned to Lady Duskcliff.
C
“Come. We go get her. I will look her in the eyes and ask… who dared harm my cub. And they
will pay.”
Send Gifts
Finished
Side by side, Lord and Lady Duskcliff–crossed the courtyard toward the waiting carriage, their rage burning hotter than the forged steel of Stormridge’s pack gates.
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