Chapter 138: The Agony
Lethia’s steps grew heavier with every inch closer she took toward the smoke and fire that no longer held her focus.
All eyes in the crowd turned to her, but she kept her gaze locked on the woman kneeling before Lana.
The woman was bowed low in defeat, her body drenched in sweat, her chest rising and falling in shallow gasps as she struggled to breathe.
The skin along her collarbone was still smoking, marked by the cursed silver fire of that forbidden branding iron.
’Terressa...’ Lethia screamed the name in her mind, her breath catching at the thought of the searing pain. No one deserved that kind of branding. Her father had made sure of that. So why...?
As she neared Terressa, a few betas in full wolf form stepped between her and the scene, growling low in warning. But their snarls didn’t make Lethia flinch. She was disgusted.
And just when her feet stalled in helpless frustration, all six of her bodyguards shifted, each transforming into towering wolves, their presence fierce and unwavering as they squared off with Lana’s pathetic betas.
Lethia exhaled in relief at the solid wall of protection around her. Surprisingly, her guards were significantly larger than Lana’s pack, and their growls vibrated with more strength and dominance.
"Ooh well... speak of the devil. Who do we have here? The root of all this chaos." Lana descended from the front porch, striding past her trembling pack like they were nothing more than a decoration.
Despite the forced authority in her tone, she looked a mess with dark circles bruising her eyes, her collarbone more sunken than the last time Lethia had seen her. She’d grown thinner... and worn out.
"What the fuck are you doing?" Lethia’s voice sliced through the air, all traces of pity evaporating from her heart the moment she spoke.