Chapter 5

Elena's POV

I could feel Richard's gaze burning into me, but I refused to meet his eyes. My heart pounded in my chest, but I kept my expression calm.

"Principal Morris, Mr. Blackwood needs to speak with Ms. Winter privately. You and I should step outside," Richard's assistant Ethan said.

Ethan was the Beta of the pack, Richard's right-hand man. During my pregnancy, he had been the one who kept me updated on Richard's activities. I was grateful to him for that.

"I think there's a misunderstanding. I don't know you," I said when the door closed.

"Elena." His voice hit me like a physical blow, filled with barely controlled rage.

"You've got the wrong person. I need to prepare for my class," I said, turning to leave.

In an instant, he was behind me. He grabbed my wrist, spinning me around and pushing me roughly against the door. The wooden door frame creaked from the impact.

Richard's face was inches from mine, his eyes shifting from brown to gold. His hand gripped my throat.

"Elena Winter," he growled. "Are you playing games with me?"

I met his gaze unflinchingly. His grip tightened, but I didn't struggle. "Six years. For six whole years you've been alive. Were you playing hide and seek with me?"

"Today you can either... kill me again, or someday... you'll die by my hand," I whispered, my voice ice cold despite the pressure on my throat.

Ethan rushed in. "Alpha! Stop! She's the Luna of the pack—your mate!"

Richard's hand loosened, his eyes flickering with conflicting emotions.

I slid down the door, clutching my chest and taking deep breaths.

"Get out," he told Ethan. "Now."

He hesitated for a moment, then left, closing the door behind him.

Richard sat back down. "I'm giving you one chance to tell me what happened six years ago. Tell me the truth."

I laughed, the sound hollow. "The truth? You came back with your mistress while I was in labor. I think that says everything about what our marriage meant to you."

"You champion your freedom to love whoever you want, but what about me? I nearly died giving birth to your child, and I didn't even have the right to live?" I continued.

His jaw tightened, his eyes fixed on me, seemingly filled with anger. But he didn't say a word.

"Besides, my fake death actually worked out perfectly for your great love story, didn't it? You kept saying you wanted to marry Victoria, so my becoming a widow made it convenient for you to marry her, right?" I taunted again.

The old me would have been meek and accommodating around him, always thinking of his needs first. But I wasn't that person anymore. All I felt for him now was bitterness and contempt.

"Get her out of here and back to the lodge. Now," Richard's voice was ice cold.

Two men in black suits appeared beside me. One gripped my elbow, restraining me.

"Let go of me," I hissed. "You have no right to do this."

"Legally, you're still my wife," Richard answered. "Your death certificate will be revoked by the end of today."

As they escorted me through the hallway, I struggled, not caring who saw. "This is kidnapping!"

"This is a family matter," he replied calmly.

I was half-dragged, half-marched to a waiting black car. They pushed me inside.

As he slid into the seat beside me, I spat, "Where are you taking me? Are you insane? You were the one who wished I didn't exist, so why are you bringing me back now?"

He didn't answer, just stared straight ahead, jaw clenched.

Soon I was brought to the hotel. We walked through the lobby and into a private elevator that required a keycard.

"I can walk on my own," I snapped, shaking off the guard's hand as the elevator doors closed.

When the elevator opened, we stepped into a massive penthouse suite. Floor-to-ceiling windows showcased the mountains, but I was in no mood to appreciate the view. My attention was caught by the small figure standing in the center of the room.

Kathy.

My heart stopped. I was seeing my daughter again—so close I could touch her.

"You're late," she said to Richard. "Thirty-eight minutes late. Reading time is canceled."

Her demeanor was so similar to his. The same imperious tone, the same lifted chin.

Richard's face softened in a way I hadn't seen in years. "I'm sorry, baby. I had an unexpected meeting."

Her eyes slid to me. "Why did you bring the school teacher here?"

Richard hesitated, just for a moment. "An old friend."

An old friend? I bit my tongue so hard I tasted blood.

Richard nodded to Ethan. "Take Kathy for dinner."

"Yes, sir."

As Ethan led Kathy away, I caught a glimpse of her small, thin wrists. She looked fragile. My heart ached. Was she ill? Had he taken good care of her?

When we were alone, Richard turned to me.

"An old friend?" I said before he could speak. "Is that what I am to you now, Richard?"

"What would you prefer I tell her? That you're the mother who abandoned her?"

"I didn't abandon her!"

"You left her," he said flatly. "You left her and pretended to be dead for six years."

"I want to see her," I demanded. "She's my daughter."

Richard's laugh was cold. "Your daughter? No, Elena. She stopped being your daughter the day you walked away. Her mother is dead—there's still a headstone in the family cemetery with your name on it."

I couldn't refute a word of what he said.

Yes, to my daughter, I was dead. If I were to reveal myself to her now, how would I explain? By saying I hadn't actually died, but just didn't want her back then?

I bit down hard on my lip.

He saw my hesitation, and his mockery deepened. "Remembered now? Still want me to tell her that you're her mommy?"

My hands clenched tighter.

"What do you want?" I asked, keeping my emotions in check.

"Don't you know? Elena, for five years after your fake death, you just disappeared. Do you know how many people were heartbroken? Have you forgotten about those who cared about you, what they went through because of your 'death'?"

His words hit my heart like a sledgehammer.

How could I forget?

His parents were truly good to me, so very good. Even though he didn't like me or approve of our marriage, his parents loved me like a daughter.

And then there were Mason and Cinda's family. After the battle with other packs, when my father and mother died shortly after from severe injuries, Mason took over the pack, and they always took care of me.

But later, I repaid them with a fake death.

"This was all because of you!" I said angrily.

"Don't push all the responsibility onto me. If you hadn't agreed to this marriage in the first place, would any of this have happened? No one forced you to marry me!"

"Yes, no one forced me. I was too stupid to marry you, to marry a bastard like you. Are you satisfied now? I ruined my entire life, are you satisfied? Get out!"

I lost control, grabbing something nearby and hurling it hard at this bastard, and finally, the tears came.

He froze for a moment.

I guess he hadn't expected me to lose control so suddenly.

"Like it or not, I'm taking you back."

With that, he turned and walked out of the suite, leaving two guys to keep watch.