Chapter 17: Ava's Revenge

Ava's POV

I sat in the dark inner room of my hideout, gripping the edges of a wooden table while staring at the parchment before me. It held information I was never meant to know, secrets that could shake everything. My heart raced as my head spun over what to do next.

Hailey was gaining power, slowly but surely, and that meant trouble for me. I had underestimated her one time too many, thinking that throwing her out of the pack would brand her as dead. But no—she came back, and even worse she had Vickson's children. Four of them. An unbreakable bloodline. And now she was declared the rightful Luna. The rightful Alpha.

Fists of my fingers. That was the pose, mine for always.

I had spent my whole life fighting to get to the top, and yet Hailey-the Meek, worthless omega destined to serve me-had somehow defied fate and risen above me.

Not for long.

I pressed my lips together, fighting the rage that froth beneath my skin. Rage wouldn't help anything. Strategy would.

A gentle knock on the door brought me back from my thoughts. One of my informers entered, bowing his head in submission.

"My Lady," he whispered, "we found something… unsettling."

I straightened in my seat. "Speak."

He paused for a moment and then gingerly placed a small, blood- stained dagger on the table. I held my breath at the sight of it.

"This was found near the eastern borders of the pack," he continued. "It carries a strange scent… one we have not encountered before. We believe someone has infiltrated the territory."

A slow smile spread across my lips. "Interesting."

Someone moved in the shadows, disturbing the equilibrium. Perhaps a new player had entered the game. Or maybe an opportunity had just fallen into my lap.

I picked up the dagger, tracing the dry blood with my fingers. My mind raced through possibilities. Whoever this was, a serious mistake had been made. Or perhaps they had just become my greatest asset.

I needed some kind of leverage. Something that would keep Hailey and Vickson busy long enough for me to make my move. And if this mystery person was causing enough disruption, then perhaps I could tip the scales in my favor.

I turned back to my spy, icy and precise. "Discover whatever you can. Whoever they are, I want to know every step they take."

The spy nodded and melted into the shadows, leaving me all alone again.

I walked up and down the dark room, scratching my palms with my nails. Each moment dragged on forever waiting for word, any word that would turn things back in my favor. That room had the duSt of burnt candles and the old, musky smell of worn wood--far from the comforts I once knew.

I had become so defeated hiding in the shadows, plotting like some desperate rogue. The humiliation was just unbearable. I was Ava Vexwood, the rightful Luna of this pack, not some forsaken afterthought. But everyone had turned against me Vickson, Emilia, even my mother couldn't protect me anymore. All that it resulted in was clenching my hands into fists at the thought of Hailey. That wretched woman had stolen everything from me. But I wasn't finished yet. Not yet.

A single sharp knock at the door was enough to stop me and bring me back. I turned around and felt my pulse quicken. "Enter" , I said.

The door creaked open, and Rhyker stepped into my cramped hideout. He was the last ally left in this damned survival game. His dark eyes flickered with doubt, but he was loyal, as he had to be—he owed me his life.

"Well?" I demanded, stepping forward, "What did you find?"

He paused and rubbed the back of his neck. Finally, he drew a scrunched piece of parchment from his pocket. "It's worse than we thought," he said. "Hailey is taking charge of the pack. She's forging alliances, building her warriors and the elders are fully behind her now."

My stomach twisted. This was happening too fast. "And Vickson?"

Rhyker's jaw tightened at the words. "The guy is standing next to her. Guarding her. It's almost like he's never even glanced in your direction before."

I had bitten the inside of my cheek hard enough to taste blood. Of course, she did. Hailey had her claws in him deeper than I'd ever imagined. But love was susceptible to manipulation. Love could be wounded. And if Vickson wouldn't yield to my allure, then I'd ensure he cursed every decision that distanced him from me.

I took the scroll from Rhyker's clutch and read the words. My brain raced like crazy. If Hailey was building her grip, then I had to do something quick. I needed some leverage- anything that would rattle her foundations to the core.

A slow, wicked smile curled my lips as a thought dawned on me. One thing Hailey feared the most was losing those precious children of hers.

I turned to Rhyker, my voice dangerously calm. "Get me someone who can do what you can't," I said. "We're going to take the one thing she holds most dear."

Rhyker hesitated. "You mean… the quadruplets?"

I breathed out slowly, allowing the full implications of my plan to hang in the air. "Yes, If I can't have what I want neither will she"

The room was quiet except for the flickering of the candlelight. There was no way back along the path I was taking but that didn't matter anymore. If I was going to go down then Hailey would go down with me.

 Hailey's POV

The moon was high in the midnight sky, yet its pale light seemed to flicker over the hushed hallways of Vickson's estate. The night pressed on my chest as I walked, and a dreaded whisper in my head told me that some sort of confrontation was coming—inevitable, unavoidable.

Resting had hardly been easy since Vickson spilled what Ava had done. The treachery, the falsehoods, the hatred she had for me were all deeper than I had ever realized. And knowing she was lurking around waiting for her next move made my whole body tense.