chapter eight

Camila's POV

My pulse thundered in my ears. I could feel my breath coming too fast, too shallow, but I couldn't stop it.

"No," I whispered, shaking my head. "That's not true."

Nathaniel said nothing.

He just watched me.

Like he was waiting.

Like he knew the moment the truth settled inside me, I would break.

"I would have known," I choked out. "Aiden would have told me. Someone would have—"

Nathaniel's expression darkened. "Aiden?" His voice held something sharp. "The same Aiden who let you be sold? Who sat beside his future mate while you were paraded in front of Alphas like cattle?"

Pain slashed through me.

Because he was right.

Aiden had known. And he had done nothing.

A bitter laugh escaped me. "You expect me to believe you instead? You—who just bought me?"

Nathaniel's jaw ticked, but his voice stayed even. "I didn't buy you, Camila."

I let out a harsh breath. "You bid on me. You won me."

His gaze held mine. "I saved you."

Silence.

The words sat heavy between us.

A part of me wanted to fight it. Wanted to deny it.

But the deeper part of me—the one that had lived in chains, that had felt what it was to be owned—knew the truth.

Nathaniel hadn't just taken me from Silvercrest.

He had taken me from them.

From Alpha Greene. From Aiden. From whoever had stolen my past.

And yet—

He still wasn't telling me everything.

"You say I don't belong to Silvercrest," I whispered. "Then where do I belong?"

Nathaniel's lips parted, but before he could answer—

A voice cut through the air.

"She belongs to me."

Ice flooded my veins.

The sound of approaching footsteps echoed against the stone courtyard. Slow. Measured.

And then—

He stepped forward.

Aiden.

But not just Aiden.

Beside him, Alpha Greene stood, his sharp gaze locked onto me.

And behind them—

A dozen warriors.

Nathaniel stiffened, shifting just enough to block me from view.

But it was too late.

They had come for me.

And this wasn't over.

A cruel smirk curled across Alpha Greene's lips as his sharp gaze swept over me.

"I assume you've been keeping secrets, Nathaniel." His voice dripped with amusement, but the dark glint in his eyes made my stomach churn.

Nathaniel tensed beside me, his grip tightening slightly as if he was preparing for a fight. "Whatever lies you've convinced yourself of, keep them to yourself, Greene. I bought her fairly. She's under my protection now."

Alpha Greene chuckled lowly. "You think you own her, Blackwood? You're mistaken." He took a slow step forward, his gaze burning into me now. "Because I'm not here for her."

The air thickened.

"I'm here for my grandchild."

The world tilted.

My breath hitched in my throat, my body locking in place.

No.

This wasn't happening.

Aiden's expression was unreadable, but the tension in his jaw betrayed him. He was stiff, barely holding himself together.

Nathaniel turned his head slightly toward me, as if expecting me to deny it.

"Camila," he murmured, voice controlled but edged with something sharp. "Is he lying?"

I swallowed hard, the blood rushing in my ears drowning out everything else.

How—?

How did he know?

Did Aiden tell him?

How could Alpha Greene know when I had barely allowed myself to accept it?

I forced my lips to move. "I—I don't—"

"Don't bother denying it." Alpha Greene's voice sliced through me like a knife. "I know my own blood when I scent it." His eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "You carry my heir. My son's child."

My stomach twisted violently.

Aiden's child.

My child.

Nathaniel's fingers twitched at his sides, his entire body rigid as the realization settled in. "That doesn't change anything." His voice was lower now, dangerous. "You sold her. You lost your claim the second the bidding ended."

Alpha Greene's smirk widened. "You really think you can keep my grandchild from me?"

Nathaniel didn't blink. "Try me."

The tension snapped so tight it was suffocating.

Aiden exhaled sharply, stepping forward now, his eyes locked onto me with something unreadable.

His expression darkened, but there was no shock in his eyes. No disbelief.

Because he had already known.

I remembered the night I told him—how his face had gone blank, how the warmth in his eyes had turned ice-cold.

"This isn't happening," he had said.

"You think this will change anything?"

I had begged him to listen, to see me, but he had only looked past me. And then, just like that, he had turned away.

Just like he had now.

I lifted my chin, forcing my voice to stay steady. "You knew."

Aiden stilled.

"You knew, and you didn't care." I let out a breathless laugh, bitter and sharp. "And now you want to act like this matters to you?"

His jaw ticked. "That's not—"

"You left me," I cut in, my voice rising slightly. "You chose her. And now you want to pretend I still belong to you?"

Silence.

Aiden's hands curled into fists at his sides.

Alpha Greene's smirk widened. "Regardless of whatever lover's quarrel you two have, the fact remains—this child is mine by blood." His gaze flicked to Nathaniel. "And I will take them. Whether you like it or not."

Nathaniel didn't hesitate.

"She's mine now," he said flatly, his voice calm but lethal. "And so is everything that comes with her."

The room tensed.

For a moment, Alpha Greene simply studied him, his smirk never wavering. Then, he exhaled slowly. "Careful, Blackwood. You may have bought her today, but wars have been started over less."

Nathaniel's lips curled into something that wasn't quite a smile. "Then I hope you're ready to lose.

Selene's POV

I had been watching from the shadows, silent, seething.

Camila.

The little wolf who had somehow managed to ensnare not just Aiden, but now my brother too.

I should have known she would try something like this. From the moment I first saw her—the quiet, lost girl pretending to be harmless—I had known there was something off about her. Something… dangerous.

And now?

Now, she had bewitched Nathaniel, just like she had bewitched Aiden.

I pushed forward, stepping into the light. "This has gone far enough."

Nathaniel barely spared me a glance, his focus still locked onto Alpha Greene. But Camila—her entire body stiffened.

She turned, her brows furrowing in confusion. Good.

She didn't know yet.

Didn't realize who I was.

I let my lips curl into a smirk, folding my arms as I studied her. "What's wrong, Camila? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Her lips parted slightly. "You…" She swallowed. "You're—"

"Nathaniel's sister." I tilted my head. "Surprised?"

Her confusion flickered into something else—wariness.

She should be afraid.

I took a step closer. "I knew there was something wrong with you from the start. You may have fooled my brother for now, but I see you." My voice dropped to a hiss. "I know exactly what you're doing."

Her eyes flashed, but she didn't speak.

So I smiled. "First, it was Aiden. Now, Nathaniel? What's next? Planning to sink your claws into the entire pack?"

Nathaniel's voice cut through the tension. "Selene."

His tone was sharp. A warning.

I ignored it.

"She's dangerous, Nathaniel," I said, keeping my eyes locked on Camila. "She's bewitching everyone. I won't let her do it to you too."

Camila's expression hardened. "I'm not—"

"Oh, spare me," I snapped. "Sasha told me everything. How you manipulated Aiden. How you pretended to be so sweet and innocent while secretly scheming for more." I took another step forward, my voice low with venom. "You may have my brother wrapped around your little finger for now, but I promise you this—I will make sure you never set foot in Blackwood territory."

Nathaniel let out a slow breath. "Selene."

His voice was quiet.

Deadly.

I turned, meeting his gaze, expecting to find anger.

Instead, there was only ice.

"I bought her," he said smoothly. "She is coming to Blackwood."

I opened my mouth—then snapped it shut.

This wasn't over.

Not by a long shot.