The Alpha’s Dark Revenge

Liyah’s POV

“Stay away from me!!”

The sound of my own voice surprised me but I couldn’t help it. Elyan regarded me with confusion written all over his face.

“Why are you-”

“Just… don’t touch me! Okay? I know the way to the rooms. Just tell me where you want me to clean up.”

The rapid beating of my heart had already started to weaken me. I drew my shirt tighter to me. We were alone in the room. It was dangerous… anything could happen. I felt my chest start to ache as the memories I had been trying to get rid of began to flash through my head.

Instead of the anger I had expected, Elyan backed away from me, muttering an apology and moving to the door. But I wanted him out. Away from me completely. If I was alone no one could hurt me. No one…

Desperate to be able to breathe properly again, I limped past him and outside the door. I felt safer out in the open, but I couldn’t see anyone around. If one of the could hurt me then all of them were capable of the same thing.

When I finally sighted two women walking past, I relaxed. He motioned to the balcony where I was supposed to clean. When I nodded and grabbed the washcloth and bucket that were already laid out, he quietly took his leave. I exhaled deeply, and as I began to wipe the floor, it felt like all the energy had been drained from me.

I wiped the floor absentmindedly, embracing the pain I felt each time I twisted my wrist. At least I was feeling something. I bit my lip to keep from gasping in pain when I tried to raise the bucket up. It was too heavy for my wrist to handle.

As I rounded up on the balcony and slowly began to make my way to the next place I had to clean, I felt a pair of eyes on me. I kept my eyes on the floor, trying my best to ignore it. But I could feel the stare burn through me. My heart leaped when I saw the man who stood a few feet away from me. He was staring at me so intently that I started to feel so bare and exposed.

When I stared back at him I saw that he looked at me with so much confusion, as though he was trying to figure something out. Deciding that I didn’t care, I dragged the bucket into the room and resumed my cleaning.

Nikolai’s POV

I stood in shock when I saw Drew barge into my room and shut the door behind him.Property © NôvelDrama.Org.

“Drew…” I began but trailed off as I saw the expression on his face.

“What is wrong with you?” He asked. I knew that voice; low, calm and dangerous. He usually snapped right after that. I glared at him in response. I really didn’t have time for this.

“What are you talking about?” I barked, my brows furrowing.

He moved closer to me. “You have never done anything whatsoever and not had my support. Every single time, I stick by your side as your Beta and your best friend. But taking advantage of a woman?”

My chest exploded as he said the words and guilt began to dance around in my chest once more. But I didn’t care.

“You have no right to question my authority nor my decisions!” I roared. “And to think you knew what they did to Elle…”

“You know I have always understood your need for revenge, Nikolai. You know that.” His voice was calmer now. “Fuck, what is all this?” He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I just saw the prisoner cleaning one of the rooms and I got a good look at her-”

“I don’t care!” I cut him off. I was tired of everyone taking her side and emphasizing on how bad I was treating her.

There was silence for a while and then he faced me.

“You took the wrong girl.”

I paused mid-sentence. It felt like I had been kicked hard in the chest. From the seriousness on Drew’s face, I knew I had heard correctly.

I staggered back in shock and disbelief. “W-what?”

Drew inhaled sharply. “The woman we were supposed to abduct is Barbara Verbeck. The woman outside that door is Liyah Verbeck.”

No.

No, no, no.

“Liyah is the first daughter of Jonas, from his late wife. Jonas and every other member of the pack completely despise and maltreat her for reasons I’m not quite sure of. She’s basically the servant of the pack. The only person who is nice to her is a nanny of theirs.”

“NO!” I raked my hand through my hair, pacing round the room. It couldn’t be. It wasn’t possible…

“Nikolai,” Drew called out. “It was dark at the festival. You must have mistaken them, they both have the same build, the same kind of hair…”

No. No.

“You’ve had the wrong girl all this time. And it hurts to say this… but they probably didn’t even realize she was gone.”

I tore at my hair. It can’t be. I couldn’t have taken the wrong person. I saw her that night. But I began to fix the pieces of the puzzle. I had been surprised as to how she had changed into that simpler dress the night of the festival. Why hadn’t I seen all of this?

Everything else began to make sense. She was completely different from everything I had heard about her. She was wimpy and innocent…

She had spent weeks here and I hadn’t heard a thing about Jonas threatening fire and brimstone. The day of the meeting… Jonas had seemed so relaxed, like he didn’t have a care in the world. How the fuck had I missed this?

Anger slowly began to replace my shock. I had been duped. The universe was playing pranks on me. All this time I had thought I was getting my revenge on Jonas, I was only ridding him of the burden on his shoulders: the daughter he didn’t love.

“I don’t-I don’t care. S-she’s still his blood… I h-have to get my revenge somehow… Elle… I can’t just-”

“She is a victim, just like you. She’s been abused right from childhood, trying to fit it where she wasn’t needed. And then she was kidnapped, tortured and raped for a crime she didn’t even commit?!”

My heart clenched.

“I understand your need for revenge. But it doesn’t change the fact that I am completely disappointed in you.”

I stared at him in surprise.

“I respect you as the alpha, man. But I’m still your best friend. And if Elle was alive, I’m pretty sure she would be disappointed too.”

I felt rage run through me but before I could say anything he had stormed out, leaving me to my own thoughts.