To ruin an Omega

Chapter 158: A good name

CIAN

I stepped through the doorway and pulled it shut behind me with more force than necessary. The sound echoed down the hallway, sharp enough to make them both flinch.

“You can carry this dysfunctional family nonsense away from here,” I said. My voice came out flat, controlled. “My mate is trying to rest.”

Joseph’s jaw worked. His face was still flushed, anger simmering just beneath the surface. “About that. I need to see my daughter.”

“I’m sure you heard me say she is trying to rest.”

“So she will neglect her father now?”

The word hung in the air between us. Neglect. As if Fia owed him something after what had happened. As if he had any right to demand her attention while she lay unconscious, healing from wounds his other daughter had inflicted.

I felt something cold settle in my chest.

“Neglect?” I repeated. The word tasted bitter. “Do you even know what that is?”

Joseph swallowed. His throat bobbed visibly. “She is my daughter. You cannot keep me from her.”

“She is unconscious. She cannot see you. And yes, I can.”

“She needs to stop with the dramatics.” His tone shifted, dismissive now. “I know she is not unconscious.”

White hot rage flooded through me so fast it stole my breath. My fingers clenched at my sides, nails biting into my palms hard enough to draw blood. Everything in me wanted to move, to close the distance between us and make him understand exactly how dangerous those words were.

“Are you implying I am lying?”

Joseph held my gaze, stubborn. “I am implying that you are inclined to protect your mate. But what could I even do to her? She is yours and under your protection now.”

“Your presence.” I bit the words out. “Your very presence would destabilize her. I cannot imagine the horror she must have endured being in your household.”

I turned to face Isobel. She stood there with her spine straight, her expression carefully neutral. Too neutral. Like she was bracing for impact.

“Do you even know what your wife did?”

Joseph laughed. The sound was harsh and theatrical, bouncing off the walls. “No. But I’m sure there is a recording since someone now has a tendency to record every conversation instead of talking it out.”

My hands were shaking. I forced them still.

“And you would listen to her?” The question came out quiet, dangerous. “When the mess that was our marriage happened? You didn’t stand by her side. Not once.”

“I might have been trying to avoid a war.” His voice rose defensively. “Given it was a pack as vast and powerful as Skollrend that was offended.”

I moved closer. He didn’t back down, but something flickered in his eyes. Good. He should be afraid.

“What changed now?” I asked. “You suddenly grown wings?”

“My daughter fucked the standing of our pack today.” The words came out bitter, resentful. “Made a fool out of me. We will not hear the end of this for years.”

“You should be grateful a name is all you lose.”

I took another step. We were close enough now that I could see the vein pulsing in his temple, could smell the anger and fear mixing on his skin.

“Because do not forget. Your daughter Hazel laid a hand on my woman. She tried to kill her.” My voice dropped lower. “With a wave of my hand, I can start a war and no one will lift a finger to defend you. I will burn you and your insignificant territory to the ground.”

Joseph’s face paled.

“So whatever spirits you have taken that makes you think you can wag your tongue here, know that being my father in law will not save you. Not anymore.” I let each word land with weight. “I suggest you cool the fuck down and do everything in your power to get spared.”

“Alpha Cian, I apologize on behalf of my husband.”

Isobel’s voice cut through the tension. I turned to look at her, and the disgust must have shown on my face because she took a small step back.

“Shut the fuck up.” The words came out cold. “You snake.”

“Alpha Cian, you are going too far.” Joseph’s voice held a warning note, like he still thought he had any authority here.

“Not far enough.” I looked at Isobel again. “That murderer does not deserve to speak to me.”

“Murderer?” Joseph’s confusion sounded genuine.

“Oh, you don’t know.” I smiled, but there was no humor in it. “Well, let me tell you what your wife had the confidence to say in the full belief that nothing would be done to her. She killed Fia’s mother.”

“No.” The word came out fast, automatic. “Fia’s mother died because she contacted the rot.”

The conviction in his voice stopped me cold. He believed it. Completely, utterly believed what he was saying. There was no hesitation, no doubt. Just absolute certainty in something that was a lie.

It made me reflect. This was how I sounded. This was how I sounded with Aldric. While Fia was certain something was off with him.

Was this what refusing to see what was right in front of me because acknowledging it would mean accepting that someone I trusted could betray me looked like?

Was this how I had sounded?

Huh.

“It is that confidence that you have in her that could make her confess with the goal of hurting Fia, because she knows nothing would be done to her.”

“Alpha Cian, these are cruel accusations.” Isobel’s voice trembled slightly. “I raised Fia. I cohabited her mother Muna as well. If I had cruel intentions, I would have done it a long time ago.”

She took a breath, steadying herself.

“I understand tensions are high for Fia with what my daughter did. But trying to assassinate my character as well is just cruel. I was a mother to her. For a very long time. Why would I do this thing she says I did?”

“It takes everything in me not to break your neck right now.” My hands were shaking again. “But I’ll go through the right routes.”

I turned back to Joseph.

“I want your daughter tried for deception, for murder and for attempted murder.”

“Alpha Cian, Alpha Julius forgave Hazel and trying her is our pack business.” Isobel’s voice had gone sharp, defensive.

“Two of those concern me.” I kept my eyes on Joseph. “She deceived me and she attempted to murder my mate. If Silvercreek will not carry it up, Skollrend will and we are not very forgiving, I promise you that. So burying this, it is out of the question.”

“Alpha Cian, I understand that emotions are high. But this is too much.”

“Too much?” I laughed, and the sound was ugly. “No. You haven’t seen much yet.”

Silence fell. Joseph and Isobel looked at each other. Something passed between them, some wordless communication that I couldn’t read. Then Joseph moved.

His knees hit the floor hard enough that I heard the impact. He bowed his head.

“I am begging you to forgive my daughter.”

The sight of an alpha like him on his knees should have satisfied something in me. Should have felt like victory. Instead it just felt hollow.

“And what is so special about getting on your knees?”

Isobel dropped down beside him. Her face was composed but her hands trembled where they rested on her thighs.

“Nothing.” Her voice was quiet. “But this is all we can do.”

I looked down at them. An Alpha and his Luna on their knees in front of me, begging for mercy they certainly knew they did not deserve. Begging for their daughter who had tried to kill mine.

Fia’s face flashed through my mind. The wound on her throat. The blood. The way she had looked at me with trust even as she struggled to breathe.

My jaw clenched so hard it ached.

But there were other considerations. Practical ones. Starting a war with Silvercreek would be satisfying in the moment and devastating in the long run. Gabriel was still out there. The threats against my pack hadn’t lessened. I needed to be strategic.

I needed leverage. And only the simplest thing came to mind.

“I will let go of the deception charge.” The words came slowly. “But I want something in return.”

Joseph’s head snapped up. Hope flickered across his face, desperate and pathetic.

“What could that be?”

I looked between them, these two people who had raised Fia and failed her so completely. Who had let one daughter torture another under their own roof. Who had the audacity to come here and demand to see her like they had any right.

“I’ll tell you what I want,” I said.