Chapter 110
Steven looked up at Candido then down to me.
“Should I think have you put back in a jail cell for consorting with someone with known vampire ties?" Candido asked. “I don’t punish people for being born to criminals.”
He flinched. “It’s not like that. I mean I can’t be sure if—”
“So, now you’re going to lie to me?” Candido asked. “Which part is a lie?”
He flushed. “No, you’re accusing me—”
“You attempted to play a card you don’t have the right to play,” Candido growled.
“I’d like to talk to Hedy in private.”
“You have no reason to speak to my pack member in private,” Candido said.
“She’s my—”
“It’s fine,” I said and looked up at Candido. He didn’t look like he wanted to agree before I looked back at Steven. “But I’m not speaking to another pack’s leader without my alpha present.”
He growled. “This has gone on far enough! You’ve already caused so much trouble for my pack and now you’re standing there like this? What about Bella? You should be apologizing and pleading for leniency on her behalf!”
I blinked at him. “When… has she ever been of any importance to me?”
His eyes widened. Lilian’s jaw dropped.
“She’s your daughter,” I narrowed my eyes. “Right? Your precious daughter who deserves everything in the world? Right? Shouldn’t you be on your knees begging for her life?”
I glanced at Bella. “She’s just a girl who you allowed to torment me, the daughter of the woman who poisoned me for years, and someone who orchestrated an attack on my life.”
I glared at him and he drew back. “If you think I have any of the leniency our king does towards her or you, you are in for a rude awakening.”
His jaw trembled.
“She’s your sister!” Lilian cried. “You ungrateful, evil little wench! You have the power to—”
She shrieked as a guard stepped forward to grab her. Steven turned stiffly. Candido look at the two of them with a cool regard.
“Insulting a member of my pack is bad, but an allegation of intent to murder is a serious offense,” Candido said. “It seems like the entire Wolf Fang Pack needs to be investigated.”
Steven went pale. Lilian froze in place and I looked at Candido. He placed an arm on my shoulder.
“Usually, I would have you thrown in the dungeon until I decided to spare the time to sentence you to death for the attempted murder of a child,” he looked at Steven. “And the aiding and abetting of an attempted murderer.”
“Y-Your Majesty—”
“Quiet,” Candido growled. “I wasn’t done.”
Steven closed his mouth.
“Rest assured, Steven that the only reason that you suffered only the embarrassment of finding out your would have been son-in-law was a cheater is because Hedy has been so well taken care of in these years and I had bigger issues to deal with. At this point, you’re at the top of the list.”
Steven swallowed. “You can’t prove that I knew anything.”
“No, but I can have your wife killed on the suspicion and your entire pack arrested, interrogated and executed as needed.”
My eyes grew wide as I looked up at him.
“And you know well for the number of offenses you’ve committed against me over the years, no one would bat an eye when your head rolls.”
I frowned and looked between them. What did that mean? Whatever it meant, Steven looked like he had nothing to say to protest. It was the first time I had ever seen my father so quiet.
“Well?” Candido asked. “I’m waiting for a response. Would you prefer that route?”
“No,” he said.
“Then, here is what you’re going to do,” Candido said. “You will return all of Hedy’s mother’s things to her.” I gasped. “Starting with the necklace your daughter is wearing and your wife’s jewelry.”
My jaw trembled. I couldn’t breathe. Steven looked stiff.
“Give it to him,” Steven said.
“I said you will return it,” Candido said. Lilian looked horrified. She drew her rings close to her chest and stepped back but Steven turned to her, his shoulders tense and he grabbed her hand.
“No! That’s not—”
“Shut up unless you’d like to be dead,” Steven said yanking her arm towards him and pulling off the rings.
Every ring I had ever seen her wear was my mother’s. He took her earrings off, her bracelet, the coat she was wearing, and the necklace. Lilian’s jaw trembled as she blinked. Her tears rolled down her face.
I didn’t know what to say or what to do. The gold-chained purse she was wearing and the small coin purse inside was next. He emptied, gave the rest of the contents to her, and put the jewelry inside as she started crying. Bella shrieked, fighting him.
“No, it’s mine! It’s mine!”
He struck her across the face and I gasped. Lilian dropped to the ground sobbing.
“How could you do this?” Lilian asked. “Have you no heart? Are you happy to see us suffering?”
I could have asked the same thing of her years ago, but I said nothing as he wrestled Bella to the ground.
“Shut up unless you’d like to be dead!” Steven hissed. “Then, she’ll just have it off your corpse.”
Bella wailed as he pulled the necklace from around her neck and stepped out of the cell. He removed the brooch on his collar that I always thought had been a family heirloom. It was a silver wolf howling at a sapphire moon. He set his jaw as he dropped it into the purse and trust the purse and the jacket towards me.
I wanted to take them, but I couldn’t move. I couldn’t even think. Candido tightened his hand on my shoulder. A guard stepped forward to take the items into a box.
“An admirable start. The rest of her mother’s things, from her jewelry, to property, to the last dollar she had that should have been given to Hedy plus interest will be handed over,” Candido said. “Cooperate with the officers regarding everything you know about her mother and any ties she may or may not have had with vampires.”
He set his jaw. “And then you’ll release Bella to us.”
He sneered. “And then I will consider returning Bella to you.”
Lilian’s head shot up. “You can’t do that! You can’t! She’s our daughter and—”
“I could simply have you brought up on charges of legacy theft,” Candido said. “In addition to all the other charges pending… Wolf Fang is a fairly… young pack as I recall.”
Steven blanched.
“I wonder how much of a hand Hedy’s mother had in establishing it.”
I couldn’t breathe, I felt sick like I was going to pass out right there. There were so many things that seemed so wrong back then and now made more sense.
My mother had… Had helped found it? Had she founded it? Had she had power like mine and that was how Wolf Fang claimed the land it not sat on?
I couldn’t think. Steven said nothing but turned and followed the officer. Lilian and Bella continued wailing as if their worlds were ending.
Candido led me out of the room and back into the SUV. I didn’t know how long it would take to get the full list and everything to the estate.
“I can have it put in storage until you’re ready.”
I closed my eyes and nodded. “Please.”
I looked up at him. “Did you… Did you know? Have you ever met my mother?”
He smiled. “I have… a long time ago.”
I swallowed, thinking about it. Candido and Steven were about the same age. My mother might have even gone to school with my mother.
“What was her name?” I asked.
His eyes softened. “You were never told?”
I shook my head. “No one ever… They never told me.”
“Well… your mother wasn’t a mistress,” Candido said.
“I know.” I lifted my head. “She didn’t have a disease. She was acting Secretary of Wolf Fang until she died. Steven refused to have their marriage recorded and made legitimate. He tricked her for her family’s money and abandoned her.”
His lips twitched. “I wonder if Francia would tell you the same thing.”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Could you… consider maybe what it might mean if Francia knew your mother enough to be able to speak about what she may have thought about your situation?”
I frowned. “Francia… would be contemporary with you and my mother…”
He nodded. “True. For the record, Hedy. Her name was Hedwig.”
I frowned, looking at him. “That’s… an interesting name.”
“I imagine that’s why she named you Hedy.” He smiled. “Much better than Hedwig the second.”
My eyes widened, and my eyes pricked with tears.
I had never known that I was named after my mother.
He took my hand. “Now… will you not fight me on the return of your mother’s things?”
I smiled at him and nodded. “Just this once… You’re right.”
He laughed.
