Chapter 32: Shattered – 1
Thea’s POV
Today should have been a happy day. My dinner with Kane had gone wonderfully; I was returning to work tomorrow, and my birthday was the day after. As I’d hoped yesterday, Kane had successfully helped me forget my troubles, even if just for a while. Within minutes of arriving at his place, I found myself laughing more than I had in weeks. His cooking lived up to his promises; the food was absolutely delicious. There’s something incredibly attractive about a man who can both cook and make you laugh. The evening turned out to be exactly what I needed, filled with warmth and genuine joy. The perfect end to the night was getting to talk with Leo afterward. His mood had improved significantly since his fight with Sebastian. We chatted about everything and nothing until he fell asleep mid-sentence, his steady breathing through the phone bringing a smile to my face.
I was in the kitchen baking when someone knocked on my door. As I wiped my hands on a kitchen towel, I caught a familiar scent through the door—one that made my stomach clench. When I opened it to find Aurora standing there, I wasn’t entirely surprised.
“What brings the perfect Sterling princess to my humble den?” I couldn’t keep the irritation from my voice. Her presence never spelled anything good. The last time she’d shown up here, I’d nearly been killed a few hours after our fight.
“We need to talk.” Her face was a mask of cold superiority.
Every instinct screamed at me to shut the door in her face, but against my better judgment, I let her in. The sooner we got this over with, the better.
“State your business and go. I have better things to do than entertain you.” I took a seat and watched her eyes scanning my home with obvious disdain.
She sneered after completing her inspection. Of course, this didn’t meet her standards—it wasn’t flashy or expensive. It was simple and homey, everything she wasn’t.
“Are you going to sneer at my home all day, or are you going to talk?” I leaned back, studying my sister.
“Stay away from Sebastian,” she said, crossing her legs primly.
I sighed heavily. “Seriously? You came all this way for this nonsense again?”
I was beyond tired of repeating myself. How many times did I need to explain that I wanted nothing to do with Sebastian? The man had caused me nothing but heartache. Why would I want him back?
“It’s not nonsense,” she snapped. “He wants to move on with me, but you keep dragging him back. Can’t you just let him go? He doesn’t love you—he never did!”
The last sentence shouldn’t have hurt after all this time, but it still cut deep. I didn’t need the reminder that I’d fallen in love with a man who hated me, who’d never let me into his heart despite years of trying.
“And how exactly have I dragged him back?” My voice was tight with controlled anger.
“The attack two weeks ago. He rushed here in the middle of our movie night just because you were hurt.”
I shook my head in disbelief. She was supposed to be a brilliant lawyer, yet she could be dumber than a rock.
“How is that my fault, Aurora? He’s your man, so why don’t you put a fucking leash on him?”
Why were we even having this conversation? She’d won. She had Sebastian. I was trying to move on with my life; I met Kane; I was building something potentially meaningful with him. I didn’t want their drama affecting what we were developing.
“I still think you’re orchestrating these attacks for attention and sympathy,” she mocked. “Poor little wolfless Thea, always playing the victim.”
“Get out!” I stood, pointing toward the door. I was done with her nonsense. I wouldn’t let her taint the small happiness I’d found today.
She rose too, her eyes glinting. “What? Don’t like that I’ve exposed your plan? It’s only a matter of time before everyone realizes these attacks are fake.”
“Are you done showing how stupid you are?” I asked coldly. “You think I’m faking these attacks? Let me tell you what I think—I think you’re behind them. I have no enemies except you, and who benefits if I die tragically? You do. With me gone, you get Sebastian all to yourself, and you won’t have to deal with seeing me because full custody of Leo would go to his father.”
Chapter 32: Shattered – 2
She stared at me, shocked either by my deduction or my boldness. I’d been thinking about it for weeks, and it made perfect sense. Aurora could want me dead for two reasons: revenge and eliminating me from Sebastian’s life because she felt threatened by my existence.
“How dare you!” she screamed.
“No, how dare you come to my home spouting bullshit! We’re not teenagers anymore, Aurora. Grow up and act like the fucking adult you’re supposed to be. Now leave. I’m done with you.”
She was livid, her face contorted with rage. If looks could kill, I’d be joining my father in the afterlife. But I wasn’t backing down anymore. I wouldn’t let any of them walk all over me.
I tapped my foot impatiently. “Are you leaving, or do I need to throw you out?”
She turned to leave, but then spun back. “One more thing. Keep your brat of a son out of my business.”
“What did you just say?” My voice dropped dangerously low.
“I won’t let him interfere with my relationship just because he doesn’t like me. He’s nothing but a spoiled pup, and once I’m Luna of Ashworth Pack, I’ll make sure he learns proper respect, even if I have to send him to the strictest boarding school in Europe. So either control your pup, or you’ll only be seeing him twice a year.”
The sound of flesh meeting flesh echoed like a thunderclap. Aurora’s head snapped sideways, a red handprint blooming on her cheek.
“You just marked yourself for death, sister,” she hissed, tears of rage in her eyes.
“Threaten my son again, and a slap will be the least of your worries.”
“You’ll pay for this!” she screamed before storming out, slamming the door behind her.
I leaned against the wall, trying to steady my breathing. How could Sebastian want such a woman around Leo? I couldn’t believe the vile things she’d said about my son. What had happened to my sister? She’d always been aloof, but never this cruel.
My happiness from earlier had evaporated completely. Even the smell of freshly baked cookies couldn’t lift my spirits. I watched a movie, but my mind was still in turmoil. I was heading upstairs for a bath when persistent pounding on my door stopped me. Thinking it might be one of the neighborhood kids selling cookies, I opened it.
Sebastian’s enraged face made me instantly regret that decision. Before I could react, he pushed his way inside, backing me into the space between the foyer and living room.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” he roared, his Alpha voice boomed, making me shiver.
“What?”
“Did you think Aurora wouldn’t tell me? Or did you think I wouldn’t notice the handprint you left on her face?”
“You don’t understand–” I tried to explain, but he cut me off.
“Understand what? That you attacked her for no reason? That you accused her of trying to kill you without any proof? Or should I understand all the vile things you said to her?” He advanced on me, eyes blazing with that eerie glow.
I could smell his rage, thick and suffocating. This was a side of Sebastian I’d never seen, and for the first time in my life, I was truly afraid of him.
“Sebastian, it wasn’t like that. She–”
“She what? Fought back when you insulted her? Told you I never loved you? She was right about that.” His voice was on the edge. “Listen carefully, Thea. You’re nothing, and you’ll always be nothing. You talk to her about our past? Fine. The truth is, I only fucked you because you were convenient.”
“Please stop,” I begged, but he continued mercilessly.
“You weren’t even good at that. Every time I was inside you, I imagined Aurora. Every time I finished, it was her face I saw. You were nothing special—just easy. I used you like the worthless wolfless slut you are.”
For the second time that day, my hand connected with someone’s face. His head snapped to the side from the force of my slap. Tears streamed down my face, each word he’d spoken cutting deeper than any knife.
“Get out, Sebastian. Never step foot in my house again. Take your warriors with you, I don’t want or need your protection. From today, you’re dead to me.” My voice broke as I spoke, all fight leaving my body.
I turned toward the stairs, pausing on the first step without looking back. “You have two minutes to leave before I call the police.”
I locked myself in my bedroom, waiting until I heard the front door close. Only then did I let myself collapse, shattering completely. Sebastian had just destroyed me without needing any weapon. His words had torn my soul apart, leaving nothing but ruins behind.
I sobbed until I had no tears left, my chest tight and my heart in pieces. He’d broken me over Aurora’s lies. I would pick myself up eventually, would move forward, but for every cruel word he’d thrown at me today, karma would come for them both. For what he’d done today, I would never forgive him, never forget.