Chapter 173: A Wolf’s Bitter Refl…
+8 Point
Chapter 173: A Wolf’s Bitter Reflection
Chapter 173: A Wolf’s Bitter Reflection
(Celeste’s POV)
I pressed the door shut behind me and leaned against it, exhaling a weary breath. The cold
weight of the day settled heavily on my shoulders.
Returning to the Winter Pack house should have brought a sense of sanctuary, but it didn’t.
Not anymore.
I dragged my exhausted body toward the bed, collapsing onto it without bothering to remove
my damp mourning clothes. I stared at the familiar ceiling, the patterns once comforting now
unremarkable.
Princess Katherine’s words echoed in my mind, relentless reminders of the cruel reality I had
come to understand.
“Celeste… as Marcus’s unclaimed mate…”
Even thinking about her suggestion sent a chill through my veins. Leading a funeral
procession in his name, binding myself to his memory. It was yet another cage disguised as
duty.
My silver–scarred wolf stirred uneasily but didn’t howl her protests this time. It felt like we
were growing used to being hurt.
Then, at long last, everything suddenly clicked.
The truth had always been in front of me. Yet, I had refused to see it until now. All the
unanswered questions about my time in Moon Shadow Prison, the suffocating silence from the Winter Pack – every piece fell into place.
I covered my face with both hands, laughing bitterly in disbelief.
“So that’s why,” I whispered into the empty room.
I wasn’t just punished when I was falsely accused of breaking Princess Katherine’s sacred
moon crystal.
No.
I was used.
I was their warning sign, their shield, the grim substitution they needed.
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Chapter 173: A Wolfs Bitter Ref…
While I endured day after day strapped in silver chains, enduring the Alpha King’s retributions
in that desolate prison, Scarlett thrived.
They had hidden her far away from the royal territory, too far for any royal wolves to linger on thoughts of her involvement with me or the moon crystal.
Four years.
Four long, agonizing years.
Not a single word from the people who once called me family.
No letters. No packs trying to prove my innocence.
Silence.
My head tilted back, resting against the wall as I laughed again, my voice gaining an edge of
hysteria.
It was absurd.
And then, not even a month after my release, Victoria had gleefully escorted Scarlett right into
the very territory they had once desperately kept her away from.
I clenched my fists as rage bubbled beneath my calm surface.
None of them thought of me as their daughter anymore.
Four years of silence had dulled any illusion that I still held some part in their hearts.
But that wasn’t what hurt the most.
The real pain came from knowing how starkly they had shifted their love.
The warmth, the protection, the laughter they had once surrounded me with-
All of it belonged to Scarlett now.
Alpha James’s nightly visits to check on me. Victoria brushing and singing to me, as if my
hair had been spun from precious silk. Lucas threatening my childhood bullies with growls
fierce enough to make them quake.
All gone.
They had turned to Scarlett with the same devotion they had once saved for me.
My silver–scarred wolf curled inward in pain, whimpering quietly in the back of my mind.
No amount of reasoning with myself could stop the hollow ache in my chest. The warmth of
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Chapter 173: A Wolf’s Bitter Ref…
+8 Point
family had been stripped from me and handed to her..
I stared down at the crescent moon birthmark on my wrist, its faint shimmer a reminder of the family I mistakenly thought had been destined to be mine forever.
“But you’re an outsider now,” I murmured to myself before inhaling sharply.
My solitude was startled by a knock on the door. The sound softened the edges of my
thoughts.
“Miss! Miss!” Nina’s voice carried through, unusually bright and excited.
I sat upright, surprised at her tone after the gravity of the day.
“Come in,” I called reluctantly, swiping at my cheeks just in case stray tears betrayed me.
The door creaked open and Nina bustled inside, her face beaming. Clutched firmly in her
hands was a familiar decorative box.
“More moon–blessed pastries?” I asked with raised eyebrows, my attention snapping to the
intricate box she held.
Nina nodded eagerly, grinning as she placed the box in front of me.
“They were just delivered! Freshly made from the royal bakery!”
I tilted my head and frowned. “Didn’t I tell you to share yesterday’s batch? Why are we suddenly blessed with a feast of pastries?”
Nina giggled softly. “These ones are new, Miss. Sent fresh by Lord Sterling. Isn’t he
thoughtful?” Her voice carried a teasing edge.
My frown deepened. “Matthew again, huh?”
Nina gave an energetic nod as she clapped her hands together. “He’s so considerate! Helping you, sending these-”
“But why?” I interrupted, raising a skeptical brow. “What could he possibly want? Pastries
seem an odd way to express himself.”
Nina tapped her chin, deep in thought. “Well… maybe he’s gently reminding you that he’s
helped you quite a bit. Think about it! After the wolfsbane incident and the Northern rescue,
perhaps he feels you owe him kindness in turn?”
I blinked at the suggestion but stayed quiet as she continued.
“Honestly, you should meet him for lunch or coffee!” Nina’s optimism brimmed over. “The
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Chapter 173: A Wolf’s Bitter Ref…
pastries might be his way of hinting at that!”
Her enthusiasm forced a surprised laugh from my lips. “One box of these costs more than
your weekly allowance, Nina!”
The tease made her bubble of excitement burst slightly.
“Well… that’s true…” she muttered, confusion flickering in her expression. “Wait-”
She gasped. “And you don’t even like pastries! I forgot!”
There was something so disarming about her realization that I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Then why would he keep sending me things I won’t eat?” I mused aloud, resting my chin in
one hand. “What’s his game, if there even is one?”
Nina stared at the box as though it held the answers. Her silver–gray eyes reflected my
amusement moments later.
“I don’t know, Miss. But it’s odd to keep sending these, isn’t it?” she murmured after some
thought.
I nodded. “It’s very odd. But I suppose I do owe him some thanks at least.”
My voice softened as I added, “Once everything settles, I’ll meet him properly.”
The mention of Marcus’s looming funeral quickly shifted our focus. By morning, I reluctantly
prepared, thankful my agreement with Princess Katherine had spared me from leading as his
unclaimed mate.
Still, I walked at the back of the solemn procession, feeling the weight of every whispered
word and sideways glance.
“Such devotion…”
“Even after everything…”
“Perhaps Marcus was special to her after all…”
How quickly the wolves around us spun stories to fit what they saw.
I ignored them as best as I could, enduring the unease until at last, I could leave.
Walking back toward pack territory, I exhaled deeply. Marcus’s story no longer held me as
tightly as it had yesterday.
For the first time in weeks, my chest felt a little lighter.
“Miss Winters.”
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Chapter 173: A Wolf’s Bitter Refl…
The voice pulled me from my thoughts. Turning, I saw Lord Matthew approaching.
He held another box carefully in his hands, his demeanor polite but reserved.
“Lord Sterling,” I greeted instinctively, waiting for him to speak.
He extended the box toward me. “A gift. I thought… after today, you might appreciate
something sweet to lift your spirits.”
I accepted it hesitantly, studying him curiously.
“But why pastries, Matthew?” I asked pointedly.
Surprise flickered across his face at my tone. “I thought…” he began awkwardly.
Then he cleared his throat and tried again. “I thought you might like them.”
Realizing my words could be misinterpreted, I quickly spoke.
“I should confess something.”
Matthew tilted his head, waiting.
“I don’t like pastries,” I admitted, watching for his reaction. “Someone must’ve told you wrong.”
He blinked in shock, his face a peculiar mix of embarrassment and surprise. “Alexander said-
he began, then abruptly stopped himself.
“Never mind,” he muttered, shaking his head. “If you don’t like them, then what do you prefer?”
I couldn’t hide the small smile creeping onto my face. “Spicy food, actually.”
Matthew’s eyes widened. “Spicy?”
I nodded, a nostalgic smile forming as I continued. “There was this one guard in Moon Shadow Prison. Sometimes he’d bring me tiny packets of hot sauce to stir into the bland prison stew.”
Matthew stared at me, clearly processing what I’d just said.
“Hot sauce,” he repeated slowly as though testing the words.
Then he laughed–an unexpectedly warm sound that left me stunned.
“Well, then,” he said firmly, “Next time, I’ll bring you your favorite spicy dishes instead. No more
pastries.”
The thought of that promise, paired with the easy warmth in his voice, soothed something raw
inside me.
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Chapter 173: A Wolf’s Bitter Refl…
“Really?” I asked, unable to keep the brightness from my voice.
Matthew smiled, his confidence blooming at the sight of my excitement.
“Really,” he confirmed, his words sure.
For the first time in weeks, my guarded smile turned into something genuine.
