Chapter 13: Hatred
1380 Words
That couldn't be refuted.
Bryce saw the unwavering determination in her eyes and sighed. It was actually a bit troubling how much courage she had. Her actions had to be guarded like that of a toddler who didn't fear jumping off of anything.
"You don't have to go inside. Just drive me there, and I'll get it back."
"You'll think they will give it to you just because you ask?"
Astria stood her ground, "I won't know until I ask. And if they don't give it, I'll use other means. I won't let them have it. This is the last form of respect I want to give to my father."
Speaking of her father brought another round of sadness. The rims of her eyes turned red, and the corners of her lips trembled. It looked like she could cry any moment, but she held on by holding her fists behind her back.
That posture.
The posture a warrior had.
Legs spread, arms back. It was a stance that resembled an immovable mountain.
Bryce rubbed his forehead, brushed his hair back, and threw his hands up in defeat, "Alright. Let's go."
Astria nodded, smiling at Bryce a little. The drive was mostly silent because of their exchange. Astria experienced cold fingers and the violent beating of her heart on the way. It was not easy going back to the house where her mother slapped her, and she saw her father's corpse.
Where she was humiliated by her aunt and the place that was once her home but now a house she was not welcomed in.
"We're here."
Bryce's gentle voice broke the illusion. Astria looked out of the window to see the house she spent her entire childhood in. Pursing her lips, she nodded at Bryce and opened the door.
"I'll be waiting here for you." Bryce informed meaningfully.
I'm here.
Come back to me.
I'll be waiting.
Aatria nodded and turned back.
She heard the sound of laughter and chatter even before she entered through the door. Her heels clicked on the marble floor but the sound of cruel happiness radiating through the house was so loud that her footsteps were drowned under its laughter.
It wasn't until Lavender spotted her that the sound gradually came to a halt. Lavender cleared her throat loudly and scooted back on the couch.
Astria's fists clenched together in a tight grip. She imagined their necks in between her fingers. It was extremely difficult to hold back from going berserk when the people who ruined her life were chortling right in front of her.
Hold back.
You'll be back.
Revenge will be served on a bloody platter.
Now is not the time.
Laura actually smiled upon seeing Astria as if she was welcoming her niece back home. Duncan had a disgusted eyebrow raised. Astria looked pack the disgusting pair and settled her eyes on Laura.
There was no one else around.
Astria got straight to the point.
"I am here to get my father's ashes."
Laura did not hide her surprise, "Huh? What are you going to do with his ashes?"
"Give it to me."
"You've disappointed him enough while he was alive. Let him be at peace in death at least."
"I want it back!" Astria exclaimed, her expression stern and unyielding.
Laura scoffed and stood up to face Astria. The calmness contrasted with Astria's rage. Only Astria knew how much she was holding back.
"You can't take his ashes away. He was the Alpha, and his ashes need to be treated the way it should be." Laura raised an eyebrow in challenge.
Duncan joined in, "Astria, give up already. How long are you going to struggle? There is nothing you can do. Laura is right. Your father was a respectable Alpha in his lifetime and after death, he should be treated in a respectful way too. You are already like this, have nowhere to go, and have broken all the relations. How can you demand those ashes?"
Lavender grabbed Duncan's arm and pouted, "Why are you talking to her so much?"
Duncan sighed and rubbed her lips lovingly, "I am telling her the truth. Although our relationship had a bad ending, I feel obliged to give her a reality check. I can't let the old Alpha be wronged. She never cared for her father when he was alive, so why pretend now? Isn't it a waste of time?"
Lavender threw a vicious glare in Astria's direction as if she was the reason Duncan was talking so much. However, Astria never spared them a single glance. Her red rimmed eyes were stuck on Laura. She stood a few centimeters above Laura, looking down at her with a promise of distraction.
Astria still tried to compromise, "Give it to me. You have no use for those ashes."
Laura folded her arms with an air of arrogance. Her stance was so infuriating that Astria almost reached for that neck, tempted to snap it into pieces.
"How about we talk somewhere private? I'll tell you the reason why the Alpha's ashes can't be given away to a random person."
Laurel didn't give her a choice. She walked away, promoting Astria to follow. Astria gritted her teeth and went after her.
Lavender leaned against Duncan's shoulder and sighed, "Astria is so bad. She doesn't like my mother and wants her to face problems later on. Do you know, the biggest obstacle in our life was Astria. My mother never did anything to her, but...."
"It's alright. Astria will get her karma. It's just sad that her father died. He was a good person. Although he opposed our relationship before, it was still out of obligation for his daughter, so I never held it against him. Now that he's gone, I think Astria wants to claim the pack. She doesn't know anything about it, so it's wrong for her to want to take it. Your mother is the suitable Alpha for the time being."
Lavender's eyes narrowed with a smile, "Hmm. I think so too. So you have to support my mother. Don't let Astria win the pack. My mother has worked very hard to stabilize the pack after my uncle's sudden death. She should get some recognition for it."
"I think so too. I'll support her. The woman that Astria has become, huh, disgusting!" Duncan sneered.
In the isolated room, Laura smirked and faced Astria.
"Give me the ashes. You have no use for them." Astria repeated.
"You are right. I don't have a use for them. Are you desperate for it?" Laura asked, concerned, then added, "If you are so desperate, then it's more of a reason for me to have it. I'd rather throw it away in the trash than give you the satisfaction of having it. Your father died a disgraceful death and deserves to never rest in peace. Beg, cry, or die like him. In this lifetime, you will never see your father or his ashes again."
Astria sneered, "You disgust me."
"And I don't care." Laura snapped back, "In the end, this pack belongs to me. This house belongs to me. You are nothing. What you think of me won't change anything. You have been reduced to a failure. Accept it."
Astria didn't back down. She declared, "Red Moon is my father's decades worth of effort. I won't let it slide into your filthy hands. It's mine. I will take it back."
"That's not for you to decide, is it?" Laura chuckled as if she heard something funny.
"It should be mine. If it wasn't for your filthy schemes and what you did to my father -"
"And I succeeded with those filthy schemes," Laura provoked Astria openly with her challenging words, "Do you want to know how I did it? It doesn't matter. Because even if I tell you, you can't change anything."
Astria froze in place, her heart beating against the ribcage.
"Your father took pride in the fact that he built the pack into what it is today. But did he ever tell you that I was the true heir of the Alpha position? He must have never told you. Because it wasn't important to him. He never worked for it, yet he still got it. You know why?"
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