Chapter 30

Chapter 30 Chapter 30.

Emily’s POV.

| stood at a spot a few feet away from Nelly’s room, straining to hear any sound from within. | expected to hear Kex’s raised voice or Nelly’s sobs, but all | could hear was silence. | knew getting any closer would put me at risk of being discovered, but my curiosity was too great to resist.

| tiptoed forward, my heart pounding in my chest. As | drew closer, | could hear faint voices from within. | pressed my ear to the door, trying to make out what was being said.

| heard footsteps coming closer, and | quickly ducked into the shadows. Kex came storming out of the room, his face red with anger. He strode down the hall towards his room, and | held my breath, praying he wouldn't notice me.

But then, | saw Aisha heading in my direction. | was trapped, with nowhere to hide. | held my breath, hoping she wouldn’t spot me. She opened the Nelly’s door, and then she was gone.

Het out a silent sigh of relief as | stepped out of my hiding place, straightening my dress and pasting a smile on my face. | could see the maid standing down the hall, but my eyes were drawn to Nelly’s room. Should | eavesdrop on Nelly’s conversation, or should | try to hear what Kex had to say?

| was torn between curiosity and caution. What if | got caught? But then again, what if | missed important information? | stood there, frozen, not knowing what to do.

| heard the two maids talking as they passed by me. “You need to see Alpha right now,” one of them said to the other. “He is furious.”

I smiled to myself, realizing | had just learned some valuable information. If Kex was angry, it meant that Nelly was in trouble. A mischievous smile played across my lips as | turned to walk away. It seemed my curiosity had paid off.

| knocked on Kex’s door, but there was no answer. | knocked again, but still nothing. Finally, | heard the sound of something crashing from inside the room.

“Kex, open the door!” | yelled, banging on the door with my fist. There was no response, and | tried to turn the doorknob, but the door was locked.

“Kex, please!” | yelled, my voice cracking with desperation. “Open the door, please!” But my pleas were met with only silence.

10:41 Thu, 22 Feb u GG.

My hands were still on the doorknob when it finally opened, almost knocking me unbalanced. | caught myself and looked up to see Kex, his eyes burning with rage. | could see broken plates and other items scattered across the floor, and when | looked down at his hands, | saw blood.

“Why are you hurting yourself?” | asked, my voice shaking.

Kex was silent, his jaw clenched, as | reached out and took his hands in mine. | could feel his pulse racing, his hands trembling slightly.

| stood, opening the wardrobe and reaching for the first aid kit | kept there. | hurried to Kex’s side, but he pulled away when |

reached out to take his hand.

“Kex, let me treat your wounds,” | said firmly, but he didn’t respond.

“Just go away,” he said, refusing to meet my eyes.

| took his face in my hands, gently but firmly. “Kex, talk to me,” | pleaded.

His eyes were full of pain, and | wanted so badly to help him, but | knew | had to allow him the space to tell me what was wrong.

“| hurt Nelly again, even though | promised | wouldn’t make her bleed,” he said, his voice breaking.

| bit my tongue, trying to suppress my anger. “It’s okay,” | said, trying to keep my voice calm and soothing. “Let's just take care of your hands, okay?”

“No!” he cried out, pulling his hand away from me. “I want to feel her pain!” He was so distraught, | didn’t know how to respond.

“Kex, she was the one who hurt you by spiking your food,” | said, my voice trembling.

“Emily,” he said, his voice filled with disbelief.

| turned to face him, dreading what he would say next. “Nelly is of the opinion that you are the one who spiked the food.” He stared at me, waiting for my response.

“Fuck!” | cursed under my breath.

“Did you say anything?” he asked. | shook my head.

“No,” | managed to say, my voice weak. | felt sick to my stomach, knowing how this was going to play out.

His hands cupped my face, his touch gentle but his gaze piercing. “Emily,” he said, his voice filled with an emotion | couldn't quite identify. “Did you do it?”

[e)

10:41 Thu, 22 Feb GG.

| hesitated, searching his eyes for some clue to what he was thinking, but his expression was unreadable.

Finally, | shook my head. “No,” | whispered, the words barely audible.

He stared at me for a long moment, and then slowly let go of my face. | tried to read his expression, but his face was like a mask, giving nothing away.

He extended his hand to me, palm up, revealing a bloody gash across his palm. | took his hand, beginning to dress the wound.

The silence was deafening, the tension in the room palpable.

| could feel Kex’s eyes on me, but | couldn’t tell what he was thinking. Did he believe me, or did he think | was lying? | held my breath, waiting for him to say something. But he remained silent, his gaze unreadable.

I stood up, picking up the first aid kit and the soiled bandages. “Don’t worry,” he said, his voice soft. | looked up at him, unsure what to say. “You may go,” he added. | nodded, knowing better than to argue with him in this state.

As | opened the door, | paused. “Can | call the maid?” | asked.

He nodded, his expression unreadable. | left the room, my heart still pounding in my chest.

“The food is ready, my lady,” a maid said as | stepped into the dining room.

| nodded, and she poured me a cup of coffee and set a plate of pancakes in front of me. | began to eat, the warm, sweet pancakes soothing my frazzled nerves.

But then | took a sip of coffee, and my body convulsed in a violent cough. | sputtered, choking on the coffee, and the maid rushed to my side.

“Are you all right?” she asked, concerned in her eyes. | nodded, my throat still burning.

“I'm fine,” | managed to say.

Suddenly, my body felt like it was on fire. | was itching all over, my skin crawling with an intense, unbearable sensation. My head started spinning, and | felt myself losing control. | began to cough again, more violently this time, my body convulsing.

That’s when | heard them. Laughter. Nelly and Aisha were standing in the doorway, laughing at me.

Rage welled up inside me, my vision turning red. | felt a scream building in my