Chapter 67

Chapter 67: Hazel and Willow

Penelope POV

My eyes were fixed on Alpha Steven as a whirlwind of emotions crossed my mind. He must have seen those emotions on my face so he looked at Kimberley for help. She got immediately and gave me a glass of water

"Penelope?” she whispered. I snaped my head in her direction trying to make sense of the whole situation

I looked from her to him, my heart beating wildly. "Have some water," Kimberley said as she stroked my back gently. I took the glass from her and gulped it in one go. I needed to make sense of it all. I looked at Alpha Steven as more questions came to my mind

As if he understood me, Alpha Steven continued, "Willow had adopted you when you were just a toddler. After that she moved to a different suburb that had less population. I had sent my people to get information about Willow and it was revealed that she had run away from her abusive husband. That would have convinced me of her pitiable condition, except that Willow was anything but pitiable. It was later found out that she had put false charges on her husband just to put him in jail out of spite

Scared that her lies would be detected, she had run away. In order to give herself some good credit, she adopted you."

"But she had always been very nice to me," I cried. My mother was sweet and gave me good education

Alpha Steven nodded. "Yes, that is true, but the main reason behind that was that she wanted to

have a good image in the new town." He leaned forward and steepled his fingers. He rested his chin over his steepled fingers. "Now the next part is going to be sad..."

"What do you mean?" I asked, not liking it at all

"Willow was actually working for Madam Lestrange. She would help her in getting girls and when Madam Lestrange sold them, she would get a commission."

I shook my head. "No!" I breathed. "That is impossible!" I could never imagine my mother to work for Madam Lestrange. She was a laundry woman who was

Alpha Steven took a deep breath. "Unfortunately that is true. That folder I gave you contains the proof of it. Willow worked for Lestrange, but she never let you know it. When I asked her as

to how did you land up with Lestrange, she was very flustered. She didn't want to speak but I had to torture her for a few details. She revealed that the whole situation in which you ended up being sold was a ploy."

"One day Willow faked an illness and didn't go to Madam Lestrange's house. Instead she sent you. There her son, Ezra tried to force you."

Sweat broke out of my forehead as shock blasted in my chest. I still couldn't believe what Steven was saying. My eyes became misty

"Willow sent you to Lestrange's house on purpose so that Ezra could force his way with you. When you protested, Madam Lestrange rather made you the culprit of the situation in order to save her son. Everything was staged

She called Willow and asked her to compensate for the false charges you had made."

"But they were not false!" I almost shouted. "It was Ezra-" I pressed my mouth with my hands as tears streamed down my eyes. So much betrayal was eating me from the inside

"I know!" Alpha Steven said and got up. He rounded the table and came to stand in front of me, leaning against the edge of the table. He looked at me with sympathy and affection (?) He placed his hand on my shoulder. "Please Penelope. I know that this 1s really a terrible news, but I want it to be behind us. Forever."

I nodded lightly asking silently for him to continue

Alpha Steven took a deep breath in as if bracing himself. "Willow revealed that it was all a ploy to sell you to Madam Lestrange. She got a hefty sum for selling her most precious asset to Madam Lestrange. You were sold for fifty

thousand dollars. That day I had gone to the House of Red Doors to search for you. I knew that if I bought you, Madam Lestrange would never come after you and I would take you back with me. But-" he gritted his teeth. "But that bastard Drexel ended up buying you!"

My heart sank. "Oh my God!" My mother sold me? Willow, the woman I thought was my mother, sold me? A hollow formed inside my chest. A wide chasm. So much anger and bitterness crawled up my throat that they wrenched a sob out of

me

A loud sob

Here I was thinking of going back to my mother

Trying to escape at every given chance to go back to her. I had told Kimberley in the morning that I wanted to go back

But after what Alpha Steven said, I felt... lonely

Felt abandoned and deserted... once again. That too, in less than two days

I still didn't believe him entirely. My shaky hands worked their way towards the folder in front of me. Alpha Steven stopped my hands with his and said, "Penelope, that was the bad part of your life. Now the good part."

My eyes snapped up to him and all I saw was a blurred vision. He wiped my tears with his fingers and said, "Hazel, who was my mother, is also your mother, which means that we are brother and sister. I had smelled you the day I saw you for the first time, during auction."

My stomach twisted in thousands of knots

"My father had gone to the human world to find Hazel after he married his mate. He wanted to

compensate her and give her a healthy and comfortable life, but I believe they ended up..

making you."

My mouth fell to the floor