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134 Chapter 134
take it. She crossed a line.”
Cain’s eyes darkened. His gaze flicked to Kendra, who wore a pretentious smile on her face, pretending to be concerned. “That’s right, Cain. She went berserk,” Kendra said.
Avery wiped the blood from her nose with the back of her hand, her chest rising and falling with exertion, her body aching from the fight. She didn’t flinch under Cain’s gaze, but she also didn’t speak. She knew there wasn’t anything she could say that would make him believe her.
He walked toward her with slow, calm steps, his powerful presence commanding the room. The others parted to make space for him, and Kendra, standing off to the side, crossed her arms smugly, waiting for him to lash out at her and punish her.
Cain stopped right in front of Avery, his gaze locking onto hers. He didn’t say a word, he stared at the blood on her hands and the dirt smeared across her face. He reached out, gently lifting her chin with his fingers, forcing her to meet his eyes.
“I’m asking you, Avery,” Cain’s voice was low and calm, his gaze intense on her. “What happened here?”
Avery swallowed hard, her throat dry, but she didn’t speak. Her gaze flickered toward the maids, who were nervously avoiding eye contact, and Kendra, whose gaze was sharp as though daring her to speak.
Before Avery could let out a word, Kendra stepped forward. “Alpha, I know you might have some soft spot for her, but she’s lying. She’s nothing but a two–faced bitch. She’s a liar and will only lie to you. Everyone has told you what happened here. You don’t
need to ask her.” 1
“Silence, Kendra! When I need your opinion, I will ask for it. Shut the hell up,” Cain growled deeply. Everyone flinched at it, and Kendra went silent.
He turned back to Avery, his fingers still under her chin, and his voice softer now. “Tell me, Avery. What happened?”
Avery stood silently for a moment. Her heart pounded in her chest. Her throat felt tight, but not from fear–from exhaustion.
She knew the truth. They all did. And yet, they all stood there, shifting nervously, still hoping to pin it all on her, If she spoke, they would call her a liar. If she stayed silent, she would look guilty.
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***** 134 Chapter 134
The silence stretched on, and Cain didn’t break eye contact. He was waiting for her to answer. “I didn’t start it,” she said, her voice hoarse, but it rang clear in the room. “They started it.
Cain’s expression darkened.
Avery wiped the blood from her lip with the back of her hand before continuing. “I was minding my business when they came for me. They grabbed me, called me a whore, said I didn’t belong here. They-” Her voice faltered slightly as she remembered the rough hands on her arms, the sharp sting of their nails clawing at her skin, the way they pulled her hair, even snapping some strands off her scalp. The way they had pinned her to the ground like she was nothing.
Cain reached out, brushing his fingers under her chin, tilting her face up. His touch was shockingly gentle as he wiped a smudge of blood away.
He believed her.
Avery let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.
“Which one of them hurt you, Avery?”
The room froze.
Avery’s breath hitched. The maids stiffened, some of them visibly trembling now. She could feel their fear. Could feel them pleading with her silently.
But she wasn’t going to protect them. Not this time.
Avery lifted her head, looking at each of them. Letting them see her–bloodied, bruised, and still standing.
When she finally spoke, her voice was calm.
“All of them.”
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