Claiming Emerald: Four Alphas At Her Feet
Chapter 74: The Rightful Heir...

Chapter 74: The Rightful Heir...

"—merald... Emerald."

A faint voice scratched at the edge of her consciousness, but it felt like trying to hear through water.

Emerald groaned as she slowly opened her eyes. Every part of her felt heavy, and her head throbbed with a dull pain that made her feel sick. She realised she was lying on the cold, hard floor, which felt dirty and rough against her cheek.

Her hands were tied behind her back, and the ropes dug painfully into her wrists. She tried to move and reach out to her wolf, but something was off. Her bond with Viola felt distant and weak.

"Viola?" she thought, reaching through the fog.

A strained, faded growl responded. "Wolfsbane... can’t break through. You’re on your own, Em."

Emerald muttered a curse quietly to herself. Her throat felt parched, and her tongue felt heavy and thick.

She forced herself up into a sitting position, wincing as her muscles screamed in protest. Her eyes scanned the dimly lit room: old wooden walls, flaking paint, a broken chair in the corner, and a single window.

No fireplace, no obvious tools, nothing sharp within reach. The door was shut, bolted from the outside.

She scooted awkwardly across the floor, her knees scraping against the rough surface. Finally, she made it to the window and used her shoulder to push herself up so she could see outside.

The view was filled with tall pine trees and thick greenery, with mist swirling softly between the branches.

"Crap," she whispered. She wasn’t just away from the estate; she was completely off the grid. Dawn was already breaking, meaning she must’ve been out all night.

Emerald leaned her forehead against the window for a second, forcing herself to breathe.

She turned back toward the door and tested her legs. Shaky, but they held. She pushed herself up carefully, leaning her weight on the wall until she could stand upright. Then she limped toward the door.

She’d barely taken two steps before she heard footsteps outside.

She dropped back onto the floor, eyes narrowing at the sound just outside the door.

The bolt scraped, the door creaked open, and in stepped Talia... The girl who had served her tea, the maid who smiled nervously, and played the victim.

Now? She looked relaxed and smug.

Emerald stared at her for a long second, stunned... then disgusted. "Well," she muttered, voice dry. "That explains the weird ’sleep well’ vibe last night."

Talia gave a bright, cheerful smile. A real one this time, not the shy, submissive ones she wore around the estate. Her shoulders were straight, and her eyes looked... satisfied.

"Morning, Alpha," she chirped. Emerald’s lips curled in fury. "So this is the real you."

Talia tilted her head. "Does it disappoint you?"

"Not really. Just confirms what I already suspected."

Talia gave a small laugh and stepped further into the room, shutting the door behind her. "I hope you had a nice sleep?"

Emerald gave her a scathing look. "Cut the act."

Talia pouted. "Aw. No small talk?"

"You drugged me, tied me up, and dragged me into the woods. Forgive me if I don’t feel chatty."

"You’re pretty sharp," Talia said, sauntering further into the room. "You’re smarter than you look, I’ll give you that. Figuring me out was impressive. No one ever suspected poor little Talia, the quiet maid with a tragic past."

Emerald’s jaw clenched. "Because you played the role perfectly. You even had me convinced you were scared. At first, I thought you were just a double agent... a pawn. Well, that was until you slipped."

Talia tilted her head. "Slipped?"

"You asked if we’d get anything out of the rogue who stabbed Pierce," Emerald said coldly. "No one said he was stabbed. Only Lucien and I knew he was stabbed. Everyone else only heard he was killed in the dungeon."

Talia’s smile widened. "Ah. So close. I almost had you. Guess I got a little too comfortable."

Emerald’s voice dropped to a growl. "You played me... lied to my face... tried to kill me on my first day."

"Correction: I didn’t try. I planned it," Talia replied, casually examining her nails. "That fire trap in the corridor? That was mine."

"Ahhh..." Emerald replied in false realisation. "I see..."

She shifted slightly on the floor, trying to discreetly test the ropes again. They were still tight, biting into her skin, and she could feel a dull ache where the wolfsbane was seeping in.

"You didn’t think to just come out and tell me all these, huh?" Emerald asked in a low voice. "What are you, exactly? A rogue sympathiser? An assassin? Another puppet?"

Talia’s smile turned sharp. "I’m the rightful heir."

Emerald stared at her, eyes narrowing.

"The previous Alpha of Midnight Fang... he was my uncle. When Lucien murdered him, I was barely fifteen. My father died in that same war. After that, I went into hiding. I waited and observed until the moment was right for me to come back."

"As a maid," Emerald said bitterly.

"As a shadow," Talia corrected. "People like shadows, Emerald. They ignore them. Let them in. And they talk freely in front of them."

"Is that how you manipulated the elders? The guards?"

Talia chuckled. "It wasn’t hard. Lucien never ruled by loyalty, only fear. People were waiting for someone to follow. Someone with the blood of the old Alpha. They just needed to believe I’d bring peace back. That I’d do what Lucien couldn’t."

"You think turning the pack into a bloodbath will bring peace?"

"I think ridding it of pretenders is a good start."

Emerald shook her head slowly. "You had Pierce murdered."

"He was a liability," Talia said with a shrug. "He wasn’t meant to be caught. That was his mistake."

"You let your own men die."

Talia’s expression hardened. "Sometimes sacrifice is necessary."

"You’re no Alpha," Emerald whispered.

"No," Talia agreed. "But I will be."

Emerald’s breath hitched. "So that’s what this is about. You don’t just want revenge; you want the throne."

"It was mine before Lucien ever set foot in that hall."

They stared at each other.

Emerald broke the silence. "Is this why you tried to kill me on the first day?"

Talia smiled. "You were the wild card. Everyone else feared Lucien. But you? You got close. You made people wonder. He changed for you, starting to talk about reform. You complicated everything."

Emerald swallowed hard. "He’ll find me. I sent him a message."

Talia snorted. "Too little, too late."

Emerald watched as she knelt, inches from her face. "I warned you to leave. I told you this wasn’t your war."

Emerald’s eyes blazed. "And I told you I don’t run."

Talia grinned. "Then die here."

She stood and pulled a small vial from her coat. She uncorked it, revealing a foul-smelling liquid. "Concentrated wolfsbane. I injected you with just enough to keep your wolf quiet. You should be thankful, you won’t feel much when the fire hits."

Emerald’s body tensed. "Fire?"

Talia walked to a corner of the room and grabbed a rusty metal can.

Gasoline.

Emerald’s stomach dropped. "You’re kidding, right?"

Talia poured the liquid across the wooden floor in a long line, weaving a ring around Emerald’s body.

Emerald strained against the ropes, heart slamming against her ribs. "Talia, stop."

Talia pulled a lighter from her pocket and flicked it open.

Emerald’s voice cracked. "Talia!"

But the girl only smiled and tilted her head. "Bye-bye, Em."

Talia dropped the lighter, and suddenly, flames burst to life. She gave a mock bow, stepped outside, and slammed the door behind her.