Chapter 128 The Strength of a Mother


    CATHERINE.


    Agony rips through me, but it’s nothingpared to the pain that he has caused me, and what he put


    our child through.


    My entire life was a fa?ade, a game of lies… I don’t even know the man before me.


    “I will never ept it. You will not leave me,” he growls dangerously.


    “Then the council will force you to ept her rejection,” Charlotte says quietly. I look at her. She isn’t


    shocked…


    She’sposed, angry, yes, but calm… She knew… she knew everything…


    “You knew…” I whisper. She nods slowly.


    “Yeah, I did… Mom, not only did Dad order


    Victoria’s death, but he has been experimenting on Royce and possibly Aleric from a young age


    because Royce held a lot of power… he tried to keep a lot hidden from you, Mom.” Charlotte says


    quietly, as she looks away unable to hold my gaze.


    My entire world is shattering before me. The walls of my kingdom are gone, my castle has crumbled…


    I have nothing left. I am nothing but a horrible mother… a failure. I let my own mate abuse my children


    and I thought I was doing well.


    No one deserves such a disappointment for a mother as I am.


    My kids deserve better.


    My eyes blur with tears as the agony of the truth eats up at me, like a piranha ripping through flesh.


    “He even had Aleric try manipting the Lycan King’s Daughter Sk into taking him as a mate for


    power!” Charlotte continues.


    “Enough Charlotte, I will not tolerate disrespect!” Keh snarls menacingly at her and I move her


    behind me.


    This man had his own daughtermanded to be killed…. I can’t trust him around any of my children.


    “He didn’t want people learning of Royce’s power because he isn’t the type of sick person that Dad


    loves!” Charlotte screams.


    “Enough!” Keh is in front of me in a sh, trying to grab her, but I push him back just as Marcel


    grabs him, punching him across the face. 5 Keh snarls.


    “How dare you strike me!” He spits at Marcel.


    “I will not tolerate that shit in front of me!”


    Marcel snarls, his eyes glowing menacingly, and I hear the cracking of bones as he flexes his hands.


    I nce at Winona, who is looking away, tears streaming down her cheeks.


    “Winona…” I whisper, reaching for her.


    I don’t deserve to be in her life, but I don’t want her crying before me. She’s pregnant, she shouldn’t


    take stress.


    She looks up slowly, and to my surprise, there’s guilt in her eyes.


    “I didn’t mean to ruin things,” she whispers.


    I shake my head, shocked.


    No, she didn’t.


    “You ruined nothing! I just wish the truth hade to light sooner.” I say regretfully.


    Keh looks at me, wiping the blood from his nose where Marcel had struck him.


    “Don’t let your anger blind you, Cathy… Do you want to ruin your life for the lives of your children, who


    are happily setting up their own lives? In the end, you will be the only one alone.”


    I tilt my head andugh humourlessly.


    “Oh? Then I’ll happily be alone. You forget that a thousand mate bonds will NEVERpare to the


    bond between a mother and her children.”


    “You don’t mean that.” He says, hurt clear in his voice as I advance on him.


    “Don’t I? Do you want to test me, Keh?” I hiss as I grab him by his neck, letting my ws out.


    He scoffs, he really doesn’t think I mean it! I plunge my hand into his chest, unable to control the beast


    of hatred and rage within


    I hear the girls gasp but I don’t care. After all, Catherine Arden can be a monster if she needs to


    be, and for her children. Oh, she’d do anything.


    “ept the rejection, or I will kill you!”


    He stares at me in shock, disbelief clear in his eyes as he holds onto my wrist tightly, his heart pulsing


    in my hand. All I need to do is rip it out, the anger and betrayal I feel will make me do it.


    A part of me is telling me to calm down and have him brought to justice the right way, but the urge to


    pass judgement is enticing.


    “You will regret this, Catherine… Once I ept this rejection, I will never take you back.”


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    A threat.


    “Good, because I never want you back.”


    He clenches his jaw, his eyes glimmering green with anger.


    “I Alpha Keh Henry Arden, of the Shadow Wolves Pack, reject you, Catherine Arden as my mate,


    my Luna, and banish you from the Shadow Wolves Pack!”


    Even at such a moment, his arrogance rises. above everything else, wanting to satisfy himself by


    rejecting me, but it means nothing.


    “I ept.” I snarl.


    He clenches his jaw as I stand my ground, as the agony of the bond breaking tears through me and I


    let go of his heart. I pull my hand from his wounded chest and he lets go of my wrist as I pull ck.


    Blood covers my hand and wrist, sttered across my white dress.


    I can’t breathe… and I feel my aura weaken… it’s suffocating…


    “There.” He spits. “Go fuck yourself. I scoff, “Bastard.”


    “Mom…” Charlotte’s by my side, wrapping her arm around me protectively.


    “The King’s Council will deem you guilty and punish you ordingly. As for the pack, I have my sons.” I


    reply coldly.


    “Son,” Charlotte murmurs quietly, but I look at her sharply, having caught it… but…


    “Alpha Marcel, can you please bind him?” I ask. Even my voice sounds breathless and weak.


    “Right away,” Marcel says as Keh snarls in warning.


    “What do you mean, son? Charlotte. Royce won’t stay in hiding from here on, will he? It makes no


    sense,” I say stumbling, both my daughters grip my elbows.


    “Mom!” Winona says.


    “I am alright,” I say quietly.


    If only they knew that I’m barely able to stand, but with every ounce of strength within me, I walk to the


    desk and allow them to help me into the seat.


    My body has broken out into cold sweat and I’m shaking.


    The rejection hurts worse, the stronger the Alpha is that you are mated to…


    For now, my rage and adrenaline are keeping me going, but I don’t know for how long…


    “Are you alright Mom?” Winona whispers as she kneels by my side.


    I tilt my head, smiling softly at her.


    “Of course, how can I not be when I have you by my side,” I whisper to her, caressing her cheek with


    my clean hand. She grips my wrist, resting her cheek in my trembling hand.


    She smiles sadly and brushes away my tears.


    “Call Aleric, he should also know about your father. Tell him to assist…” I trail off, remembering what


    Royce had said earlier.


    ‘Only Aleric can answer…’


    Almost as if he was insinuating, he’s the reason he’s in hiding…


    “There’s something more, Mom,” Charlotte whispers as she kneels by Winona’s side as Marcel and


    Keh struggle, but Marcel is winning.


    After all, the rejection would have weakened him too…


    The crushing pain in my heart is killing me as I look at the man I loved.


    The man who fooled me all my life.


    I drag my attention back to my daughters. Seeing them together is giving me strength.


    “What is it? Why is Royce trying to remain hidden? He is the Sris-”


    “Mom… please, hear me out before you speak, ok?”


    “Maybe now isn’t the time,” Winona whispers to her.


    Charlotte shakes her head. “No. She needs to know.”


    “I need to know what?” I ask sharply.


    Things really can’t get worse than this.


    Both my daughters are different, one gentle and the other headstrong, but both have hearts of gold.


    Charlotte closes her eyes.


    “Aleric tried to kill Royce. He first shot Beta Quade and then Royce, leaving him for dead. He has


    partnered up with Apophis.”


    I was wrong.


    Things can get far worse…


    “He tried to kill Royce, Mom… he wants what Royce has. His power, his strength…. I’m sorry, Mom, but


    Aleric is truly father’s son,” Charlotte finishes softly.


    I stare at her as I try toprehend her words.


    Aleric…


    I close my eyes as I grip my daughters’ hands.


    I failed him… I’ve always seen the hunger for power within him and when I raised my concerns with


    Keh, he would brush it off, saying he was just passionate…


    Who have I not failed?


    “Royce only survived because Leo Rossi got to him in time, the same Leo Rossi who found Winona at


    the orphanage and gave her a home,” Charlotte exins. “He’s a hero Mom.” 8


    I open my eyes, looking at Winona, who nods.


    “Then… I truly owe him everything.” I whisper as I try to grasp onto the slippery threads of my spiralling


    life.


    Leo Rossi…


    He protected and saved two of my children


    from their own blood.


    The sudden sound of roaring thunder and the blinding sh of lightning filling the sky outside makes me


    jump up from my seat.


    “Royce,” I say, my heart thrumming dangerously fast.


    “Something must have happened!”


    Charlotte says as she gets up and runs for the door, as the entire ground trembles with the wrath that


    belongs to my son.


    He went after Sk; I hope everything is alright…


    “Fuck!” Marcel shouts as the lights spark and he quickly runs to shield Winona, pushing Charlotte’s


    head down as the lights and windows shatter.


    Sparks fly as the entire power supply is cut off, engulfing the entire room – no building in darkness.


    Royce…