A Mother's Betrayal

Maeve's POV

Gideon’s heavy boots echoed as he strode into the Financial Office. His suffocating, dominant Alpha aura instantly pressed down against my chest, making it difficult to draw a full breath. The heavy pressure in the room was palpable, pushing down on my shoulders. Yet, despite the sheer intimidation radiating from him, his golden eyes softened into a pool of sickening gentleness the moment he looked over to check on Sadie.

Catching his gaze, Sadie smirked at me in wicked victory. In a heartbeat, she flawlessly slipped into her helpless victim persona. She rushed to his side, clutching his tailored sleeve, and dramatically framed me.

"Gideon, thank God you are here," she gasped, pitching her voice into a fragile tremble. "I heard shouting and came in to see what was happening. I did not expect to come across Maeve trying to steal money from the pack."

The audacity of her lie made my blood boil. I unleashed a bitter sneer, directly attacking her delusion. "Miss Winslow, can you even hear the ridiculous words coming out of your own mouth?" I challenged loudly. "You are nothing but a cheap mistress. Do you genuinely believe you are already the Luna of the Iron Fang Pack?"

Gideon slowly pivoted to face me. The gentleness in his eyes vanished, replaced by a hard, calculating stare that sent a shiver down my spine. "Are you trying to take pack money?" he demanded.

Before I could even formulate a proper defense against the accusation, Gemma eagerly chimed in from behind her polished desk. She blatantly lied directly to her Alpha. "She did, Alpha! Maeve aggressively tried to force a massive, unauthorized withdrawal just now."

Driven by the suffocating desperation to save my dying Dad, I abandoned my wounded pride and argued back. I stared straight into Gideon's stoic eyes. "As your official Luna, am I not even permitted to withdraw a meager twenty thousand dollars?"

Staring into his cold, indifferent, and hostile gaze, a heartbreaking realization washed over me. The man standing before me was a stranger. He bore no resemblance to the warm, loving man I had first met under the moonlight.

"That is right. You cannot," he flatly confirmed my fears. He then callously added, "You appear no different from a common thief. And you mockingly claim to be a competent Luna."

At his cruel words, the infected wolfsbane wound in my abdomen flared up. A wave of intense, blinding pain tore through my core, threatening to buckle my knees. But as I watched him and Sadie standing shoulder-to-shoulder, looking united like true fated mates, I forcefully swallowed down the agonizing scream building in my throat. He would not believe a single word I said anyway.

Masking my physical agony behind a wall of pure ice, I purposefully walked right past him. I threw my final ultimatum over my shoulder. "As long as you have not officially rejected me, I retain my title as Luna. If you truly never want to see my face again, you need to follow me to the Council of Elders immediately."

Just as I passed him, Gideon's sharp eyes must have caught the sheen of cold sweat coating my pale face. He suddenly reached out. His large, warm hand grabbed my frail arm in an iron grip.

"What is wrong?" his voice dropped into a low, oddly urgent tone.

The hypocrisy of his sudden concern fueled my rising anger. I spat out that it was none of his business. I shook off his hand with all my remaining strength. I continued walking away, never once casting a backward glance at the man who was breaking my heart.

Dragging my failing body outside the official borders of the pack territory, I collapsed by the gritty curb. I rested my heavy head against my knees, waiting in the dirt until the blinding waves of pain finally began to dim. Left with no other options and desperate for guidance, I retreated inward. I called out frantically to my dormant, poisoned wolf in the deep recesses of my mind.

*Nyx, please. What should I do?*

To my surprise, Nyx finally answered. Her voice was incredibly faint, a mere echo of her former strength, but she clearly instructed me to seek out my mother.

*If you want to save Arthur, this is your last remaining shot,* she insisted.

Reluctantly swallowing my deep-seated pride and childhood trauma, I hailed a passing cab and directed it toward the upscale, human villa area where Nora Winslow currently resided. Nora had heartlessly abandoned both my Dad and me many years ago the exact moment she discovered her new fated mate. That selfish act had instantly rendered both her and her new mate as packless rogues. Now, she lived a life of pure luxury, funded by human wealth.

I stood before the grand oak door, my hand trembling slightly as I raised it to knock on the polished wood. A few agonizing moments later, Nora opened it. She was dressed impeccably, looking pristine and untouched by the harsh realities of werewolf life. Her eyes widened as she gasped in genuine surprise at my pale, battered appearance.

She quickly ushered me into the sprawling, opulent hallway, her heels clicking softly against the marble floor. "I heard rumors about the devastating attack on the Frost Moon Pack," she mentioned offhandedly, waving a manicured hand. "You can stay with me for the time being."

Searching her perfectly made-up face, I looked for any sign of remorse. I saw zero guilt for her years of absence. There was only mild, superficial surprise at my sudden arrival. Refusing to play the role of the dutiful daughter in a happy family, I cut straight through the pleasantries to the agonizing point.

"Did you know about the attack?" I bluntly asked, my voice tight with exhaustion and resentment. "And more importantly, do you know Dad is severely injured and trapped in a persistent coma?"

She blinked, offering no immediate comfort. I laid my desperation bare, explicitly stating my purpose so she would not misunderstand my visit. "He is the sole reason I am standing on your doorstep today. I am begging you for the money to cover his overwhelming medical bills. I swear on my life I will pay you back every single cent."