Edward visited the Palace.
After the three allied groups returned, Axel had been pre-occupied. They publicized the death of Sophie’s unborn child. Including the treachery of Rousel, Flora, and the other servant. The dead fetus Dr. Roce removed from Sophie’s womb, was given a schedule for burial.
For the past days, a lot had happened. Axel and Sophie discussed thoroughly what to do with the criminals, but though Sophie was against it, she cannot stop Axel when she knew it was his way of coping up with their loss. She knew it was his way of avenging their child.
Rousel received a punishment far worse than the servant, and Flora did. He were to live in a cell his whole life, while eating nothing but the flesh of his children. Whilst the servant that was injected will be beheaded. Flora, however, will lose her eyesight and hands.
Each was given punishment differ from one another. But there was one wolf Sophie wanted to suffer among the four who conspired to harm her.
Rebecca.
She was curious. When Edward visited, she couldn’t help but to follow them. Sophie knew for a fact that what they will talk about was Rebecca. It’ll be about her punishment. Sophie wanted to know how Axel would make a decision.
“I’m not going to let Rebecca go, Edward. Starting today, I’ll cage her in a Palace. However, to make sure her baby will not be affected, I’ll have Hugo as his guard until the day she give birth.”
Sophie held her breath. It was Axel who spoke just now. After arguing for twenty minutes or so, that was the decision he came up with. Though it was just right to spare their innocent child, as it had nothing to do with Rebecca’s evilness. She emotionally object.
Rousel’s children were innocent, too. Weren’t they? But a week after Rousel was announced a criminal, Axel procceeded and killed his first born. Twice in a row Rebecca had managed to dragged two innocent children in her vileness.
Yet until the very end, she still could make a way out of it.
How sure was it that Edward will not allow Rebecca to escape? He impregnate her. She was his pack’s queen. Surely, that title wasn’t for nothing, was it?
What will happen after she gave birth? What would happened until then?
Sophie, whose heart disagree on the outcome of their discussion, walked away to gte back inside her room. She did not want to say it, but deep inside, she wanted Rebecca to suffer.
She was the root of all of these. Instead of cruelly making Rousel eat the flesh of his children, instead of beheading the servant who was threatened by Rebecca herself, and instead of cutting Flora’s arms, and plucking out her eyeballs, why didn’t just Axel came after Rebecca instead?
While innocent lives were being punished for someone else’s mistake, where is Rebecca at this moment? Eating delicious food whil enjoying the luxury of being under Edward’s care? While all of these happened, where was she? Soundly sleeping in her room. Celebrating that her plan was a success, while she escaped?
It was fucked up. The way things were still in favor to Rebecca until the very end angered Sophie.
Sophie held her dress tightly, walking in the parquet floor with big and fast steps. She headed towards her room, and changed clothes. While the servant that was in charged of looking after her were busy preparing her meal, Sophie took it as an opening to leave the Palace.
With a furious and heavy heart, Sophie went to Rebecca’s residence. Alone. And without anyone knowing. She discreetly left the Palace, to meet Rebecca herself, after waiting for a week. Sophie was fed up. After everything, she cannot sit still now.
She was done wrong by her mate’s ex Luna. She was poisoned, and if not because of her ability, she would’ve also died. Sophie strongly believed she had the right to confront her in person. Sophie was convinced that she had to do something.
As a mother. As Axel’s Luna. As Sophie, who had been staying silent even after she secretly seduced him.
Sophie did not fear Rebecca. She removed the hood of her cloak, to show herself in the warden outside of Rebecca’s house. She used her standing as a free pass to be able to face Rebeca.
Without letting anyone stop her, Sophie entered her house. She forbidded anyone to informed their master. Sophie walked inside as she pleased, and directly headed to Rebecca’s chamber.
“I don’t want to be disturbed, Petra! How many times do I have to tell you that?!”
Sophie did not waste another chance. When Rebecca yelled as a response, Sophie took a step back, to get her dagger. She pulled it out, and used it to create a crack in her door. Though the dagger was made of obsidian, the door was sturdy enough not to break it.
So, the second time, Sophie used force.
“Petra!” Rebecca shouted from inside, before she heard her angered foortsteps.
Sophie did not budge. She held her dagger tightly, waiting for the door to opened. She felt her chest in flame. She was worked up.
“Did I not--”
Sophie did not allow Rebeca to continue her words. As soon as she opened the door, she stepped forward. She pointed the dragger straight at Rebecca’s neck. It was barely an inch away. One wrong move and the dagger would’ve slit her neck open.
Sophie’s eyes glazed the sharpness of the blade, before she blankly returned her gaze to Rebecca, whose eyes were wide.
“I’m impressed you can actually live your life the same after what you’ve done.”
The blank stare, empty eyes, and stoic expression were only facades. She could barely hold back herself. She was vivid on the inside. She wanted to scream and hurt Rebecca. She wanted to stab her in her neck. She wanted to slit her chest. She wanted to kill her in a way she wouldn’t even manage to react.
But perhaps this was the exact emotion Axel had felt when he faced Rousel. That no matter how wrathful he was, death was too easy for someone who have done you wrong in the most cruel way possible.
“Sophie…” Rebecca uttered her name, stunned. “P-put down the dagger.”
Sophie did not bat an eyelash. She drew the dagger closer to her neck that it interated with her skin. She pointed the blade diagonally to her neck, and pressed it a little to injure it. Even in suppressed rage, Sophie managed to control herself.
Rebecca’s neck bled.
“Edward won’t surely like it if he finds out--”
“Say, will Edward be able to put up a good fight against Axel?” Sophie cutted Rebecca off again.
Edward was Rebecca’s source of courage. Now that Sophie was thinking about it, she was suspecting it might be the reason Rebecca had chosen him. Because he had power. Because Edward as someone who could protect her.
She was clever for that. How much of this did she even plan beforehand? Sophie thought Rebecca could win the deceitful award for that. Only she’ll be dead before she could even receive it.
“Axel will not fight Edward, Sophie. I promised you that.” Rebecca’s eyes turned sharp.
She moved her arm to get the dagger, but Sophie’s reflexes were fast. Before Rebecca could even reach the blade, she kicked her forcefully on her abdomen, ignoring the fact that she was pregnant.
“Ahh!” Rebecca, who was deeply hurted from the sudden attack, felt immobalized. Her back hurted a lot for receiving the impact. Her stomach, however, felt numb. Panicked rushed in her pair of eyes as she looked down on it. “M-my baby!”
“If I kill you right now, Edward wouldn’t like it. But even then, he wouldn’t be able to do anything to me. Not when we’re inside Axel’s territory.” Sophie moved forward, continuously provoking and threatening Rebecca.
“Do you think I’ll let you kill me right now? I may be pregnant, but I’m still stronger than you!” Rebecca tried to stood up, disregarding the pain.
“We’ll see…”
Sophie played with the dagger on her hands, not taking her eyes off Rebecca.
Rebecca probably did not know she used to train before. Her rank might be lower, but she knew how to fight. She could also heal herself. Bak in the way, it would take half a day to heal all her wounds. But she grew, and her ability had advanced, too.
Just over a week ago, Dr. Roce operated on her. But the pain was gone overnight. Dr. Roce didn’t even stitched her belly. It regenerated on her own. Even if she was to combat Rebecca, it wouldn’t harm her. Not even when she transform.
Sophie basically have what it took to murder her.
Rebecca, who was angered, forged in to attack Sophie. Rebecca tried to hit Sophie’s wrist to make her release the blade, but Sophie could see it. She avoided it, and used her left hand to smack Rebecca’s arm. She twisted her body, and used her elbow to hit Rebecca’s face. She didn’t give her time to land another attack.
As soon as Rebecca stepped backward, Sophie twirled to land a blow on the side of Rebecca’s waist using her foot.
Rebecca groaned from pain, unable to do anything. Her body was slammed to the wall because of the impact, before it slowly fell.
Sophie was not holding back. She was using brute force, not giving a hoot on what kind of injury Rebecca will receive. Sophie felt more inflamed. She dropped her dagger, stepping forward towards Rebecca with a tremendous aura. She knew it took a toll on her. Since she was pregnant, she probably won’t even able to move for almost a minute. Sophie used it to her advantage.
Sophie stopped in front of Rebecca. She leaned down, before she pulled her hair to forcefully lift her up, using the same hand that had the Rebecca whined, and tried to strike Sophie on her chest using her first, but Sophie blocked it. She caught her left arm, and twisted it to inflict another physical pain.
But she was still not done.
Sophie slapped Rebecca’s cheek the moment she let go of her arm. It made Rebecca’s cheek turned red. But Sophie did not give her a chance to get over it. She slapped her. One after another. Until Rebecca’s face turned violet, and Sophie’s hand felt numb.
“Why?” Sophie asked, giving Rebecca a few seconds to breathe, before slapping her again. “What did I ever do to you?”
Rebecca looked at Sophie with ignited spite. “You deserved what happened to you, Sophie. If only you didn’t seduce Axel, your life would’ve been at peace.”
“So, this is all about your insecurity…” The side of Sophie’s lips arose. “I should’ve known.”
“Insecurity? Don’t make me laugh. You’re just a replacement--”
“Then why didn’t Axel accept your proposal when you seduced him?”
Rebecca’s eyes widened. She could not believe Sophie knew about that! How? Did Axel tell her? Impossible!
“H-he told you?”
“Edward did.”
The day after they returned, Edward visited her to asked how she was. Along the way, he became honest and told her he knew about Rebecca’s motives from the start, including her attempts to tear her and Axel.
Sophie was surprised. She did not know Rebecca hold a grudge against them, when she was the one who ended things with Axel. It was unbelievable. But it made sense.
“I won’t buy that.” Rebecca tilted her head to looked at Sophie properly. “Flora probably told you. After being caught, she probably told you all the things that I did to save herself. Right?”
“Don’t you ever wonder why Edward hasn’t paid you a visit since they’ve returned?” Sophie held Rebecca’s hair tighter. She insulted her with her eyes. “Because he was too disgusted to see you.”
“You freak---”
Sophie slapped Rebecca’s cheek once again. “But he’s probably on his way here. Since he already made an agreement with Axel..”
“What agreement?” Rebecca’s eyes reflected terror. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying he already talked things out with Axel. He agreed on imprisoning you.”
“W-what?”
No! Rebecca refused to believe it. First, Sophie imposed Edward told her about her attempts to seduce Axel. Now, she’s saying Edward made an agreement with Axel? That couldn’t be! Even if Flora and Rousel spoke, Edward shouldn’t be believing them! He was too in love with her to even believe that!
Rebecca’s heart rammed fast. Her eyes became a pool of what ifs, as she started doubting Edward subconsciously.
But where was he really? Ever since he returned, he hadn’t gone home. He did not even contacted her. All he received was a transmission from his men saying Edward was busy with his unattended pile of works for a while.
“Let go.” Rebecca grab Sophie’s left hand. “Let go, Sophie.”
Sophie tried to slap Rebecca again, but her hand was caught. Rebecca tightened her grip to Sophie. But before Sophie could even do anything, Rebecca transmuted, forcing Sophie to release her.