Chapter 400
(Victoria’s POV)
As night fell, I took advantage of the darkness to drive the car I had borrowed from the male staff member at Moonstone Psychiatric Facility. The vehicle reeked of cigarettes and cheap cologne, but it would serve my purpose.
I parked opposite the cottage complex where Olivia Winters lived. Through the grimy windshield, I watched maliciously as she and her mother Evelyn went upstairs to their third–floor unit.
My broken wolf stirred with savage anticipation as I waited. The damaged creature within me had retreated so far into my consciousness that only my human madness remained in control.
One hour passed. I needed to ensure they were both asleep before I made my move.
The residential district was quiet now. Most of the pack members had settled in for the night, unaware of the hell I was about to unleash.
I retrieved the heavy oil barrel from the trunk. The gasoline sloshed inside as I carried it toward the building entrance.
My damaged mind focused solely on one goal – dragging that pathetic Luna into hell with me. If I was destined for eternal suffering, she would join me in the abyss.
The security at Maple Grove was minimal. These wolves felt safe in their territory, protected by their Alpha King’s power.
They had no idea that their greatest threat was already among them.
I slipped through the building’s entrance using the key I had stolen from a maintenance worker earlier. My fractured mental state had made me cunning in ways I’d never been before.
The stairwell was empty. My footsteps echoed softly as I climbed to the third floor, the oil barrel growing heavier with each step.
2
But my rage gave me strength. Years of manipulation and scheming had led to this moment of pure, brutal revenge.
In the dead of night, I broke into Olivia’s Maple Grove Cottage. The lock was simple enough to pick with the tools I had acquired.
With careful movements that belied my fractured mental state, I opened the oil barrel. The pungent smell of gasoline immediately filled the air.
The scent was so strong it overpowered even my weakened werewolf senses. But I pushed through the discomfort, driven by my need for vengeance.
I poured the gasoline across the wooden floor of the living room. The liquid spread quickly, soaking into the grain of the wood.
After dousing the living room completely, I moved toward the bedrooms. I poured the remaining gasoline at the doorways of both rooms. The master bedroom where Evelyn slept. Olivia’s room where she lay peacefully, unaware of her approaching doom.
Standing at the entrance, I pulled out a lighter. My face twisted with malice in the flickering flame.
My wolf had retreated so deeply that my human madness now had complete control. There was no animal instinct left to stop me.
“Olivia Winters, go die!” I cursed as I threw the lit lighter toward the master bedroom where Evelyn slept.
The gasoline ignited instantly. Flames raced across the floor with supernatural speed, consuming everything in their path.
I closed the cottage door behind me. Then I poured the last of the fuel on the door itself to block any escape route.
Soon, Olivia’s panicked voice could be heard from inside. She was calling for her mother, her voice filled with terror and desperation.
Violent coughing followed as smoke began to fill the cottage. The sound of her suffering brought me twisted satisfaction.
This was what she deserved for destroying my life. For turning Ethan against me with her pathetic grief over that worthless pup.
Inside, Olivia woke to the choking smoke. Her wolf immediately became alert to the deadly danger surrounding them.
She tried to reach her mother in the master bedroom. But she found herself trapped in a corner of her own room as flammes engulfed half the space. The smoke grew thicker by the second. The flames more intense, overwhelming even her enhanced werewolf senses.
When she tried to call for help, smoke rushed into her throat. Her voice came out as barely a whisper.
She struggled to breathe through her sleeve. The fabric provided little protection against the toxic fumes filling the air.
Her wolf whimpered in distress as consciousness began to slip away. The proud Luna was finally experiencing the helplessness I had felt for so long. She collapsed to the floor as darkness claimed her. Just as I had planned.
(Ethan’s POV)
I had been keeping my distance from Olivia’s cottage at Evelyn’s request. She had asked me to give her daughter space to heal.
But I couldn’t stay completely away. Typically, I only drove by late at night to ensure my mate safety from afar.
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Chapter 400
This evening felt different. My wolf was restless, pacing anxiously within my consciousness.
