Chapter 3

Aspen POV:

"Well, look who finally decided to grace us with her presence."

I stepped into the dining area. The small space reeked of cheap oatmeal, burnt lard, and bitter herbs.

Carla sat near the head of the table. She had one hand resting possessively over her protruding belly, her narrow eyes gleaming with malice as she leaned back against her chair.

"I thought our delicate little bride would starve herself to death in that room," Carla drawled, her tone dripping with venom. "Guess hunger won out over your royal temper, huh?"

I did not give her a single glance. I walked straight past her, pulled out an empty wooden chair at the far end of the table, and sat down.

My complete dismissal struck Carla like a physical slap. Her face darkened instantly. She slammed her iron spoon into her bowl with a deafening clatter.

"Who do you think you're looking down on?" she snapped, leaning forward. "You're just a cheap piece of meat the Whites dumped on us to clear their debts! You think putting on a calm face makes you an Alpha's lady?"

Jayme Campbell, my young sister-in-law who was clearing the washbasin by the counter, bit her lower lip and murmured, "Carla, please... she just got here—"

"Shut your mouth!" Carla turned on the girl like a viper. "Did anyone ask a useless, unwed pup to speak? Know your place!"

Jayme shrank back against the wooden cupboards, her eyes welling with tears as she cast an apologetic glance in my direction.

I picked up the wooden spoon in front of me, dipped it into the warm corn porridge, and took a small bite.

"The porridge is decent," I said, chewing and swallowing deliberately before looking up. "Though it would taste considerably better without a blowfly buzzing by my ear."

The room fell dead silent.

Jayme froze with a bowl in her hands.

Carla's jaw dropped, her small eyes widening in absolute fury. "What did you just call me?"

She shoved herself out of her chair so violently that the bowl of hot porridge tipped, spilling greasy liquid across the tabletop.

I set my spoon down without a sound. My pale blue eyes locked directly onto hers.

"If the shoe fits, wear it."

Carla shook with rage, pointing a stubby finger at my face. "You shameless little Omega! You dare speak to me like that? You're married to a broken cripple! You have nothing in this house!"

"Cripple?"

My voice dropped, turning ice cold.

A microscopic fracture of my true White Wolf aura leaked through my skin, invisible to the eye, but heavy enough to make the air in the kitchen drop several degrees.

"Kael shed his blood defending the border for this Pack," I said, each word landing like an iron nail on the floorboards. "You sit here feeding your face on the pension he earned with his flesh, while spitting on his name. Did a rogue wolf eat whatever scrap of conscience you had left?"

Carla choked on her breath. The sudden weight of my aura pressed against her chest, driving the color entirely from her face. She took a step back, her hands flying to protect her stomach.

"You... you can't talk to me like this!" she stammered, her voice pitching into a panicked screech. "I'm carrying the eldest grandson of the Campbell bloodline!"

I stood up.

I didn't raise my voice. I took a single, slow step toward her, tall and entirely unyielding.

"Then I suggest you focus on keeping that child safe, sister-in-law. Getting your blood worked up over things that don't concern you isn't good for the baby. I doubt Jermey would appreciate you endangering his pup over your foul temper."

Carla's knees hit the edge of her wooden chair. She collapsed back into her seat, her face pale as lard.

I turned away from her, shifting my gaze to Jayme, who was staring at me with wide, awe-filled eyes.

"Jayme," I said softly, my voice completely returning to normal. "Could you bring a basin of warm water and a clean towel to my room, please?"

"Yes! Right away, Aspen!" Jayme nodded frantically, scurrying toward the stove.

Carla realized she had lost the room entirely. She scrambled up from her chair, avoiding my gaze, and snatched her shawl off the hook.

"You wait!" she hissed, backing out toward the hallway. "When Kael rots in that bed and dies, let's see how arrogant you are then!"

She scurried away like a frightened rodent.

I watched her disappear down the hall, my expression cold.

Kael was not going to die.

I turned toward the back pantry, searching for the specific herbs I needed to begin his treatment.