Mated To The Crippled Alpha-Chapter 200: It Is You

I stood to the side and watched everything unfold.

It all felt absurd.

Not long ago, the Morrigans and Julian had bared their teeth at me, defending Camilla like she was some sacred Luna chosen by fate. I could still remember the way they cornered me, their words sharp, their eyes full of judgment.

And now?

The Morrigans looked broken.

Julian who once looked at Camilla like she was the only mate worthy of his claim now stared at her as if she were something rotten.

How quickly loyalties shift in a pack.

Malcom had even dyed his hair black for the bonding ceremony. He wore a custom suit, stood tall, tried to look like a proud father offering his daughter to a powerful bloodline.

But the exhaustion in his scent betrayed him.

"Fine," he muttered finally. "Do whatever you want."

It was the voice of a man who had lost control of his territory.

The doctor arranged the procedure quickly. Julian followed them down the hallway, his back straight, steps cold and steady.

"Camilla," he said without looking at her, "this time I’m watching you. Let’s see how you fake this."

"Julian... do you really hate me that much?" Her voice trembled. "After all the years we spent together, I "

"Shut up."

His tone cracked like a whip.

"I know exactly what kind of woman you are. I don’t want to hear your voice. I only care about the result. If that child isn’t mine, Camilla... I won’t let you walk away from this."

The air thickened.

Once, his gaze toward her had been warm. Protective.

Now it was pure disgust.

Malcom sank onto the hallway bench as the door to the procedure room closed.

He stared at it for a long time.

Then, softly almost as if he had lost himself he whispered, "Elena..."

My chest tightened.

I pretended not to hear and turned away.

Meanwhile, Silas had been taken into surgery. A nurse handed me his examination report.

Several ribs broken.

Internal injuries.

But nothing fatal.

His right hand, though... shattered beyond repair.

I studied the paper, then looked at Lewis.

"This wasn’t random," I said quietly.

Lewis’s lips curved faintly.

"If he were less useful," he replied calmly, "his left hand would be gone too."

My pulse didn’t even change.

Silas was still in surgery when Camilla was wheeled out of the procedure room.

Julian stood by the door.

"When will we know?" he demanded.

The doctor adjusted his mask. "Normally three to four weeks. But if expedited, seven days."

"Seven," Julian said. "And if anyone tampers with the results, you’re all finished."

The doctor swallowed. "Understood."

Lewis subtly had Camilla’s people removed from the area. No interference. No whispered instructions. No hidden claws.

Seven days.

That was all it would take.

Camilla had been injured earlier. She was bleeding. After the procedure, she needed injections to stabilize the pregnancy.

By the time I entered her hospital room, she looked drained.

Her face had returned to its natural shape, though still pale. The fight was gone from her eyes replaced with something fragile.

The moment she saw me, she forced herself upright.

"It was you," she hissed. "Wasn’t it?"

"Ms. Morrigan," I replied gently, "I’m not sure what you mean."

I kept my expression calm. Neutral.

Inside, I felt nothing.

Her eyes burned. "Lewis has been investigating me. And you’ve been helping Lincy. Otherwise, how could that idiot expose what happened between Silas and me?"

I tilted my head slightly.

"Camilla," I said softly, "if you don’t want things exposed, maybe don’t do them."

Her jaw tightened.

"You schemed against me first," I continued. "You used Melissa to try and destroy my reputation. You arranged for those men to hurt me. Tell me what did I ever do to you that deserved that?"

The room fell silent.

Camilla locked eyes with me.

Her gaze was sharp, searching, as if she were trying to peel back my skin and see who I really was beneath it.

"Didn’t you start this, Riley?" she snapped. "I had no grudge against you. Yet you plotted against me at the Hale pack and humiliated me at the art competition. And now you dare to question me?"

She dropped the sweet act completely. No more soft voice. No more fragile tears.

Just claws.

I couldn’t help but laugh.

"Camilla, have you forgotten?" I said lightly. "At the painting competition, you stole Elena’s work. And at the Hale territory? You were the one trying to get rid of me. I simply survived. Where do you get the nerve to accuse me?"

In her world, she was always right.

If something went wrong, someone else must have caused it.

She narrowed her eyes. "Riley, what are you really planning?"

I stepped closer to her bed, lowering my voice.

"I already died once," I said calmly. "Now I just want to live properly."

Her breath hitched.

Then I took a document from my bag and placed it on her lap.

"By the way, Ms. Morrigan," I added softly, "I’m sure you’re dying to know about your lover. Here’s his medical report."

The moment she saw Silas’s condition written in black ink, her fingers trembled.

Her eyes filled with tears instantly.

"You did this on purpose," she whispered.

I tilted my head. "On purpose? I didn’t touch a single hair on his head."

I folded my arms.

"I’m just curious. Back at the Hale pack, you acted like you were madly devoted to Julian. So in love. So loyal. But now you look genuinely worried about this man. Could it be... he’s the one you truly care about?"

For a split second, guilt flickered in her eyes.

Then it vanished.

"You’re talking nonsense!" she shot back. "It’s not like what you think!"

"Oh?" I smiled faintly. "Then what is it like? I’m listening."

"Dream on," she spat. "Why should I tell you? Riley, if you dare mess with us, you’ll pay. One day you’ll die tragically. Then you’ll understand."

Her words were like a spark against dry leaves.

"You’re in no position to threaten me," I said coolly. "But your lover? He won’t be so lucky. You lied to Julian. And you know what an Alpha’s pride is like when it’s wounded."

Her face went pale. "What’s Julian going to do to him?"

I shrugged casually. "Who knows? Male jealousy burns hotter than you think. Camilla, if you’re going to blame anyone, blame yourself. You tried to hold two bonds at once. Now it’s snapping back at you."

I turned toward the door.

"It’s late. I should go."

"Don’t go!" she cried suddenly. "Riley, you need to explain yourself!"

She tried to grab me.

But her body was too weak.

She slipped off the bed.

The moment her feet hit the ground, she gasped.

Bright red blood began spreading across her hospital gown.

The sight froze me for half a second.

That red.

Six months ago, I had collapsed just like that. Blood soaking through my clothes. Crawling toward the door. Leaving a trail behind me while no one came to help.

The memory flashed through me like lightning.

"Blood... so much blood..." Camilla whispered in panic.

Her hands trembled as she pressed against her abdomen.

What goes around comes around.

I hadn’t pushed her.

I hadn’t touched her.

Yet she was now standing on the same edge I once stood on.

Her eyes locked onto mine, wild and afraid.

"Riley," she begged, her voice breaking. "Get the doctor!"