Chapter 4

Lily stood in the doorway, dressed in a sweeping white gown, her six-month pregnant belly prominently displayed. She wore a look of triumphant arrogance, looking ready to crush me under her heel.

The ballroom went dead silent. All eyes locked onto her.

The host blinked in shock. "Who are you? On what grounds do you object?"

Lily held her head high and marched in. "On the grounds that I am the future mistress of the Blackwell Pack! The child in my belly belongs to Ethan!"

The room erupted into gasps and whispers.

Ethan froze, his hand still resting on his wine glass.

Right in front of the entire pack, Lily launched into a vivid recount of how she had stolen the condoms and used an ancient witch's spell to conceive his baby.

Then, she threw herself onto her knees before Mrs. Blackwell, pleading desperately. "Mom! The baby in my womb is the only heir to the Blackwell line!"

Her parents chimed in right behind her. "That's right! Our daughter is the Blackwell family's greatest savior! How can you treat her like a cheap maid?"

They pointed accusing fingers at me. "It's all because of that vicious woman! She refuses to accept our Lily! You have to give our daughter justice!"

Mrs. Blackwell looked mortified. She glanced at me nervously, then at Lily's protruding belly, trapped in a corner.

After a moment of calculation, knowing she couldn't afford to offend my family—the powerful Hartley Pack—she snapped coldly, "Guards! Drag this raving lunatic out!"

Lily's cries hitched. She stared at Mrs. Blackwell in disbelief.

She failed to realize that Ethan and his mother had originally been nothing more than illegitimate outcasts among Mr. Blackwell Sr.'s many bastard children. Ethan was only chosen as the Alpha heir because I took an interest in him.

To Mrs. Blackwell, an unverified pregnancy couldn't compare to the military and political backing of the Hartley Pack.

Seeing the guards close in, Lily gritted her teeth and dashed toward the open balcony.

"Ethan! I'm carrying your child! If you refuse to claim him, I'll jump right now!"

Amid the pandemonium, I caught the subtle spark of vanity in Ethan's eyes.

"Olivia, she's pregnant," he chided softly. "Why must you be so aggressive?"

Aggressive?

I sneered internally. The little flower had put on quite a show, and my "virtuous" Alpha was clearly flattered.

I didn't bother arguing with him. Instead, I spoke up, my voice carrying over the crowd. "Lily, are you absolutely certain that baby belongs to Ethan?"

Lily didn't hesitate. "Just because you're barren doesn't mean everyone else is! The blood in my child is pure Blackwell!"

"Is that so..." I drawled, amusement dancing in my eyes.

A second later, the double doors swung open once more.

An elderly woman in dark, flowing robes walked in slowly. Around her neck hung a silver pendant of wolf fangs, and antique rings adorned her fingers. She carried the distinct, heavy scent of herbs and burning sage.

"A witch," someone whispered in the crowd.