Snakes Over Wolves Chapter 04
Cameron’s eyes went wide. He stared blankly at the heavy, snake-shaped cufflink on Nathaniel’s wrist, then took in his strikingly handsome face.
Cameron looked completely unable to process what was happening. The branding iron slipped from his hand and clattered against the floor.
“You’re the prince of the Weresnake Tribe? Nathaniel Cranfield?”
Cameron stammered. “What do you mean? Weren’t you supposed to marry Annie? Annie is already mated with me, so why are you here?”
He watched Nathaniel gently offer me his hand, clearly starting to suspect something was very wrong.
Nathaniel just smiled. He laced his fingers through mine and arched an amused eyebrow. “I never said I intended to marry Anika. I have only ever wanted to marry Nessa. Nessa is the one who actually made the potion, too. Only a fool like you would favor a deceitful she-werebeast like Anika.”
Cameron flinched, visibly struggling to process Nathaniel’s words.
The rest of the room erupted into loud murmurs, with several people openly questioning if Anika had actually brewed the competition potion at all.
All the color drained from Anika’s face. She immediately reached up to wipe away her tears, but I spoke up before she could milk the crowd for sympathy. I looked over at my parents, who had just made it downstairs. “Mom, Dad, don’t forget your promise to me.”
Looking incredibly uncomfortable, my mom leaned in and whispered to Anika.
Anika reacted instantly and loudly. “No, I made that potion! If the Weresnake Tribe wants to cause trouble for you, that’s your problem. I already have a mate. I don’t care what happens to the Derby family.”
My parents just stared at her in absolute shock. They looked at her like they didn’t even know her.
I let out a short, flat laugh. Anika had always been this selfish.
My parents had just spent their whole life turning a blind eye to it because she was their favorite.
Nathaniel clicked his tongue, giving a lazy snap of his fingers.
Instantly, his bodyguards produced a small vial, pinning Anika down to force the liquid down her throat.
Anika thrashed, sobbing wildly. “Cam, help! Vanessa’s making him kill me.”
Cameron paled, surging forward in anger. “Hey! Stop! What the hell are you doing?”
Nathaniel offered a slow, easy smile. “Oh? She insists she brewed this potion, but she doesn’t even recognize her own competition entry? It’s not poison, Cameron. It’s a truth serum.”
A flash of guilt crossed Anika’s face, and she fought the guards even harder.
Cameron froze, stopping dead in his tracks.
A sinking feeling told him he was about to uncover a truth he really didn’t want to accept.
Once the serum was down, Anika bit her lip hard, desperately trying to keep quiet. But she couldn’t stop herself from spilling every awful thing she’d done over the years.
Her expression turned frantic. “So what if I stole Vanessa’s potion? I don’t care how talented she is — she was always going to be nothing but a stepping stone for me.”
Smirking, she locked eyes with Cameron. “You didn’t honestly think I liked you, did you? You were just my favorite little puppet. You bought every single thing I said. You were so unbelievably stupid — you cut off all eight of Vanessa’s tails with your own two hands, all for me.”
Blinded with rage, Cameron kicked her to the floor. “You bitch.”
But the truth serum hadn’t worn off. She shifted her glare to my parents, her eyes full of pure malice. “And you two stubborn old fools. Did you actually think your car crash back then was an accident? I cut your brakes on purpose. Then I just swooped in to save you, and you were so pathetically grateful.”
Years ago, my parents had taken Anika in off the streets for that exact reason — because she’d saved their lives.
I never imagined she’d orchestrated the whole thing.
The shock was too much; my dad passed out on the spot. The warmth in my mom’s eyes evaporated into intense hatred. She lunged forward, slapping Anika across the face, hard, twice.
“You wicked, ungrateful wretch.”
The entire room descended into chaos.
Watching the truth finally spill out, I just felt drained. I lost all interest in the spectacle.
Sensing my shift in mood, Nathaniel squeezed my hand.
“Nessa, let’s go home. I’m your family now.”
“Okay.”
I was just about to get into the car when Cameron came running after us, his eyes red and desperate.
“Nessa, I was wrong! Please, don’t go with him.
“I love you. I realize now you’re the one I’ve loved this whole time. That bitch played me.”
I only found it ridiculous. Belated affection was completely worthless.
Keeping my face deadpan, I glanced at the wererabbit mating mark on his neck, left over from when they mated.
“Actually,” I said, “I think you two are perfect for each other. I hope you’re stuck together forever.”
Cameron clutched at his chest, looking absolutely gutted.
I didn’t waste another second looking at him. I just shut the car door.
He tried to run after us, but Nathaniel’s guards immediately blocked him.
Clawing frantically at the mating mark on his neck, he screamed in despair, “Nessa, I’m not giving up! I’ll figure out a way to break this bond and be with you again.”