Chapter 4 Talia's POV

Talia's POV

Landon walks out on all three of us.

What happened in this room stays here. It's an unspoken rule all of us know. Which is why Landon would face no consequences for threatening his Alpha.

I'm physically and mentally exhausted at this point.

Vance calls the party over, and group by group the house becomes emptier, till Vance and I were left facing each other after seeing the last guest out.

It's exactly two weeks after Vance celebrated his coming heir.

It's also going to be our first appearance in public together after his big

announcement.

"The match starts by 1. I'm leaving thirty minutes before."

"Alright." It's the first thing I've said to Vance since two weeks ago. It sort of came out unconsciously, but it's alright. I've mourned enough.

He looks hot today. I'm not sure if it's because I have paid him no mind, or he just looks especially good today.

We don't bother to match colors, no one feels up to that.

"Here." Offering his hand, he leads me from our doorstep to the Maybach 57S. The car ride was silent and quite uncomfortable.

"Have a nice time." Ben, the driver says as he pulls up in the VIP section of the parking lot.

It's time to act like all is right.

I smile as Vance opens the door and takes my hand.

In less than a fraction of a second, camera shutters go off everywhere, with flashlights stunning us.

Mirage United FC, a club Vance was 75% part of, are playing their debut match.

Vance and Talia are seated in the main stand, directly above and behind the players' tunnel and aligned with the halfway line, with two vacant seats to our both sides.

"We have visitors." I say, more as an observation than confirmation.

"They could switch." That's all the confirmation I need. Nadia was coming.

"No. I'd rather have my enemies closer." I wait for a reply, but he knows better.

Nadia and Landon arrive at the same time. Landon sits next to Vance while Nadia sits next to me. The space between us was so icy, so cold it felt like the stadium could freeze over.

Vance and Landon get into small talks. I can't really hear Landon so I can't tell if it's forced.

"How have you been?" Nadia asks finally, twenty minutes after crashing by my side.

"Excuse me." I say to no one in particular. I thought I could handle the heat. With Landon and Vance nearby, I didn't expect to feel so threatened by Nadia's presence, yet I did

"Do you need water?" The little girl who I pushed out of the way asks after watching me throw up all I had today.

"No love. I hope I didn't hurt you." I say apologetically.

"You didn't." She flashes a toothy smile, revealing four lost teeth and a very wide window. ""When my mommy did that, she said it was my younger brother making her puke." How are kids these days so smart?

I'm about to reply to her when we hear someone fall in the bathroom. We both rush there to see Nadia. She is lying in a pool of her own blood, grunting and holding her belly.

Her upturned gown reveals scratch claw marks. I quickly cover her before the paparazzi gathers and makes a news out of it.

"Where are we?" Nadia says, after receiving the third full bucket of water head on.

"In the bathroom, a stall." I say. I normally would have loved to snub her, but that would be unnerving for her. "You should do a test." She looks me dead in the eye, searching for some confirmation or implication.

Nadia summons all the strength left in her and walks out on me.

My clothes are a mess right now.

"Hi. Could I borrow your jacket?" I say as soon as Landon picks up the phone

"Where are you?" He asks, I hear the humor in his voice.

"The ladies bathroom. You could just ask for directions."

"Alrightyyy." He says, ending the call.

I count the bathroom ceilings twice before Landons knock finally raps on the door.

"Landon?" I really do not want anyone else to see me like this.

"Yes, scaredy cat." I laughed. That is the first in about two weeks.

He hands his ankle-length jacket over and waits outside.

"What happened?" He asks. Between the commentator and the roaring crowd, I could barely make out what he said.

"Water accident. Bad pipe." I say. He somehow suspects foul play. I would too, there's a patch of bloodstain on my sleeve.

"Talia." He stops me in my tracks. "What happened?" I barely have a choice.

"Nadia. She came in bleeding. She left as soon as I told her to get a test done." I say, trying to blend the patches of water on my dress.

"What way did she go?" He asked. He sounds a little too concerned.

"I don't know. She just ran out." I say flippantly.

Landon dashed out before I could complete my sentence. What is going on?

I returned to my seat, I really couldn't care less.

"Where's Nadia?" Vance asks.

"I didn't go out with her. She was here when I left." I'm trying to focus on the game while containing the excitement in me.

Vances team is losing 2:1 and he already is in a foul mood.

He lets it slide, and in no time, the match is done. Our team lost.

We, however, plaster fake smiles while congratulating the players, they could do with some positivity.

"What have you done?!" Vance screams as soon as we get into the house. I barely say what is on my tongue before his hands come down on my face. I double over and land on my rear. Kara whimpers in my head.

He looks demonic. His eyes change color and his canines lengthen. I ran into the safety of our bedroom for my life.

Pack members begin to arrive as I watch them from the window.

I'm scared, Kara is too. What the fuck is about to happen!? Why did Vance call for a pack meeting?

"Vance says to call you." Tracy leaves her message for me through the door.

I can hear the murmur through the roof hatch. Kara is uncomfortable, I can sense it.

"Pack mates!" Vance addresses me as soon as I emerge from the door. "Our heir has been killed."

Loud murmurs of dissent can be heard throughout the crowd.

"Not just that... " he pauses for emphasis "I was poisoned."

The pack begins to growl and snare at whoever deemed themselves fit to rid them of their Alpha.

"I would like my Luna, Talia, to come eat up the food she served me earlier today." He looks at me, daring me to disobey.

I remember sending Vance's food through Tracy earlier today, before the match. I know he didn't eat it, I wasn't expecting him to, I just wanted to break a little bit of the ice since we were gonna be riding in the same car.

I step away from the door. Step by step, I close the gap between Vance and I.

"Eat!" He orders. Tracy brings me a spoon and uncovers the food.

I begin to dig in a little clumsily. I do not have anything to prove, I just do as I am told.

I look around for more familiar faces. I see Landon and Nadia side by side. After this, I'm going to ask Vance what their deal is, for now, I'm trying to get through this.

I start feeling a little nauseous, and my hands start shaking. My heart is racing, I could hear it in my head. My dry throat starts to itch as my eyes start watering.

My legs grow extremely weak and I slump to the floor.

"Help." I yell out to no one exactly. The one person I could trust in this crowd was the one killing me slowly.

My consciousness slips away from me gradually.

The last thing I see right before shutting my eyes close is Vance holding Nadia close, while I slowly waste away.