3/3.

Chapter 36: The Web of D.

bChapter /bb36/b: The Web of Deception

Chapter 36: The Web of Deception

(Sophia’s POV)

I pursed my lips and nced toward the washroom. Marcus’s footsteps echoed down the corridor as he

cleaned the wine stain from his pants.

My fingers trembled as I reached for his phone on the table. The screen illuminated with an iing

message.

On the screen, a message from Elena was disyed: “I’m at the ckthorne Family Grounds, when are you

My mind went nk. Had their rtionship progressed to the point of meeting the parents? This couldn’t

happen.

The thought of Marcus choosing Elena over me made my chest tighten with panic. I had worked too hard to

lose him now.

Hearing footsteps outside the corridor, I quickly put the phone back in its original position. The next moment,

Marcus pushed the door open and entered.

I looked at him and smiled slightly, forcing my voice to remain steady. “Marcus, can you take Oliver and me

backter?”

Marcus picked up his phone and nced at the screen. I watched his face carefully, searching for any

reaction to Elena’s message.

He didn’t reply to the message. Instead, he quickly put away his phone with a neutral expression.

“I have pack business to attend toter,” he said tly. “I’ll have the driver take you.”

My face turned slightly pale. My hands under the table clenched tightly into fists.

He was going to find that she–wolf. The realization hit me like a physical blow.

I lowered my eyes to hide the hatred burning in them. “Or, I’ll drive myself. No need to trouble the driver.”

Marcus paused for a moment. His golden eyes studied my face briefly.

“Okay,” he said faintly.

After lunch, Marcus parted ways with Oliver and me downstairs. He left first without looking back.

I watched his departing car disappear around the corner. A n suddenly shed through my mind.

The corners of my lips curved into a cold smile. If Marcus wanted to choose Elena, I would make sure he

regretted that decision.

(Elena’s POV)

At the ckthorne Family Grounds, everyone was present and waiting. The living room felt ramped with so many rtives gathered together.

Besides Richard and Patricia ckthorne, there were also the Elder ckthorne Couple, Grace ckthorne,

Chapter 36. The Web of D.

Vivian ckthorne, and my eldest uncle Thomas.

Grace ckthorne sized me up with calcting eyes. “It’s been so many years since we’ve seen each other.

Our little Elena has grown so beautiful.”

She smiled with false warmth. “The ckthorne family has finally produced a beauty,”

Richard and Patricia’s expressions stiffened slightly upon hearing this. They only smiled along awkwardly, not saying anything.

“What’s the use of a she–wolf being beautiful?” Matilda ckthorne, the Elder matriarch, waved her hand

dismissively. “She still needs to mate well to have a good future.”

The old woman turned to look at David with obvious affection. “David, when you find your mate in the future,

you must choose someone who can help you achieve sess.”

Her voice carried the weight of traditional pack wisdom. “For a male wolf, starting a family and establishing territory is the most important thing.”

David twitched his lips sarcastically. “You might as well let me be the one to mate into a wealthy pack.”

“Nonsense!” Matilda’s voice rose sharply. “How can you mate into a wealthy pack!”

Richardughed nervously to smooth things over. “Mother, David is just like this. Don’t mind him.”

Vivian ckthorne peeled an orange with deliberate slowness. Her movements were calcted to draw

attention.

“Richard, why haven’t we seen your son–inw yet?” she asked with mock concern. “The food will be ready

soon. Your extraordinary Alpha son–inw can’t bete, can he?”

Richard’s expression turned serious. He suddenly looked at me with impatience burning in his eyes.

“Elena, hurry up and ask,” he urged sharply.

I said calmly, “Wouldn’t it be better if you called yourself?”

Seeing my retort, Richard’s expression darkened considerably. His jaw clenched with barely controlled anger.

Vivian sneered with obvious satisfaction. “Elena, that’s your mate. How can you let your father lower his face

to contact his Alpha son–inw?”

Vivian was used to being mboyant and domineering. Her family’s wealth made her the Elder matriarch’s

most favored daughter–inw.

Even Patricia and Grace had to give way to her demands and opinions.

I frowned and picked up my phone to check the messages. Marcus had said he was on the way ten minutes

ago.

(God’s POV)

At the same time, Marcus’s car was already near the ckthorne Family Grounds. The familiar territory came

into view through the tinted windows.

His phone suddenly rang with an urgent tone. The caller ID showed Sophia’s name.

He picked it up immediately. But the voice on the other end wasn’t Sophia’s.

“Is this Alpha ckwood? The voice was panicked and breathless. “Sophia and the child had an ident on

the road. They’re at the Northern Territory Central Healing Institute now”

Marcus’s expression tightened with immediate concern. He hung up the phone without asking for details.

He nced toward the ckthorne Family Grounds in the distance. The building where Elena waited for him

stood silent.

He remained silent for a long moment. His internal conflict was visible in the tension of his jaw.

“Turn around,” he instructed the driver firmly. “Go to the institute.”

“But what about the Luna…” the driver began hesitantly.

Marcus emphasized again with cold authority. “Go to the institute first.”

The driver didn’t say anything more. He turned the car around and left the ckthorne territory behind.

When Marcus arrived at the recovery ward, the scene before him confirmed his worst fears. Sophia’s left leg

was encased in a white cast.

Oliver wasn’t in much better condition. Although he wasn’t critically injured, he had more scrapes and bruises

than Sophia.

Sophia was sitting by the hospital bed on crutches. When she saw Marcus enter, her face lit up with desperate relief,

She leaned on her crutches and rushed into his arms. “Marcus, I was so scared! I was afraid I would never

see you and Oliver again!”

Marcus stood still for a moment. Then he reached out and held her shoulders, gently pulling her away from

his embrace.

“You’re injured,” he said with concern. “Why aren’t iyou /iresting?”

Sophia stiffened at his gentle rejection. She lowered her eyes and bit her lip to hide her disappointment.

“I was just worried about Oliver,” she whispered.

“Uncle…” Oliver’s weak voice called from the bed. His eyes were filled with lingering fear from the ident.

Marcus walked to the bed and held the child’s small hand. He responded with unusual gentleness.

“Don’t be afraid,” he said softly. “Uncle is here.”

“Uncle, will iyou /istay with me today?” Oliver’s voice carried desperate hope.

Looking at the child’s longing eyes, Marcus was silent for a long while. The weight of responsibility settled on

his shoulders.

“Uncle will stay with iyou/i,” he finally promised.

Oliver grabbed his big hand tightly. As long as uncle was by his side, he wouldn’t have nightmares.

He wouldn’t have to worry about his mother hitting him anymore when she thought no one was watching.

Sophia didn’t care about Oliver’s actual condition. Hearing that Marcus would stay, her goal was achieved.

Her n had worked perfectly.

(Elena’s POV)

Chapter 36 The Web of D.

Chants b& /b

The people at the ckthorne Family Grounds waited until the food was getting cold. Marcus’s figure was

nowhere to be seen.

“Didn’t you say your Alpha son–inw woulde?” Matilda had lost her patiencepletely. “Where is he?”

The other rtives were even more displeased. Their whispers filled the room with growing tension.

Richard’s expressionpletely soured. He mmed his chopsticks down heavily on the table.

“Didn’t you say Marcus woulde?” he red at me with usation. “Are you lying to us!”

“Father, how can you say that to sister!” David protested immediately.

“You shut up!” Richard was furious. Even his son was not spared from his anger.

“He did promise to attend,” I exined subconsciously. But I stopped before I could finish the sentence.

A dense, prickly pain filled my chest. He didn’t want toe. He could have refused.

There was no need to promise and then break his word.

“You foolish girl!” Richard waspletely exasperated. “Couldn’t you have asked clearly!”

He disregarded the presence of others and mmed the table violently. A wine ss on the table was

knocked over.

The red wine spilled across my clothes and pants. The cold liquid soaked through the fabric.

Seeing this, David also mmed the table and stood up. “Enough, Father! It’s my birthday today, not yours!”

His voice carried righteous anger. “I didn’t say a word about whether my brother–inw woulde or not.

What are you getting so worked up about!”

“Besides, is this sister’s fault?” David continued his defense. “You’re the ones who asked my brother–inw to

I reached out to pull him down. “David, don’t say anymore.”

David sat down abruptly. If sister wasn’t there, he would have flipped the entire table.

Richard didn’t retort. His face remained gloomy, his anger vented but not satisfied.

The more he thought about it, the more aggrieved he felt.

Vivian was now amused by the family drama. “Richard, there’s no need to make things, so ugly with your

children for the sake of face.”

She continued with false sympathy. “Besides, if our ckthorne family’s son–inw was really that Alpha

ckwood, wouldn’t it have been announced already?”

Thomas, my eldest uncle, nodded in agreement. If that ckwood Alpha was really the ckthorne family’s

son–inw, they would have squeezed into high society long ago.

They wouldn’t still have to rely on his mate’s family’s support.

“Sister–inw, Elena is indeed mated to Marcus,” Patricia tried to exin desperately. “But it hasn’t been made

public.”

Vivian sneered with obvious disbelief. “Patricia, I’m not saying this to offend you. Although your daughter is

quite pretty, what’s the ckwood family’s status?”

Chapter b36 /bThe Web of D.

bShe /bbleaned /bforward with bmalicious /bintent. “If matingb, /bbsuch /ban bimportant /bbevent/bb, /bbIsn’t /bbmade /bbpublic/b, could if f bscam/bb?/bb” /b

Patricia choked on her words. Her expression also turned ugly with humiliation.

The fact that the ckwood family didn’t allow our mating to be made public was btrue/b. Now being misunderstood, she felt like she was swallowing a bitter pill.

“There are many males who pretend to be wealthy Alphas to deceive she–wolves into bmating /bbthese /bdays,” Vivian continued her attack. “You must keep your eyes open. Don’t be deceived.”

She smiled coldly. “Otherwise, it’ll be our ckthorne family who loses face.”

Matilda also began to berate them, following Vivian’s lead. “Richard, how old are youb? /bbCan’t /bbyou recognize /b

people?”

Her voice dripped with disappointment. “Can’t you be a little more sessful like your bbrother/bb?/bb” /b

Richard was again filled with anger that he couldn’t vent. Being scolded by his elders in front of bthe /bbyounger /bgeneration made his humiliationplete.

“Elena, you’re still young,” Vivian looked at me with false concern. “You still have a chance to regret bit/b.” She leaned closer with predatory interest. “It’s better to sever the mate bond with this kind of swindler earlyb.. /bI’ll introduce you to rtives from my family’s side.”

“They have territory and resources,” she continued. “Although they’re a bit older, they know how to bcare /bfor she–wolves!”

Before I could react, Davidughed in anger. “Yeah, the older they are, the more they know how to bcare /bfor she–wolves. Then why don’t you introduce them to your own daughter?”

Vivian was speechless for a moment. Just as she was about to say something, Matilda stepped in as a peacemaker.

The topic was finally ended, but the damage was done.

Halfway through the meal, I left the table to go to the washroom. I needed to deal with the wine stains on my

pants.

(David’s POV)

As I turned my head, I saw Elena’s phone screen light up on the table. Thinking it was a message from bmy /bbrother–inw, I took the phone.

iI /ientered the password and unlocked the screen. Her screen lock password bhad /balways been bthose /bbfour /b

numbers: 0322.

It wasn’t her birthday, nor Marcus’s birthday, nor their mating day. I didn’t know bwhat /bbthe /bbmeaning /bbwas/b. As soon as the message was opened, I saw the content clearly. My face was binstantly /bbcovered /bbwith /bdark

clouds.

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