81  Legacy

Violet's hands around the broken camera trembled.

She lifted her head and stood up, facing Sylas. Her heart skipped a beat when she noticed how Sylas's darkened gaze locked on the camera. Guilt and fear overwhelmed her.

"It broke. I didn't mean to. There—"

Her words were cut short when Sylas grabbed the camera from her hand. The tension in the room thickened, tightly gripping her chest.

"Get out." He sounded curt and cold.

"Alpha, I-I am sorry but—"

"It isn't polite to snoop around someone's room no matter how curious you are," Sylas commented. "Now, show yourself out."

Violet understood he didn't wish to hear more words from her. Her head hung low, and her steps were heavy when she walked out of the room. Tears stung at the corner of her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall.

"What happened here?" Gabrielle asked, entering the room once Violet was stepping out.

°°°

Stella noticed the listless girl leaning against the tall tree. The usually energetic Violet seemed to be drained out of the spirit. She pulled the dead bark on the tree, not caring about the blisters left on her fingers.

"Are you crying?" she asked, surprised at her reddened, glistening eyes.

Violet raised her head high, preventing the trail of tear from dripping down.

"No, I am not." Although she tried to control her tone, it still came out nasally.

"I am right. You're crying. Now, what could have hurt this little Princess? Isn't it you who is going around creating trouble for others?" Stella remarked.

Violet stomped her feet on the ground in annoyance.

"I don't! I am trying to be helpful to everyone," Violet expressed. Even then, she messed up.

What right did she have to feel sad when she was the culprit?

Stella smiled. "I will be sweet for once, and hear you out for once. What troubles are you facing?"

"I don't need you to listen to me." Violet glared at her. She will probably only make fun of her.

"Then, let me guess. Could it be you're heartbroken?" Stella asked slowly.

That hit the spot for Violet. "What will I be heartbroken by?"

"Let's see. You're not exactly in love with Lucas. So, who else could it be? Is it Alpha Sylas? You're in love with Alpha Sylas?"

Stella's deduction was scarily on point.

Violet immediately shook her head. "No, that's not it."

"You think you can fool me? I can see it right in your eyes. Are you jealous because of Gabrielle?"

"Stop making up stories!" Violet didn't find it great to be exposed.

"You're right to feel jealous. After all, Gabrielle is a smart, hot, and elegant beauty. She has men fighting over her. And over here..." Stella shook her head. "You're messy and childish."

All of her sadness converted into anger, and Violet wanted to beat Stella up. There was no need for her to rub salt into her wounds.

Violet turned her head away, ignoring her. She couldn't exactly argue against the points brought by Stella.

But Stella didn't get the signal and poked Violet's cheek. "I heard it isn't good for the child if you keep on getting upset like this."

Violet could only move away.

"You aren't alone here. I too felt overshadowed by my sister a lot growing up and acted out. But I couldn't hate her, you know. Because she is nice and understanding. Fate has its favorite after all," Stella expressed.

There was surprise in Violet's eyes when she looked at Stella. She didn't expect her to open up.

"However, Alpha Sylas won't like her," Stella stated. "Don't you think with the years they knew each other, they would have gotten together already if they liked each other? Are you a fool? And the only woman Alpha Sylas will like is Luna Julia."

"I know," Violet muttered. She understood everything well, but even then, she was overwhelmed with this bitterness inside her.

"Even before they were mates, Luna Julia always held a special position in Alpha Sylas's heart. The training to become an Alpha in Crimson Moon pack isn't easy.

Alpha Sylas had a lot of brothers— legitimate and illegitimate ones— he had to fight against to win the position. Most of the times, they used underhanded methods, trying to kill each other.

Although Alpha Sylas's mother was the Luna, he lost his mother at a young age and was left helpless. His older brothers wanted to kill him. Once he was poisoned and thrown away in the forest, that's when Luna Julia picked him up and rescued him. She even hid him away, so he couldn't be found.

For the years that followed, he grew up with her family until he was ten years old and couldn't hide anymore. During the entire time he fought for succession battle, even at his most powerless stage, Luna Julia stayed by his side and supported him.

Those in the Crimson Moon pack are really heartless. Therefore, their love story truly left behind a legacy. Unfortunately, Luna Julia was plotted against and murdered as if even the fate couldn't bear their happiness."

Violet had an inexplicable mix of emotions in her chest. Before she could detangle them, the loud argument between Lydia and Lucas reached into her ear.

Both of them glanced at each other before making their way over there.

"You, bastard!" Lydia shouted before raising her hand and slapping Lucas across his cheek. "I wish you could fall into a ditch and just die!"

After that, Lydia turned her back on him.

Violet saw the hint of tears in Lydia's eyes. No matter how many times they fought, never did she see Lydia crying. She placed her hand over Lydia's shoulder.

"Lydia," she muttered.

Lucas, on the other hand, transformed his wolf form and rushed away. Stella followed after her.

Lydia wiped the tears away with the back of her hand and said, "It's nothing."

Then, when she looked up to see Violet's swollen eyes, it made her feel concerned. "What are you crying for?"

Her soft voice made all the grievances in Violet's chest rush out. She sobbed and told Lydia about everything that happened.

"Lydia, can you take me to buy a camera?" she then asked.