Chapter 85
Sapphire.
I finished dressing quickly, pulling on my jacket as I glanced back at Charlie, who was playing quietly on the rug with a wooden toy. I knelt down and kissed his forehead, brushing his curls out of his face. “You stay with Leah, okay, sweetheart! Ill be back soon.”
“Okay, Muminy,” he said, not looking up from his toy.
Leah, standing near the doorway, gave me a reassuring nod. “Don’t worry, I’ve got him. No one’s getting past me.
I trusted Leah more than anyone in the pack. She had a protective streak that rivaled my own, and she loved Charlie like he was her own. If I had to leave him with someone, it would always be her.
With that seuled. I turned to Aragon, who was waiting by the door. “Let’s go,” I said.
He gave me a measured look but said nothing as we headed out,
Leah had given Aragon the names of the kids who had pushed Charlie, and we made our way to their home. My stomach churned as we walked in tense silence, and I couldn’t stop replaying the moment I’d found Charlie bleeding and crying. My baby, my sweet, innocent bay hurt because of someone else’s carelessness or cruelty.
We stopped in front of a modest house, and he turned to me, placing a steadying hand on my arm. “Let me do the talking,” he said firmly,
I nodded reluctantly, though my fists clenched at my sides.
He knocked on the door, and after a moment, it creaked open. My breath hitched when I saw who was standing there, the woman who had
threatened me earlier
“You,” I said, pointing a trembling finger at her.
Her eyes widened in recognition, and before I could say more, she tried to slam the door shut. My hand shot out instinctively, pressing against it, and I shoved it open with more force than I thought Thad.
“Not so fast.” I snapped, stepping inside. Aragon followed, his presence a steady weight behind me
The woman, clearly startled, backed up a step. “What are you doing in my house?” she demanded.
“Im here for answen,” I uid. “What’s your fame“”
“Lily,” she said reluctantly, her eyes darting to Aragon as if expecting him to intervene on her behalf.
I scoffed, crossing my arms. “Well, Lily, do you have a problem with me! Because it sure seems like you do. *
Angon stepped forward, his tone calm but commanding. “We’re here to address what happened to my son. Let’s keep this civil.”
“Civil”” I laughed butterly, glaring at him. “You want me to be civil after what she did? I turned back to Lily. “Let me guess, you put your kid up to this, didn’t you? Told him to bully Charlie because of some petty gridge you have against me?”
Lily shook her head quickly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she
“Liar.” I spar, taking a step closer to her.
“Enough,” Aragon said. “Let me handle this.”
g with suppressed rage, but I stepped back, gesturing for hinge proceed.
I hesitated, my hands trembling wi
“Lily,” Aragon said, his tone level but deadly serious. “If you have an issue with her, you bring it to me. You don’t take it out on an innocent child Now, I’m asking you, whard your problem!”
Lily’s gaze darted between us, and she opened her mouth as if to respond, then closed it again.
“Nothing” she finally muttered, looking down at her feet.
“Nothing“” I repeated. “My son was pushed down and bleeding. That’s not nothing.‘ And you think I’m going to let this slide?”
Aragon put a hand on my arm, but I shook it off. “No,” I said firmly. “I’m not calming down 1 suspected this from the beginning. Aragon. I knew it wasn’t just some accident.”
“Did you put your kid up to this? I demanded. “Did you tell him to hurt my son
Turned back to Lily, anger burning in my chest like wildfire. “I because you have some msguided hatred for me!”
Edy’s lips pressed into a thin line, and she refused to meet my eyes.
ower met” I supped, taking another step toward her
She finally looked up, her face pale. “I didn’t tell him to do anything,” she said weakly.
“You’re lying.“Turd
Aragon plated himself between us, his hands raised. “Ensigh,” he said firmly, looking directly at me. “You’re not going to solve this by about ing
I stared at hain, my their heaving and for a moment. I considered backing down. But then I shook my head, stepping around him to face Lily again.
“You dont get to threaten me, hurt my chalil, and then act like a victim.” I said. “If you don’t start talking. I swear Ili-
Aragoneut me off, hus hand on my shoulder. “Stop” he und, his tone sober this time. “You don’t need to do this. Let me handle it. “
Chapter 83
I took a deep breath, my fists still clenched, and stepped back reluctantly.
“Lily,” Aragon said again, “if you didn’t tell your son to hurt Charlie, then why did it happen! And why did you threaten her earlier!”
Lily hesitated, her eyes darting around the room as if searching for an escape. Finally, she sighed heavily. “…I was angry,” she admitted.
“About what?” Aragon pressed.
“She doesn’t belong here.” Lily said quietly, her gare flicking toward me
““Excuse me?” I said.
“You’re not one of us,” she said. “You left for years and now, you think you can waltz back in with a child in row
“Enough” Aragon interrupted. That’s not your decision to make.”
Lily’s mouth snapped shut, and she took a step back, her defiance failing
I looked at Aragon, my chest still heaving with anger. “You are angry with me for leaving this wretched park that tormented me? Either you are insensitive or plain stupid,”
“Sapphire, Aragon snapped.
“Don’t even dare. Is there a reason1 am still the bad guy after so many years or you don’t know when to quit? Lilly, you don’t want to move on? You grew up and had kids, yet this was tough for you to swallow Lasked quietly.
she kept quiet
This wasn’t just about Charlie being pushed, it was about the underlying hatred, the poisonous mentality that marle people like Lily think they could get away with treating us like outsiders.
Aragon put a hand on my back. Tll deal with her,” he said softly.
“You better.” I replied. “Because the next person who hurts my son won’t just get a visit–they’ll get a fight.”
And I wasn’t joking
Aragon stepped between us, his broad shoulders blocking my line of sight as he turned to Dice me. “Relax,” he said. “Please, let me handle this.”
I nodded stiffly, my fists clenched at my sides as I stepped back, though my glare didn’t waver from the woman. Her face was set in a scowl, and whe glared right back at me, defiance radiating off her like beat.
Before either of us could say anything more, a boy came running into the room. He skidded to a stop when he saw us, his wide eyes darting between mr. Aragon, and his mother.
The woman’s eyes widened in fear, and I didn’t miss the way her body tense “Go back and play,” she said quickly.
I crossed my arms, a bitter scoff escaping my lips. “Look at you,” I said. “Terrified we’ll harm your son, but you didn’t hesitate to hurt mine. “
She faunched bur said nothing, her lips pressed tightly together
“You can stay quiet all you want,” continued, taking a small step closer. “But hear me clearly: this is the last time anything like this happens.” Aragon’s voice was steady and unyielding as he added. “I won’t tolerate any harm coming to my son. Not now, not ever. And if it does, you’ll be punished accordingly”
The color drained from her face, and she immediately started pleading. “I didn’t man for it to go that fart 1-
Aragon cut her off with a harsh scoff. “That’s my son,” he said, his tone cutting through their like a hlade. “Do you understand what that means? There are no excuses, no justifications that can absolve you. If you had any sense, you’d never have let this happen in the first place.”
The woman nodded quickly, her head bobbing like she was afraid to stop. “I understand,” he said. Aragon turned to me, lus hand resting lightly on my arm. “Let’s go,” he said, his tone solier now.
Theutated for a moment, will glaring at the woman, but I finally nodded and followed him to the door.
As we stepped outside the cold air hut me like a slap, but it wasn’t enough to cool the fire still burning in my chest. Aragon walked beside me in ailener for a moment before he spoke.
“Til deal with her,” he said quietly. “But I need you to trust me on this.”
I glanced up at him, my jaw tightening. “I do trist you because you are his father,” I said. “But I’m not just going to stand by and let anyone hairt
Charlie Ever!
Aragon stopped walking and tumed to face me, his expression serious “Neither will 1,” he said firmly.
His words settled something in me, though the anger still simmered beneath the surface. I nodded, taking a deep breaths “Good. Because if anything Take that happen agaidi.
“I won’t,” he said, curting me off “Notif Fran help it.”
