Chapter 219

219 The Menace In Lillian’s Life

Conrad Woodland might be the Alpha of the Ironclad Claws Pack, but he was by far not the most influential person in the Woodland family. The person who ruled the Woodland family was still the matriarch, Lucrethia Woodland.

Lucrethia Woodland was the most impressive Luna during her tenure. She had beauty and wits in one hand, and strength and ferocity in another. Easily the perfect woman in the eyes of the whole werewolf society but the men who were unable to keep up with her.

Lionel Woodland, her husband, just happened to be one of those men.

Despite the differences between her and her husband, then the Alpha of the Ironclad Claws, she still bore him three healthy alpha pups. One boy and two girls. The boy, Conrad Woodland, was a huge disappointment in her mother’s eyes.

Lucrethia favored her middle daughter, Katreena Woodland. She often said that Katreena resembled her the most. By trying to promote Katreena, she indirectly insinuated that she, a she-wolf, would make a better Alpha than her husband.

This naturally created a larger rift between the ruling Alpha and Luna.

Lionel Woodland demanded that Conrad, his humble son, succeeded him as the Alpha.

In the end, despite Lucrethia’s endless campaigning on Katreena’s behalf, Conrad became the next Alpha.

Katreena was sent off to a marriage to an Alpha of another pack that lived far, far away from the Ironclad Claws Pack.

.....

Katreena’s marriage broke her mother’s heart.

Lucrethia’s ambition was gone just like that, but not for long.

It returned in form of an obsessive hope when Lillian was born.

Lucrethia took Lillian under her wings as soon as the child was ready for education. She taught Lillian everything, but she learned from her failure with Katreena. For Lillian, Lucrethia had another plan.

Her granddaughter was going to marry only the strongest Alpha of the strongest pack.

Her brilliance shall not be wasted in the Ironclad Claws Pack.

Lillian knew Lucrethia as long as she knew her parents. From an early age, Lillian recognized the disparity of power between his father and his grandmother.

Lucrethia had her son on her palm.

Conrad Woodland was helpless against his mother. If anything, he was desperate for his mother’s recognition. This was also why he did not at all object when his eldest daughter was turned into his mother’s pawn.

For Lillian, Lucrethia was her grandmother, her mentor, and also her superior.

She used to love her, but now she only harbored fear of her.

More now than before.

It was as if the matriarch already expected Lillian’s arrival. She had a jug of iced lemon tea with two glasses on the gazebo table. Lucrethia Woodland was relaxing on a rattan lounge chair with a novel in her hands, a fluffy round pillow was placed against her back to ease the backache that tormented her in her later years.

When Lillian approached her with her trained, expressionless smile, Lucrethia lowered her book and pushed her glasses up her nose. They made her greenish-blue eyes look bigger.

She narrowed her eyes and looked her granddaughter up and down, a cynical smile forming on her lips.

“So, how is that little bastard doing in your stomach?”

Lillian’s smile froze for a split second before she regained her composure and beamed at her grandmother.

“The pup is doing fine,” she said while caressing her protruding belly.

Lillian used to thank everyone for asking about her pregnancy, unless of course the person who asked was her grandmother.

Lucrethia scoffed.

“Well, now that Ronan Silverback acknowledged the baby as his, I am glad that I did not beat it out of you back then.”

Lillian’s wolf clawed inside her, demanding her to shut Lucrethia up. The woman had to take a deep breath a few times to restrain both herself and her wolf.

“Indeed,” Lillian beamed, suppressing her rage.

As soon as Lucrethia found out that Lillian was pregnant, she tied her granddaughter up and beat the daylight out of her. She even forced Lillian to take abortion medicines.

It was only by a sheer miracle that the fetus survived. After some time, Lucrethia came up with a brilliant idea.

Nevertheless, the pup in Lillian’s belly shared her bloodline. Might as well place the pup on an Alpha throne. Whether or not the pup belonged to Ronan Silverback was unimportant. That pup was going to be the next Alpha of the Infinite Eclipse Pack.

“Tell me, child,” Lucrethia said on that fateful night after subjecting her granddaughter to another round of torture. “Did you let Ronan Silverback take your virginity and spill his seed inside you?”

“Yes,” Lillian lied through her gritted teeth.

It was her only sliver of hope for survival.

It happened months ago, but the memories were still fresh in Lillian’s mind. Whenever she saw her grandmother, she could taste iron in her mouth. Even her baby became restless. The fetus seemed to be able to recognize the vile woman who almost killed it.

“Speaking about Ronan Silverback, he is being rather cold to you, isn’t he?”

“Is he?” Lillian acted surprised. “I believe him to be rather affectionate as of late.”

Lucrethia cackled. “Are you trying to fool me or are you really that foolish? Is a bouquet of hundred red roses enough to buy your heart?”

Lillian’s lips tugged up in a smile. “Give him time, Grandmother.”

“Time is exactly what we don’t have right now,” Lucrethia pointed out. “You don’t want your pup to be born out of wedlock, Lillian. Do whatever necessary to get him to marry you.”

The elderly woman rose to her feet, supporting herself on a wooden cane with a pointy end.

Although Lillian was taller than Lucrethia, she felt so small in front of her grandmother’s imposing presence.

“Don’t make me spill blood for you,” Lucrethia sighed. She reached for her book but ended up swiping it to the grassy ground instead.

Lillian forced herself to smile when she knelt down to pick the book up for her grandmother.

From between the sheets, a photograph fell out.

It was the original image of the picture that circulated like wildfire upon its appearance. In the photograph, Ronan and Lucien were sharing an intimate kiss at the art gallery entrance.

This single image started the whole scandal.