Fangless: The Alpha's Vampire Mate
Chapter 203: Words Like Silver Bullets

Chapter 203: Words Like Silver Bullets

"Haven’t you heard? That rumor was going around for a while. People forgot about it eventually, but not me," Vesper said with a smug grin.

Morgan was at a loss for words. "Did Thorin know about it?"

"Oh, please. Of course, he heard it. He’s a Zach, isn’t he? He should know the truth," Vesper scoffed. He assumed everyone else was as nosy as he was.

Morgan wasn’t buying it. Even though her opinion of the Alpha had taken a nosedive since Riona showed up, she still wanted to believe Thorin had some shred of decency left.

Shaking her head, she shot back, "No way. That can’t be true. Even Thorin isn’t shameless enough to invite the Hybrid whose parents his family murdered. Like, seriously? He basically wrecked Riona’s whole life, and then thought, ’Hey, do you want to be the Luna of your parents’ murderer’? No chance."

If Vesper’s theory were right, Thorin would need a level of audacity and thick skin that could double as bulletproof armor—and a level of shamelessness most people could only dream of.

"Come on, it’d be ridiculous if he didn’t know anything. I’m not buying that for a second," Vesper snorted.

***

Riona, meanwhile, could feel Nina’s anger bubbling over. And since Nina had been the one to start this mess, Riona wasn’t going to play nice. Instead, she decided to weaponize Nina’s anger.

She didn’t know much about the Zacharia family tree—who could keep track of werewolf genealogy anyway?—but she guessed the mysterious ’sister’ Nina kept bringing up might be Thorin’s mom.

Was Riona certain? Nope. But if there was even a slim chance that stirring this drama could help her escape, it was worth a shot.

Her plan was to hit Nina where it hurt, stir up a fight, and, if all went well, trigger a full-on fight. With chaos as her cover, Riona could blow the castle to smoke and make her getaway.

The only catch was she didn’t know Thorin’s exact location. So, for now, her grand explosion would have to wait.

Grinning wickedly, Riona dropped her verbal grenade. "Hey, Nina! Ever stop to think that maybe your sister didn’t want to meet you? I mean, if I were your sister, I’d be running in the other direction too."

The words hit harder than a silver bullet. Nina froze, her most painful insecurity dragged into the spotlight without a shred of mercy.

All her life, she’d felt abandoned by her sister, Daciana—Thorin’s perfect mother.

Nina had idolized Daciana, who always seemed so mature and elegant. She’d spent years trying to copy her, right down to her speech and mannerisms, even though they were polar opposites.

For Nina, Daciana was the ultimate role model.

Riona’s words struck at the heart of Nina’s deepest insecurity, leaving no room for remorse—and setting the stage for chaos.

Nina tried to laugh it off, but the attempt was so strained her face twisted into something almost grotesque. Dignity was slipping through her fingers, and without any of her siblings around to reel her in, she was on her own.

Damn it! I totally underestimated her, Nina thought, clenching her fists so tightly it was a miracle her nails didn’t pierce her palms. I really thought I could handle this brat alone.

Through gritted teeth, she forced out what she hoped sounded like a dignified response. "You’re just spouting nonsense," she snapped, her voice shaky despite her best efforts. "You don’t know a thing, child."

But no matter how hard Nina tried to hold her ground, Riona could see the cracks forming. Smirking, she delivered another blow before Nina could catch her breath.

"Maybe my father wasn’t hiding your sister," Riona said, her voice calm but cutting. "Maybe he was protecting her—from you."

The words hit like a slap, leaving Nina’s dignity in tatters. There was finality in Riona’s tone. She had hit the bullseye.

Nina was the queen of meticulous planning. Every word she spoke, every move she made, was like a chess piece placed with precision—always part of a grand, masterful strategy.

To most, she seemed untouchable, unshakable. But even the mighty Nina had one glaring weakness: her sister.

When her sister chose a rogue over her own family, Nina was crushed. The despair of being abandoned by the person she idolized left a scar so deep it festered into a gnawing sense of worthlessness.

It was the kind of pain that stuck like a thorn, no matter how hard she tried to pretend otherwise.

"Shut your mouth!" Nina roared, her voice cracking with unrestrained fury.

"Oh, but why?" Riona said, her smirk practically gleaming with mockery. "I’m not even done yet."

Nina’s jaw clenched.

"Did it hurt? Watching your sister walk away from you, from everything you thought she believed in?" Riona’s voice was soft but sharp. "Must be tough to accept that you weren’t enough to keep her around."

Riona didn’t know all the details about the Zacharia sisters, but she knew this kind of pain well. Lisbeth had it. The constant need to prove yourself, to find your worth in someone else’s hands. Pretending it didn’t hurt while you poured all that frustration into someone else.

"Must’ve been a real shock when she chose some rogue over her own family, huh?" Riona continued. "I mean, you must’ve done something wrong, right? She didn’t trust you enough to keep in touch when she was on the run."

She let the words hang in the air, tilting her head mockingly.

Nina’s lips twitched, barely keeping her anger in check. "You’re wrong. He’s wrong," she spat, her voice trembling with fury.

"Oh, I’m sorry, did I hit a nerve?" Riona asked, her tone sweet but dripping with sarcasm. "It’s just... your sister clearly thought that guy was worth more than you. Guess she wasn’t too impressed with your ’family values’ after all."

Nina was losing control, and Riona could feel it.

"Daciana was brainwashed by Tibalt!" Nina retorted, feigning a semblance of composure as she hit back. "He’s your dad’s friend. Birds of a feather, right? That rogue and your dad were keeping her from me!"

Riona went in for the final blow. "You really thought she’d come back to you, didn’t you? But here you are, all alone, still holding onto the fantasy that your sister might one day care. Too bad she’s already moved on."

That did it. The last thread snapped.

"HE KIDNAPPED MY SISTER AND REMUS HELPED HIDE HER!" Nina screamed, her voice full of raw rage. But it wasn’t the controlled fury of someone in charge—it was desperation. She was losing it.

Riona stepped back, her eyes never leaving Nina. The air crackled with tension as Nina’s claws began to emerge.

"No, Nina," Riona said, her voice low and steady, "she ran away. From you."

Nina’s face twisted in disbelief, and she lunged forward, her claws outstretched. But Riona was already prepared. The knights had predicted an attack, letting Riona go. She dodged to the side, just enough to avoid Nina’s deadly swipe.

The ground trembled beneath them as Riona braced herself. But Nina was fast—too fast. With a sudden movement, the werewolf leaped onto Riona, knocking her to the ground.

Riona struggled to slip away, but Nina’s legs locked around hers, pinning her down. She raised her arm high, ready to deliver the final blow.

Riona’s eyes closed for a brief moment. She concentrated, feeling the surge of power building inside her. Level 2. Unleashed.

BOOM.