EVA'S POV

My life had once been an oyster. Who didn't know Eva Dumont, the only daughter of Alpha Lucian Dumont? I had it all. Power. Beauty and grace. All of it just had to be tarnished by the existence of some girl named Camille.

Apparently, I was an usurper who was switched with the original and I was just supposed to be content with the fact that despite being a false child, the Dumont family still wanted to keep me. I knew how these sorts of things went, as soon as Camille had gotten the chance to assimilate, I would slowly be scrubbed out of the picture and I wouldn't stand and watch as some wretched stepsister took the life I had curated for myself.

In the quiet confines of our room, the scent of Hector lingered, mingling with the stale air that clung to the sheets. His irritation over the dead pheasants wafted through the room like a storm, and I couldn't escape the brewing tempest.

My life, once a pristine tapestry of privilege and adoration, now felt tarnished by the presence of that wretched stepsister, Camille. I sank into the bed, trying to block out Hector's frustrated muttering, as memories of a time when everything was perfect flooded my mind.

My hell had started four months ago, on the eve of my twentieth birthday. I had been born with the idea that I was the granddaughter of Abigail De'crescent, the strongest healer the supernatural world has ever known. My mother allegedly did not follow in her footsteps but talent always skipped a generation. With great legacies on both sides of my family, I had basked in the anticipation of being recognized as the pack's healer.

It was supposed to be a celebration of my prowess, a confirmation of my rightful place as the Alpha's daughter.

Little did I know, that night would become the catalyst for the unravelling of my perfect existence.

I still remember the gory details. It was in the dead of night and under the dim glow of the moon, surrounded by the pack druid, my father and the curious eyes of the council as I underwent the test that would seal my destiny.

One of the council member's children was dying from a genetic disease and with my healer bloodline, this was supposed to be child's play.

However, the results were not what I expected. I failed.

The revelation was a searing wound, a stain on the impeccable legacy of the Dumonts. I felt the eyes of the pack on me, their disappointment and whispers echoing in my ears.

It was also revealed that night that Eva Dumont, the Alpha's daughter, was not Lucian Dumont's true blood — the healer they sought.

The pack's druid revealed that there was another, a true healer born of the Alpha's blood, somewhere out there. The mere existence of this elusive figure threatened to dethrone me from the coveted position I thought was rightfully mine.

The search for this mysterious healer led them to Camille Gallagher, the intruder who dared to disrupt the harmony of my life.

My failure pushed them to seek an alternative, a replacement to salvage the pack's pride.

But I wasn't about to let some goody-litte-two-shoes fuck me over. I wasn't going down without a fight.

The war had begun and Camille was probably clueless about it. The poisoned birds were only the beginning.

Hector pulled closer, most likely to pacify himself from my father's scolding. His irritation over the dead pheasants wafted through the room like a storm, and I couldn't help but smile because if he was this pissed, I could only wonder how my father was doing.

"Alpha Lucian will probably fire me," He grumbled.

"My Dad isn't going to fire you over some dead birds," I promised him.

In truth, I didn't know. I wasn't even sure I cared. But I knew the birds were a big deal for my father. A Lycan King was paying us a visit. Out of the blue too. None knew why he was hopping from pack to pack with his envoys but since no one wanted another war, they were doing their best to impress the beast. What better way to impress a beast than through his stomach? It was why I had to go big. To the detriment of many. Camille Gallagher was enemy number one and she had to be taken out of the picture.

"But isn't this crime enough to get her to face the council?" I asked, my voice dripping with disdain.

Hector's scowl deepened, "I wish, But I don't even give a shit about that bitch at the moment. All I can think about is my position. Dad is going to hate me when I Iose my job as your father's personal assistant." Hector continued to grumble.

I didn't care for his myopic point of view. He seemed to only really think about himself when he should be looking at the big picture.

"She killed the pheasants that would be used in the feast for King Dimitri. Surely she should be punished for putting the safety of the pack in jeopardy."

"She's protected," Hector muttered, as if that explained everything.

"Protected? What, is she the pack's golden child now?" I scoffed, my frustration bubbling to the surface. "Camille hasn't even faced her trial yet. How convenient is it that my father is making the process of making her go through the same trail I went through 'organic' so it would not seem to Camille that the only reason she was brought home was political."

Hector's brow furrowed in confusion, clearly torn between loyalty to my father and the unsettling truth I was revealing.

"She's the granddaughter of Abigail," he finally admitted. "The greatest healer to walk the earth. Of course, she is the pack's golden child."

Hector's admission cut through the air, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. Camille, the supposed golden child, the granddaughter of the legendary Abigail. It was a role I'd always assumed was mine by birthright. That was supposed to be me.

"You know what, I don't even think losing my job would be what would cause my father to hate me. It would be the chasm that would now be between him and the Alpha that would do the trick." Hector's voice carried a weight of genuine concern.

"Your father would survive a spat with the Alpha," I reassured him, sliding my fingers through his hair. "And, if it comes to that, I'll make sure it doesn't cost you more than your job."

Hector sighed, still visibly troubled. "You don't know how my father is. He lives for the pack, and if I jeopardize that, he won't look at me the same way again."

"Well, then, we better make sure it doesn't come to that," I declared, leaning in for a kiss.

Our moment was interrupted by a sharp knock on the door.

I got up to answer it and found a servant on the other side.

"What do you want?" I snapped.

"I have information that might be of help to you, Lady Eva," she said hesitantly. "I suspect Lady Camille is pregnant."

My eyes widened at the revelation. Pregnant? That was interesting.

Smirking, I gestured for the servant to come in, eager to hear the details.

"Tell Hector here what you told me," I instructed, turning to Hector with a wicked smile.

The servant nervously repeated her findings, mentioning how she suspected Camille's pregnancy due to her observations.

"I thought you told me you never had carnal relations with Camille," I said to Hector, my voice cold and accusing.

Hector stood his ground. "I've tried, but she rejected my advances each time."

Turning back to the servant, I questioned, "How sure are you about these claims?"

"Well, Lady Camille, she... uh, she vomited on the carpet in her room. I was called in to clean up the mess. While cleaning, I asked her about her last period. It was clear that she didn't want to talk about it at first, but then she asked me to go to the drugstore and get her a pregnancy test. So I put the lines together. I knew it couldn't be Sir Hector's because the timeframe didn't any sense."

I was intrigued no doubt. But the accusations were big. I liked big but not this big, especially when there was no proof.

"So you came to me?" I teased. "Why? You could be beheaded for slander?"

"Because I want to be on your side. The winning side." The servant replied.

I liked her. She was smart. "It would be so great if you had the test here to show us that your claims are true."

"I do," she replied.

The servant then proceeded to produce the test.

I took it from her hands and as I glanced at the positive result, a triumphant smile spread across my face.

"Well, well, Hector. Seems like Lady Camille has been keeping quite the secret," I chuckled.

If the dead pheasants weren't enough to rile the pack up, this was sure to do the trick. If there was anything a pack of men hated more, It was a slut.