Alpha’s Regret After Putting Me In Jail novel Chapter 229

Chapter 229: A Bitter Pill

Chapter 229: A Bitter Pill

(Celeste’s POV)

The sound of my slap echoed through the corridor, hanging in the air like the aftermath of

thunder. Scarlett’s head snapped to the side, her auburn hair flying across her face. A red

handprint bloomed on her pale cheek.

Silence fell over us all. Victoria gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. Alpha James stiffened,

his eyes darkening with fury. Lucas stood frozen, his golden wolf bristling beneath his skin.

I stepped back, feeling the sting on my palm, watching as Scarlett slowly turned to face me

again. Her emerald eyes were wide with shock that quickly morphed into a calculated display

of hurt.

“How dare you!” Alpha James roared, moving toward me with his dominant wolf aura flaring.

I leaned against the wall behind me, deliberately allowing my body to slump slightly. My

silver–scarred wolf whimpered convincingly beneath my skin as I played up my exhaustion.

The dried blood on my clothes–Scarlett’s blood from our earlier confrontation–added to the

effect.

“I tried to help Grandmother,” I whispered, my voice deliberately faint. “She was struggling to

breathe. And now I return to find the one who caused her suffering pretending to atone.”

Victoria rushed to Scarlett, who had begun to tremble dramatically. Her performance was flawless as she collapsed artfully into her mother’s arms.

“Look what she’s done to me,” Scarlett sobbed, gesturing weakly to the s***h marks on her

arms from our earlier confrontation. “First she attacked me in my chambers, and now this!”

Then, with a performance worthy of the finest actress, she bit her own tongue hard enough to

draw blood and spat it out in a dramatic display.

“Blood!” Victoria cried, cradling Scarlett like a child. “James, she’s coughing blood!”

Alpha James’s face contorted with rage as he turned to me. “What have you done to your

sister?”

I regarded him coldly, my silver–scarred wolf snarling beneath my skin. “Nothing she didn’t inflict upon herself.”

1/6

< Chapter 229 A Bitter Pill

“How dare you-” he began.

+8 Points >

“Oh, I dare,” I interrupted, my voice soft but razor–sharp. “In fact, I dare to wish your precious daughter dead for what she’s done to Grandmother.”

My words silenced the corridor. Even Scarlett stopped her theatrics momentarily, genuinely startled by my candor.

I shifted my gaze to Scarlett, who quickly resumed her act of distress.

“Tell me, Scarlett,” I said, my tone deceptively gentle. “Are you truly sorry for sending your beta

to tell Grandmother about my severance from the pack? For causing her condition to deteriorate so rapidly?”

(Scarlett’s POV)

All eyes turned to me. I could feel their weight, demanding an explanation. My emerald wolf cowered within me, sensing the danger in Celeste’s violet gaze.

“I am,” I whispered, making my voice as frail as possible. “I never meant… to harm

Grandmother.”

I coughed again, tasting the metallic tang of my own blood. Perhaps I’d bitten my tongue

harder than intended.

“I only wanted… to stop you from leaving us,” I continued, clutching Mother’s silk blouse with trembling fingers. “I thought… Grandmother could convince you…”

Celeste’s lips curved into a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “If you’re truly sorry, then you’ll continue kneeling outside Grandmother’s door.”

“What?” Father’s voice boomed with outrage.

Celeste ignored him, her violet eyes fixed on me like a predator watching wounded prey.

“You’ll kneel there and pray to the Moon Goddess for Grandmother’s recovery,” she continued. “Perhaps your sincere prayers will move her to spare Grandmother’s life.”

I faltered briefly, taken aback by her demand. My legs still ached from kneeling earlier, before Lucas had found me and helped me up.

“You can’t be serious,” I said, momentarily forgetting my act of weakness.

Lucas stepped forward, wincing as the movement pulled at the wounds on his back. “Celeste, this is too much. Look at her–she’s barely standing!”

“Is she?” Celeste tilted her head, studying me with those unnerving violet eyes. “Or is it all an

2/6

A Bitter Pill

act? Tell me, Scarlett, is your remorse as fake as your collapse just now?”

My heart stuttered in my chest. She knew. She knew I was playing up my injuries.

+8 Points>

“N–no!” I stammered, clinging tighter to Mother. “I truly am sorry! I would never pretend about something so serious!”

(Celeste’s POV)

I smiled coldly at Scarlett’s vehement denial. Of course she would deny it. Her entire existence was built on deception.

“Well, if you’re sincere,” I said, turning to face Alpha James, “then surely kneeling and praying for Grandmother won’t be too difficult.”

I allowed my eyes to fill with tears, knowing how they made the violet irises shine more dramatically. I’d perfected this particular expression during my early days in Moon Shadow Prison when showing weakness could sometimes earn a reprieve from the guards‘ cruelty. “Please,” I whispered, my voice breaking perfectly. “Grandmother is dying because of what she did.”

Alpha James seemed caught off guard by my sudden display of vulnerability. His stern expression wavered.

“If she doesn’t pray for Grandmother’s recovery,” I continued, lowering my voice further so they would have to lean in to hear, “and Grandmother dies… I’ll ensure everyone in every pack

territory knows that Scarlett killed her.”

Victoria gasped. “Celeste!”

“And then,” I added, looking directly into Scarlett’s terrified eyes, “I’ll share certain information with the Alpha King about her other… activities.”

Scarlett paled visibly. She knew exactly what I was referring to–the young omega wolf who had witnessed her arranging her own fake k********g, who could testify that she had orchestrated the entire incident that led to Lucas killing innocent wolves.

“I’ll kneel,” Scarlett blurted out, pushing away from Victoria’s embrace. “I want to pray for Grandmother. Please, Father, Mother… let me do this for her.”

Her sudden eagerness didn’t go unnoticed by Lucas, whose golden eyes narrowed with suspicion. But he remained silent, watching the interaction with increasing wariness.

“But you’re injured,” Victoria protested, reaching for Scarlett again.

3/6

Chapter 229: A Bitter Pill

+8 Points >

I seized the opportunity. “Dr. Pierce gave me this healing tincture,” I said, producing a small

vial from my pocket. “It works quite effectively. I should know–I’ve needed it often enough.”

The subtle reminder of my own suffering at the hands of the Winter Pack wasn’t lost on Alpha James, whose jaw tightened.

“Take it, Scarlett,” I urged, offering the vial. “If your desire to pray for Grandmother is sincere.”

(Scarlett’s POV)

I stared at the vial in Celeste’s hand. I had no idea what was in it, but refusing would only

confirm her accusations of insincerity.

With trembling fingers, I accepted the small container and uncorked it. The liquid inside

smelled of moon–blessed herbs and something bitter I couldn’t identify.

Under the watchful eyes of my family and Celeste’s unnerving violet gaze, I tipped the

contents into my mouth. It tasted awful, but I forced myself to swallow.

“Better?” Celeste asked, her tone mockingly sweet.

I nodded stiffly. “Yes. Thank you.”

“Wonderful,” she said. “Then you can resume your position outside Grandmother’s door.”

Without waiting for further discussion, I moved to the spot outside Eleanor’s chamber and

carefully lowered myself to my knees. The stone floor was cold and hard beneath me.

“Scarlett, this is ridiculous,” Mother protested, reaching for me again.

(Celeste’s POV)

I watched Victoria’s maternal concern with bitter amusement. How different her reaction was

when I was the one suffering.

“The tincture will keep her comfortable,” I assured Victoria, handing the remaining liquid to

Sarah Miller, who had been quietly observing from the doorway of Grandmother’s chamber.

“Sarah will administer more if Scarlett starts to feel faint,” I explained. “Won’t you, Sarah?”

Sarah nodded, her weathered face impassive. “Of course, Miss Celeste.”

I turned back to the Winter Pack family. “Sarah has seen Grandmother recover from several