Tempted By My Ex's Brother-in-Law (Aria and Grayson) novel Chapter 174

Chapter 174

Aria’s Perspective

The room fell into a tense silence as I held my tongue, but Morrigan wasted no time in breaking it with a sharp, accusatory shout. “Mother, why bother asking her at all? She was clearly trying to seduce my son! The proof is right there! Right, Orion? Say something!”

Orion swallowed hard, his nerves visible as he glanced toward Alpha Thalira. “It’s true, Grandmother. I know it sounds unbelievable… but she invited me into her room not long ago and sent all her maids away. When it was just the two of us, she tried to force my hand onto her—onto her backside.”

I couldn’t help but let out a cold, mocking laugh. “Forced you? As if I could force a big guy like you.”

“That’s why I refused, told you it was wrong. Seriously, trying to seduce your own cousin? Have you no shame?” he shouted, frustration and disgust clear in his voice.

“Did you hear that, Mother?” Morrigan cried, her voice rising with fury. “I say we lock this tramp up already!”

Tamsin stood quietly off to the side, arms folded, her eyes gleaming with a mocking amusement as she watched me. “Your two sons might be complete jerks, but this girl is trouble too. I have to agree with my older sister—throw her in jail.”

Alpha Thalira’s gaze remained fixed on me, cold and unyielding. Her expression was a chilling mixture of impatience and disappointment.

“If you stay silent, I’ll take that as your confession to seducing your cousins,” she warned. “Once you’re behind bars, no one will be able to save you.”

“Go ahead and do it, Mother!” Morrigan’s voice trembled with rage. “My sons! My poor sons! Just the thought of this whore attacking them breaks my heart. They’ve suffered so much already—”

“QUIET,” I snapped, cutting her off sharply.

All eyes turned to me, expectant and tense. Alpha Thalira’s voice was steady but probing. “What do you have to say for yourself, Aria? Maybe the photos are fake?”

“No,” I said firmly. “The photos are real.”

Her face darkened as suspicion deepened. “Then what were you doing alone with your cousins? Were you really trying to seduce them?”

“No,” I replied calmly, steadying my voice. “I was trying to kill them.”

The room fell into stunned silence.

Everyone stared at me as though I had spoken a foreign language. Even Alpha Thalira’s sharp eyes widened in shock.

“…What did you just say?” she asked slowly, breaking the silence.

“I said I was trying to kill Orion and Rhys. That’s what the photos show. I wasn’t seducing them—I was waiting for the moment they let their guard down to strike.”

Morrigan clutched her chest, gasping as if struggling to breathe. “K-Kill them? But… why would you—”

“Oh, come on,” I interrupted, voice dripping with bitter irony. “Are we really going to pretend this is one big happy family? Doesn’t everyone in this house hate each other’s guts?”

I scanned the room, watching their faces change exactly as I expected.

“You’d all kill each other if given the chance. So why the shock that I want to kill them? Did you really think all I’m good for is seducing men? You’ve all seriously underestimated me.”

Maeve let out a soft, disbelieving cry. “God, I can’t believe this. They’re your blood. Your own family—”

“Oh, so now suddenly they’re family?” I shot back sarcastically. “I thought you all looked down on me for being an Omega.”

Maeve fell silent, cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

“Even so!” Tamsin snapped, narrowing her eyes. “Why target Orion and Rhys? You don’t actually think you have a claim to the Alpha title, do you?”

I looked around the room, eyes sharp. “If fools like you can claim it, why can’t I? And unlike all of you pretending to be polite for Alpha Thalira, at least I’m honest.”

Turning back to Orion, I asked with a smirk, “How’s the wound on your shoulder?”

His face paled, and he instinctively stepped back. I grinned. “Good to know it’s still raw. Next time I get the chance, I’ll make it worse.”

“You bitch!!” Morrigan roared, lunging at me with rage. “How dare you hurt my son! I’ll kill you—”

“Enough!” Alpha Thalira’s voice cut through the chaos like a whip.

Morrigan froze instantly, as if stunned by the command.

Alpha Thalira brushed past her and approached me. Her eyes were sharp and icy, reminiscent of Lady Quentina’s—whom I shared a bloodline with—but hers were even more piercing.

I swallowed hard, meeting her gaze directly. I couldn’t deny the nervous flutter inside me. I had no idea how she would respond.

“Mother, are you serious?” Tamsin demanded, her face flushed with indignation. “This bitch doesn’t even have a wolf. What makes you think she can join my army?”

“She’s brave, fierce, and unafraid to fight someone stronger. I say she’s more than qualified,” Alpha Thalira said, glancing sharply at Tamsin. “And it’s MY army, not yours.”

Tamsin opened her mouth but no words came out. She looked utterly defeated.

Morrigan scowled in displeasure. “Even my sons aren’t qualified to join the army yet, and this little whore can already give orders to soldiers?”

“Because your sons are weak. Come back when they can win a real fight,” Alpha Thalira snapped impatiently. “Why are you all still here? It’s almost 2 a.m. I’m exhausted. Get out.”

Despite their obvious displeasure, everyone filed out, each shooting me hateful glares—especially Morrigan and Orion, who looked like they wanted to tear me apart.

Only Sable gave me a warm smile and whispered, “Congratulations.”

Clutching the gun, it all still felt surreal. As the last person to leave, I paused at the door and turned back to Alpha Thalira.

“Can I really use this in the army? And the soldiers will actually listen to me?”

She smiled mysteriously. “Why don’t you try it tomorrow? Now go. I’m turning in.”

I closed the door behind me and walked down the dimly lit hallway. At the far end stood Rhys, waiting quietly.

“Congratulations,” he said softly.

“Thank you—for not exposing me in there.”

“You handled that well. I didn’t get a chance to contradict you even if I wanted to.” His calm eyes studied me carefully. “You’re smart. I was wrong earlier. You might actually survive here.”

After a brief pause, he suddenly added, “Watch out for the BIRDS.”

I frowned, puzzled by the strange warning.

Before I could ask what he meant, he had already turned and walked away.