The Shattered Dawn — Harvey Price novel Chapter 15

15/I am not his daughter

“So… you’re telling me we just fucked Uncle Jayden’s daughter?” Claude muttered in disbelief, his gaze locked on me as he tilted his head slightly, as if trying to wrap his mind around the fact that I was the late beta’s daughter.

I could feel the weight of everyone’s stunned stares, especially Lucien’s. His eyes were wide for a fleeting second, but then, in the blink of an eye, his expression turned cold. A deep frown etched itself onto his face as he watched

They found out.

My body trembled, and I dropped my gaze to the ground as a fresh wave of tears spilled down my cheeks. My hands clenched into fists so tight they hurt.

They knew.

The tears blurred my vision as they fell onto the ground, and before I could stop myself, broken sobs escaped me. The sound echoed through the silent room as I reached up to cover my face with trembling hands, my shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

I never wanted any of them to find out I was his daughter. I was prepared to take that secret to my grave. Even if I knew deep down that revealing who my father was might have spared me… I couldn’t say it. I refused to drag his name through the dirt.

I had already been shameless enough, throwing away my dignity, my self-respect, just to enter this ritual, knowing in my heart that my father would never be proud of me for it.

His name, his reputation, his honor… that was everything my father held dear. But I had no choice. I told myself he would understand, because if I hadn’t done this, my mother would die.

Yet even then, I didn’t want any of them to know I was his daughter… or to bring shame to his legacy.

“When I die, I want people to remember me for the good things I’ve done. I want them to remember me as a man who was nothing but loyal to the Alpha.”

The memory flashed in my head- my father’s warm smile as he stood in the garden, the sunlight touching his face as he patted my head, while my mother’s voice called us in for lunch.

That day, I had always wondered why my father gave so much of himself to the pack, why he carried such loyalty and respect for an Alpha who wasn’t even his blood… and why he would give his life without hesitation.

He had told me that whatever good you do for others will always find its way back to you. And if it doesn’t… it will find someone you love.

But he was a liar.

After his death, the pack he loved so much didn’t even glande our way when we were desperate. The people he had helped acted as if we didn’t exist, they all shunned us.

I bit my bottom lip as I remembered the cruel words of my father’s closest friend:

“Help? What good would it do me to waste anything on a woman who drank wolfsbane and a useless omega? But… if you’re really desperate, why don’t you give yourself to m for a night? I’ve always wondered what that bastard’s precious daughter would feel like beneath me.”

Yet despite everything, despite the suffering, despite those cruelty, my father’s reputation as a good and honest man still remained untarnished.

But I… I had destroyed the one thing my father held dear the most.

1/4

Bon not his deter

+25 Bonus

“I-Is she crying? Why is she crying?” I heard Claude ask, lis voice flustered, before he clicked his tongue.

“Tch, look at that, Lucien, you made her cry.”

“I am not his daughter…” I whispered under my breath, and the room fell silent again as I slowly lifted my head to look at the Alphas. For the slightest of moments, I watched them freeze, a flicker of surprise crossing their faces.

Lucien stood in front of me, though his expression was icy old, I caught a flash of something unreadable in his gaze as he stared down at me. Claude looked slightly taken aback, his eyes fixed on me as I cried, while Silas, sitting on the bed, simply stared with a deep frown.

The tears made it hard to breathe, to even speak, but I forced the words out.

“I am not Beta Jayden’s daughter. How can I be his daughter…”

My gaze flickered to my naked body, and memories of everything I had done came crashing over me-how I had been fucked, used, and shared between three men… and how I had enjoyed it. How my body had responded to them, how it still craved their touch even now.

“I am dirty. I’ve been tarnished. I am a slut. I cannot be his daughter. He doesn’t have a daughter like me.”

“Lilith…” Theila called softly, her voice filled with both shock and sadness, but I continued.

What would happen if it got out that the late Beta’s daughter had joined the ritual? What would people say about my dead father?

No… I couldn’t let that happen.

So despite the blood trickling down my neck where Lucien’s claws had dug in, I forced myself to my knees and clasped my trembling hands together, staring up at the Alphas.

“Kill me if you must-just give my mother the gold. Please I’m begging you, don’t let anyone know I was part of this ritual. I’m sorry for lying… for sneaking in even though I’m wolfless… but I’m begging you, please…”

No one responded. They all watched me, but this time, their faces were serious. Even Claude frowned, his eyes narrowed on me, the usual amused glint gone.

I could feel the blood trickle down my hands where my nails dug into my palms, and my voice came out as a breathless whisper as I lowered my gaze to the floor.

“A-and Theila knew nothing about this. I was the one who did everything myself… so please, punish me alone-‘

My words cut off with a sharp gasp as my body was suddenly covered with a sheet. When my head snapped to the side, I found Silas crouched at my level, carefully wrapping the sheet around me. His emotionless eyes locked on mine, and for a brief moment, they were all I could see.

I couldn’t look away.

>>

As he stared at me, I blinked through my tears, my heart pounding so loud it drowned out everything else. I watched, frozen, as he slowly reached out his hand and before I could react, his palm rested gently on my head. My breath hitched, and as he began to softly rub my head, a shiver ran down my spine while I stared at him, wide- eyed,

He didn’t say a word. He just patted me-slow, deliberate, entle.

Just like my father used to whenever I was upset… whenever he wanted me to stop crying.

My lips trembled, and before I knew it, another wave of tears spilled down my cheeks. I shut my eyes and instinctively leaned into Silas’s touch.

2/4

15 am not his doughter

+25 Bonus

It wasn’t my father’s hand, but somehow… it was just as comforting. For some reason, it made me feel calm, safe, like I could breathe again.

“Mat…”

Just as Silas leaned away from me, I heard a whisper in my head-soft, fleeting, barely audible.

But before I could think about it, Silas stood up, his eyes shifting to Lucien, who had his gaze fixed on me.

“We want her to live. Do you have any objections? Or do you still want to kill her?” he asked, his tone even.

I watched Claude turn to Lucien, his expression unusually serious.

“Yes, she’s uncle Jayden’s daughter. Don’t be too heartless!’ he said coldly.

Lucien didn’t spare either of them a glance. As I trembled under his gaze, his frown only deepened but instead of reacting like I thought he would, he merely walked to the table, picked up the wine bottle, sat down, and began drinking in silence.

As soon as he did, I heard Claude let out a quiet sigh of relief, and Silas turned to Theila before straightening to his full height.

“Take her away… and give her the payment for last night.”

Theila immediately bowed, her voice steady as she echoed,

“Yes, Alpha Silas.”

She quickly stood and moved over to me, carefully helping me up. As she wrapped an arm around me and guided me to the door, I felt like I was moving in a haze.

I couldn’t comprehend how I was walking out alive. I thought I would die the moment they discovered I was wolfless, yet… they were letting me live.

“You’re okay. You’re going to be okay,” Theila whispered as she looked at my bloodied body, but her words barely reached me.

At least… not fully.

Because before I could stop myself, I glanced back just as she was about to close the door. My breath hitched as I saw them-Lucien, Silas, and Claude. All three Alphas still watching me. Their gazes were heavy, unreadable, like a weight pressing down on my chest.

And then I heard it again.

Faint. Almost inaudible.

A whisper.

A small voice in my head.

And it breathed one single word-one that made my blood in cold and my heart race wildly.

“Mates.”

3/4

150rbating to the Alphas

+25 Bonus