Chapter 18

Miranda's POV

I tap my fingers against the steering wheel of my car and hum along to the music Ella put on. She and Noah dance in the backseat, singing along to the song. I chuckle at them and focus my eyes back on the road.

I park the car in front of Anna’s house. She stands outside with a big smile on her face, waving to Noah and Ella in the backseat. The backdoor swings open and the kids pile out. Ella races to Anna while Noah takes his time. He looks around before embracing Anna in a hug.

Anna pats the kids’ backs and they run inside. I’m sure they’re already causing chaos and wreaking havoc in Anna’s home.

“I really appreciate you doing this for me,” I breathe out, lugging two child-size suitcases behind me.

“Don’t mention it. You know I love having the kids around. I promise to take good care of them!” Anna reassures my anxieties. I nod and pass off the suitcases to her. “Take as much time as you need. We’ll be waiting for you.”

Ella and Noah come running back to the front door. I smile at them, but my inner feelings betray me as tears wells in my eyes. They hug me, each taking a side, and I have to keep my cry in on the inside.

“We’ll be good, Mommy, we promise!” Ella smiles.

“We’ll listen to Miss Anna and behave!” Noah butts in. I nod and drop down to their level. I bring them into my arms and plant kisses on their cheeks. I pull away and smile at them.

“I love you two. I’ll be back soon, I promise,” I shakily breathe out. I stand and watch as they wave at me, running away. I turn and head back to the car, wiping my tears away.

Two Weeks Later…

Countless vials are carelessly stacked in hazard bins behind me and I can’t bring myself to look at them. An exhausted breath leaves my lips when I hear a ding from a nearby machine. I turn to it and pop out the vial.

I hold it up to the light. The color is much closer to its original color. I lower it and place it inside a nearby cooling box.

Despite numerous attempts at a stable formula, I have failed miserably. That is, until this last test. It’s stable, yes, but I don’t know how many negative side effects it attached to itself while I made it.

My feet carry me to the door of the lab. I shrug my lab coat off of my body and kick off my sandals. One by one, I take off my sterile lab clothes and switch into a more comfortable outfit.

I step outside the lab area and pull my jacket over my shoulders, awkwardly readjusting a folder of papers I hold in my arms. Once I’m settled, I look up from the ground and take a step forward, only to be stopped by a heinous sight.

Lily and her mother, Harper, glare at me. They have the same expression on their face and do the same pose. Their arms are crossed over their chest and their hip is popped out. I raise an eyebrow at them.

Harper opens her arms to me with a condescending smile. She steps towards me, closing the gap, but I take a cautious step back.

“Miranda, my dear! It’s been a long time,” Harper’s tone is insincere. I narrow my eyes at her. She plucks a handkerchief from her purse and pats the skin under her eyes. “I’ve been so worried about you all of these years. You’ve been a lone wolf for so long…come back home!”

“What?” I chuckle. My gaze flickers between Harper and Lily.

“I’ll talk to your father for you! We will convince him to let you back into the pack.” Harper grabs my hands. I rip them away from her and scoff.

“No need. I am perfectly happy and content with my current life.” My response is quick and curt. I push past them and continue down the hallway, groaning.

From behind me, I can hear Lily and Harper not-so-quietly bicker. The sound of their heels catches up to me and a hand grabs my shoulder, turning me back around.

Lily thrusts a finger into my face and looks as if she is about to explode. Harper quickly pulls her back, shoving her hand back to her side. She pushes Lily behind her and awkwardly chuckles.

“You poor thing…you must be so tired from putting in so much effort into the formula all by yourself,” Harper’s words are too sweet. She pulls Lily back out in front of her, smiling brightly. “Perhaps Lily can help you out? She can be the perfect lab partner!”

“Absolutely not. No.” I snort, hiding a laugh. Lily’s face contorts into anger.

“You’re so ungrateful! A lonely wolf who was kicked out of her own family has no right to even touch our company’s secret formula!” Lily screeches. She lunges towards me and tries to swipe the files out of my hand. I take a step back and hold the papers away, shaking my head at her.

I reach into my pocket and slide a vial out. I hover it in front of their faces and wave it around.

“This,” I take a step forward, “is a highly corrosive solution. A single drop of this will leave permanent scars.”

Harper and Lily take a giant step backward. I lower my hand but still keep the vial out.

“Don’t forget,” Lily snarls, “that I’m the Alpha King’s fiancée. Dealing with a half-breed like you would be child’s play.”

“You and Harper truly are two of a kind,” I snicker, “you’re both thieves who rely on men to steal what doesn’t belong to you. Should I remind everyone that one of you was an adultress and the other is an illegitimate child? Hm? You stole my mother’s inheritance and squandered it for your own gain.”

Harper and Lily’s expressions darkened. They narrow their eyes at me and step around me.

“We’ll be back. Just wait. We’ll get our revenge, half-breed.” Harper spits at me. She pushes Lily out the door.

My body relaxes. I place the vial, which merely contains vitamins and not acid, back into my pocket. I take a deep breath, hoping to feel better now that they’re gone, but I can’t. My body refuses to relax and my chest feels even tighter than before.

Lily’s sense of entitlement has tripled due to Sebastian constantly indulging in her delusions. I roll my eyes and turn on my heel, heading back inside the lab. I smile at my assistant and nod at her, entering the small space before the lab.

“Hi. Can you make sure to keep an eye on the ingredients? And can you please lock up these files for me?” I pass my assistant the folders I held from before. “Thank you.”

The Next Morning…

I step inside the lab room with a cup of coffee and a smile on my face. I wave to my assistant and head to my table. I set my belongings down and make my way to the safe, where my files should be.

The safe door swings open after I input the code, but something’s off. The folder is not neat; papers are thrown about the safe, many of which are crinkled. The hair on the back of my neck shoots up.

My heart sinks in my chest. I feel like I can barely breathe. My hand rests over my heart when I hear a television click on from behind me. I turn around and there stands Lily in the middle of the screen.

She smiles and waves to cameras and reporters. They quiet down and she taps the microphone in front of her.

“Hello everyone. I’m so happy to announce that myself and Moonlit Labs have found a solution to our medication!” The audience erupts into applause. Lily smiles and waves.

I storm out of my lab, leaving in my slides and lab coat, and head towards Sebastian’s office. I run up the stairs and push past his secretary. I stop outside his door, though, when I hear Lily’s voice through the door.

“See? I told you that Miranda is nothing but a fraud!” Lily’s voice is ecstatic. “She was bluffing, pretending to know what she was doing.”

I groan and shove the door open. The door rattles in its place and I coldly smile at Lily, my eye twitching.

“I think those words are more fitting for you, Lily.” I shoot the words at her.