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Crystal's POV

"I don't think all is well", I whispered to myself as I strolled aimlessly around the garden.

"If only I had known I would have walked away without a second thought when I had the chance."

Perhaps it was my insecurities toying with my mental and emotional health, but something felt a bit off, not just with Sebastian but with everyone.

"Excuse me!" I sternly called out to a guard that I had noticed had also been aimlessly walking around the corridor. The only difference was his eyes were fixed on the balcony where Sebastian's study room was located.

"My lady" he calmly replied as I approached him with curiosity etched on my face.

"You dropped this," I said handing him a piece of paper that I noticed had fallen out of his pocket.

He hesitated for a slight moment before finally reaching out.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, aren't you supposed to be with the Alpha? Why are you here?" I quizzically asked him.

"Wh.. why?" He slowly spat back.

"Tell me are you sure you're okay though? Your uniform. Aren't you one of the Alphas' personal guards? Why are you here? Where is Sebastian?... Tell me what's your name."

" Cause I noticed that despite being one of his guards, you always seem to wander alone like you're in search of something, and I wonder why?" I added.

The guard stared at me as if trying to think of a relevant answer to give to me and when he finally opened his mouth to speak I heard my name.

"Crystal," She sweetly called out, and I immediately dismissed the guard.

The encounter was obviously inevitable despite how hard I had tried to avoid it based on her mother's words the last time she had visited me.

"..She's pregnant, for crying out loud; it's not as if she was the one who got herself pregnant. It was the Alpha. No, it's actually your fault so blame yourself" Rita had said and I stared at her with a puzzled look on my face.

"How is it my fault Rayna chose to get pregnant for my fiance?" I snapped back at her in frustration earning myself a side glance from my father as it was the first time in years I had ever raised my voice at his wife, yet he didn't mutter a single word. Typical.

"You're asking me? Who was Sebastian supposed to marry in the first place, you silly little girl? You had better stay away from my Rayna, 'cause if I hear just the slightest complain about you, you're not going to like what I'd do to you, child." She growled towards me while my father nodded in agreement.

"Crystal" she called out again jolting me back to the present as she finally reached where I had been standing.

As I stared at her, I didn't know if I was feeling helpless or if it was the bottled-up emotions that I had tried to contain that were threatening to spill.

"Who was that dude? And what kind of muddy boots is he wearing..." She drawled, her eyes gleaming with suspicion.

"He's no one. Why are you here? Shouldn't you be resting?" I forced myself to speak.

“Well Crystal, I'm here because I think we are due for a talk...I guess we should have had this talk earlier, probably weeks ago, but the timing just didn't seem right,” she sighed.

“Tell me Rayna, why are you here... And what exactly do you want us to talk about now? I already know it wasn't your fault. It was his, and the drunk mother had offered him; you were just a victim of circumstances; if he hadn't gotten drunk, none of this would have happened.

“Drunk? ” she interrupted with a shocked expression "I was a victim of circumstances because he was drunk? Is that what the almighty explanation he gave you?"

I hesitated for a second “Yes."

Rayna’s lips twisted into a smile as she stared at me in disbelief. “Wait, wait, wait...you mean to tell me he actually fed you that childish story? He actually played the drunk, helpless Alpha who betrayed the love of his life by having his way with someone else. And you actually believed him?!”

I stiffened.

"You really believe him? Damn, I should have just spoken to you instead of leaving the ball in his court," She continued.

As if wanting to tell a huge secret, she lowered her voice. “No one got him drunk into anything. There was no bloody catalyst. It was all him with his clear eyes... This baby? My baby was no mistake, Sister.”

"Lies!,” I spat back at her.

“I'm sorry, Crystal, but that's the real truth I thought he had explained to you days ago. I thought maybe you chose to stay back on your own accord."

I tried my best to stay strong and not give in to the anger and sadness I was feeling. It had to be a lie, Sebastian loved me.

"Well, Sister, the only reason I stopped your wedding was because the night before the big day, as he lay hard inside of me, he had begged me to help him stop it moments before he spewed his hot juices inside of me, filling me up” Rayna spoke as she stared at me.

“Rayna," I shouted at the top of my voice, " That is enough! Enough with your lies, please. He loves me, and all he needs is time until you give birth to your illegitimate child," I reassured myself, holding myself from breaking down.

“I promise I'm not lying; we've been dating and having wild sex with each other for up to a year now; he told me he loved me, and now all I want is that ring on your finger.” She responded as the tears she had been trying to gather finally began to fall and she reached out to touch me in what seemed to be a futile attempt to reach out for the ring I was wearing.

Unable to stop myself, I lightly pushed her away from me in anger, and she came back with full force; she had already gotten a hold of my right hand, and I was preparing to swat her hands off my body when all of a sudden, she dropped to the ground, screaming.

“Ah!” she cried, her voice trembling.

“Rayna..?” I stared at her in confusion and disbelief, how did.. how did she fall?

"Rayna!!" I heard his voice from behind me and I quickly turned around to find him angrily walking toward us.

I watched as his gaze darted between me and Rayna's figure on the floor, and all I could see was rage… pure, undiluted rage directed at me. Me?

As he stepped closer, the sound of the warning bell broke loose, and it meant only one thing: Danger.

I barely had time to process what had just happened before he was on me and I felt a heavy sting on my cheek

“How dare you!” he yelled in anger.

“Me?…” I said in disbelief, holding my aching cheek, words couldn't describe the shock I felt as tears trailed down my cheeks.

Facing Rayna he carefully made her stand and hugged her tightly.

"Come with me, it's not safe outside."

" Not safe?" She asked in shock mirroring the same expression I had on my face.

"Yes. We found one of my guards dead by the bushes with his uniform missing, and a few of my notes have disappeared into thin air; I have every cause to believe it's an inside man's job, so I need you to lock yourself in you...."

My eyes went wide in shock as a wave of realization hit me and it wasn't because of the slap, but before I could speak up she called my name

Staring back at me, she immediately gasped out my name. "Crystal??"

"What does your sister have to do with anything?" He breathed out.

"If the person was killed by the bushes, that means the murderer is supposed to have mud all over right? Except he took a quick bath and changed. "She quickly spoke almost like she knew what was going on and Sebastian nodded his head.

"Yes, did you see something or someone suspicious" He arched his brow as he spoke.

"I saw her talking in whispers to a guard with muddy boots some minutes ago, she had given him a piece of yellow paper but the moment she saw me she immediately dismissed him."

"WHAT!!" Sebastian bellowed in anger as he turned towards me. "Who is he?"

"Sebastian... It's a... it's a misunderstanding I swear, I don't even know him.

"GUARDS!!"

“Lock her up. ” was all he said before carrying Rayna into his arms and heading towards the door.

"Seb.. Seb please, I didn't do anything" I screamed in pain as his men approached me.

"Did you not hear me?? I said lock her up. And make sure she speaks before I get there."