Chapter 171: Hatred.

"What do you want, you devil!" Winnie yelled, grimacing as the shout made her headache and throat feel worse.

"That’s not how you speak to your sister," Alaina said and walked forward until she was at the foot of the bed. "Where is she?"

"Isn’t everybody so curious about her tonight?" She asked with a smirk, folding her hands as she leaned against the headboard. "I thought you put her where I would never find her. Why ask me?"

Alaina gripped the bed frame until her hands turned white. Winnie didn’t notice it at first, but there was nothing composed about Alaina.

The white of her eyes stuck out more, making her look in a perpetual state of shock. Her body trembled and her lips quivered.

"Because you clearly found her." Her voice shook a little, and she glanced toward the door.

Winnie followed her gaze. The door was slightly open but not enough to be concerning. The room was bright as the sun slowly rose. The candles weren’t the only source of light anymore.

Winnie frowned. "What makes you so convinced?"

"You found her, didn’t you? Tell me."

"No, I didn’t," she replied, turning to glare at her. "If that’s what you want to know, get out! You might want to go check where you left her."

She slammed her hands on the bed. "Do not LIE to me! I know you found her. I heard what you said—that she saved us. Where is she?"

Winnie let out a yawn. "I don’t know what you are talking about. I am tired," she said and pulled the blanket over her arms. "Master Richard said I should get adequate rest."

"Is this a joke to you?!" Alaina yelled. "Lives are at stake here!"

"Lives?" Winnie yelled and sat upright, staring right at Alaina. "Lives! You wouldn’t know what that means. You evil woman. Do you have any idea what your cruel actions caused her?! Do you?!"

Her chest heaved as memories of the blood staining Maya’s dress surfaced. Her chest tightened and tears burned at the corners of her eyes.

"So you know where she is?" Alaina asked again, adamant.

"Why do you care so much, eh? What difference would that make now?"

Alaina’s eyes darted around. "She has to go to the High Alpha."

She stared at her sister in disbelief. What was she going on about? "I think not, and you did hear me say she saved us. That’s enough reason not to send her anywhere. It’s a lot of work to get rid of the ice before it fully melts, but it’s certainly much easier to deal with than the tsunami."

"She did that, didn’t she? Maya froze the water."

"You sounded very convinced before I even told you," Winnie smirked. "Tell me, sister, did you know about her powers just like you knew who she was all along?"

"What did you say?!"

Keenan’s voice echoed in the room as he pushed the door open and walked in. He was dressed in nothing but the necklace and a pair of black pants that had rips all over them.

Alaina paled and stood to her full height with her hands clasped to her chest. "Alpha Keenan. You are back. Theo is with Asher, and there is a chance he might wake up soon."

She walked toward him with a frozen smile plastered on her face. "It’s been a long night for all of us. So many strange—"

He brushed her aside and marched closer to the bed. "Winnie, what did you just say, right now? Who made the ice, and what did Alaina know?"

His eyes were bloodshot, his blonde hair in disarray. Scratches were all over his chest and arms. His palms were bloody, and there was a terrified look in his gaze.

Alaina tried again. "Alpha Keenan—"

"Shut up! Shut up! Winnie, what did you say?"

She stood behind him, her fingers to her lips. Her eyes were pleading as they stared at Winnie.

Winnie adjusted on the bed, the blanket laid over her legs. She stared right at Keenan. The information meant nothing. She didn’t even know where Maya was or who had taken her.

"I said Maya froze the tsunami that was going to hit the town, and Alaina knew all along that she was Penelope. She was going to tell you tonight before the attack that Alaina planned—"

Keenan swung out his left hand to his back, right where Alaina was standing. He didn’t even look back as he struck her.

His knuckle caught her in the cheek, tearing it. Blood stained his hand and a trail ran down her cheek. Winnie gasped, but it was swallowed up by the gut-wrenching scream Alaina let out.

Red painted her teeth and slipped out of the corner of her lips. She took a step back as he walked toward her. His green eyes glowed like flames in the sunrise. His nostrils were flared, and his breathing ragged.

There was a twisted look on his face; several emotions flashed and merged as he took another step forward. However, Alaina could clearly see one.

Hatred.

It was worse than when he had found them in this same building over a decade ago. He looked ready to kill her. She let out another scream, but he began to walk faster.

She glanced at her sister, and there was a shocked look on her face but underneath her surprise was satisfaction. Winnie wasn’t going to stop him.

She looked back at him, she couldn’t outrun the Alpha—she knew that—so she dropped to the floor, folding like a ball to protect herself.

The kick caught her in the side, and she heard the sound of her rib breaking. She was kicked so hard that she flew across the room and hit the wall. Her body bounced, and she cut her lip again.

She opened her mouth to scream, but she couldn’t make a sound as the pain seized her breathing. She crumpled to the ground, gasping.

However, Keenan was hardly done. He was marching toward her. He was going to hit her again, and all Winnie did was watch.

She was the reason her plan was ruined. The ungrateful whore. After everything she had done for her.