Chapter 4

Delilah's cottage had collapsed, and Finn was still in the small pool inside.

She stood by the water's edge, looking like a drowned rat, pointing at Finn and cursing in a furious rant.

As I stepped out of my room, our eyes met.

Delilah shrieked, pointing at me and yelling, "You're deliberately watching me suffer, aren't you! Rowan! I'm going to tell Mommy you're bullying me!"

Normally, when she threatened to tell Mommy, I'd always back down.

This time, I folded my arms, leaned against the doorframe, and smiled sweetly. "Go ahead. It's not my house that's collapsed, nor is it my Spirit Mate who's disgusted with me."

Delilah screamed and charged at me.

It wasn't that I couldn't fight her; I'd simply held back out of a misguided reluctance to upset my mother.

Now, I wouldn't.

My face hardened. Before my raised hand even touched Delilah, a black blur shot past me, tackling Delilah directly to the ground.

"Dax!" I gasped, surprised.

With a series of low growls, Dax pinned Delilah, his jaws clamped around her throat. At this point, Delilah couldn't even shriek, much less make a sound.

"Delilah, my Delilah!" My mother rushed over. "Make him let go, now! Are you deliberately trying to kill your sister!"

Seeing her frantic expression, even though I no longer yearned for her motherly love, a cold pain still pierced my heart.

I had felt her presence a moment ago.

If it had been me on the ground instead of Delilah, she would have undoubtedly hidden until Delilah had vented her anger.

Then she would have lectured me about being the bigger person.

"Mother, Dax knows his limits. This is merely playful banter between sisters; you don't need to worry about it," I said, lowering my gaze, throwing her own words back at her.

My mother raised her hand to strike me, but I deftly dodged.

"Mother, if you dare lay a hand on me, I will have Dax kill her instantly." I stared directly at her.

She flinched. She was afraid something would happen to Delilah.

I couldn't help but let out a cold laugh. Both of us were her daughters, yet in her heart, one held vastly more weight.

"Mother, I can have Dax release her, but you must promise not to blame him, nor seek any revenge. If any harm comes to Dax, it will be by your hand," I stated.

My mother's face turned white with rage. "Is this how you speak to your elders? Are you demanding a confession from me, your own mother?"

I gave a bitter smile. "I don't want to, but you've always favored my sister. Today, she was the one who made the first move, and you didn't even ask, you just rushed to strike me. You can bully Rowan however you wish, but Dax is my Spirit Mate. I cannot let him suffer because of me."

My feigned grievance and swallowed bitterness weren't for my mother.

Delilah's outburst had drawn quite a crowd.

Now, members of Our Order stood by, whispering amongst themselves.

Whether my mother agreed or not today, the impression of her blatant favoritism would be cemented in their minds.

Listening to the chatter, my mother eventually conceded.

Dax loosened his grip, slowly walking back to stand in front of me, his eyes wary as he guarded me against my mother.

I gently stroked his head, reassuring him not to be tense.

My mother now paid no attention to me, pouring Empowering Elixirs into Delilah's mouth as if they were worthless.

Delilah slowly came to, pointing at me. "Bitch! When Finn becomes the legendary Koi, I'll make you pay! Just you wait, my Finn will become the legendary Koi, and then I'll make him kill you!"

A smirk played on my lips. "We shall see."

Did she really believe that Finn transforming into the legendary Koi was purely good luck?

I had no obligation to tell her. Let her cling to her Koi dream, and let it be her undoing.