Contract Marriage With Alpha Snow - Chapter 412

Chapter 412: Vera’s Breaking Point
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CHAPTER 412

~Snow’s POV~

I stepped out into the front yard, my body vibrating with fury. This wasn’t over. I wouldn’t let her slip through my fingers. Not now.

I shut my eyes, inhaling deeply, pushing past the storm of emotions raging inside me. I needed to focus.

“Glacier, I need you.”

My wolf stirred, his presence immediately becoming strong in my mind.

“We’ve been lied to for weeks now. We lost our chosen mate in the process. For Zara’s sake, I need you to find Vera. Wherever she is. She’s cloaking herself, I know that, but use whatever is left of the fake mate bond.”

There was silence, then a pause. I knew Glacier cared for Vera and asking him to do this was a gamble but he felt hurt with Zara leaving. He needed this too.

Then, Glacier growled. “That’s the problem, Snow. The mate bond isn’t fake.”

I stiffened. “What?”

“You heard me.”

My fists clenched. “How would you know?”

Glacier exhaled sharply. “Trust me, I just know. But that doesn’t change the fact that she lied. She used us. And I will not tolerate lies. I will find her, but…” He hesitated. “You promise not to kill her.”

I opened my eyes, my jaw tightening. “I can’t promise that.”

Because the next time I saw Vera? She was done.

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As soon as Glacier spotted her from kilometres away, I moved swiftly in her direction.

My breath came out in sharp, heavy pants as I stood in the forest, the scent of damp earth and blood thick in the air.

And then—I saw her.

Vera was kneeling beside the dead demon-wolf’s body, her fingers tracing strange symbols into the ground, her lips moving in a low, eerie chant. Dark energy pulsed around her, wrapping itself around the corpse like a mist.

The moment she sensed me, her entire body jerked.

Her eyes snapped open, locking onto mine as shock flashed across her face.

I didn’t stop. I moved towards her, my long, heavy strides cutting through the distance between us like a blade.

“So this is what you’ve been up to, huh?” My voice came out cold and deadly.

Vera quickly scrambled to her feet, her hands twitching as if she was about to perform more magic, but then she stopped, attempting to school her expression into innocence.

“It’s not what it looks like,” she said quickly.

I let out a sharp, humourless laugh. “Really?”

“Yes, Snow. I was just…” She hesitated, her eyes darting around. “I was only praying for its poor soul to rest,” she lied, her voice trembling just enough to sound believable.

A deep growl rumbled from my chest. “You must think me a dimwit if you believe I don’t know damn dark magic when I see it. That wasn’t a prayer, Vera. That was a curse.”

Her lips parted, her breath hitching as she shuddered slightly. She tried stepping toward me, her hands reaching out like she had done so many times before, her expression shifting into the vulnerable girl act.

But I saw through it.

And I was done with this game.

Before she could touch me, I let out a feral snarl, baring my teeth. “Drop the act.”

Vera froze.

I took another step forward, my presence towering over hers. “I know who you are, Vera, Vera Slaton. Daughter of the Grand Witch, heir to the Shadow Clave.”

Something in her face shifted. And then—she smiled.

A slow, knowing grin spread across her lips, her entire posture changing as she tilted her head, mocking me.

“Well, well, well…” she purred, amusement flickering in her violet eyes. “I wouldn’t have thought you’d figure it out so soon.”

I clenched my fists. “You—”

She lifted a single finger, tutting at me.

“No. No. No…” She shook her head, laughing softly. “You asked me earlier if you were stupid, Snow. And now? My answer is yes. Very stupid. Had whatever not given me away, I would have killed Zara before you even realized it.” She sighed dramatically. “Hmm, I wonder where I made the mistake?”

I moved.

Bridging the gap in a blink, I grabbed her by the throat, tightening my grip instantly. Vera choked, her hands flying up to claw at my wrist, but I didn’t budge. My wolf roared in approval.

“Snow—” she gasped.

I didn’t care.

I didn’t care about her struggling. Didn’t care about the way her nails dug into my skin, drawing blood.

I wanted her to suffer.

My eyes flashed red, pure rage coursing through me as I lifted her off the ground, her legs kicking wildly.

“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t rip you apart,” I snarled. Tears brimmed in her eyes but she could not say anything. Not at this point, not with my hand clamped around her neck.

Still, Vera smirked.

“Zara.”

My grip faltered. Just for a second. And that second was enough for her to breathe in sharply.

I gritted my teeth and slammed her body against the nearest tree, hard enough to make the bark crack. “Speak one more word about Zara, and I swear to the Goddess, I’ll tear you limb from limb until not even your bones are left for the vultures.”

Vera coughed, spitting out blood. But her smirk never faded.

“Interesting,” she mused, her voice hoarse as she managed to speak. “Now we’re resorting to threats. Do you really think that can stop me?”

I tightened my grip. “Whether or not it does, I’ve warned you.”

She let out a strangled laugh, her body trembling from the force of my hold. “Kill me, mate,” she whispered mockingly. “And let your wolf suffer.”

I snarled. “Liar. You are not my mate.”

Her lips curled. “Am I not?”

I hated how calm she sounded. How unbothered by even my rage.

“Yes, I planned to infiltrate your life,” she admitted, tilting her head. “But not even I—nor my mother—planned for you to be my mate. It seems fate is on my side, Snow.”

A fresh wave of rage and irritation burned through me. I re-tightened my hold, my fingers digging into her skin as she gasped.

But before I could do anything further, before I could finish her, she lifted a shaking hand and chanted something under her breath.

I lunged forward with my other hand, wanting to rip her heart out—but it was too late. A sudden gust of black smoke erupted around her, swirling violently.

And then—she was gone.