Chapter 77

Judy’s POV

“Judy! We are so glad you decided to move in as well,” Meredith said as she greeted us at the doorway. Kelsey was also there with her arms folded across her chest and she was glaring at me. I tried hard to not look her in the eyes. This was the last place I wanted to be and the less I had to communicate with them, the better.

“It’s not like I had a choice,” I murmured without really thinking about it.

My mother nudged me in the side of the rib and gave me a pointed look.

“She’s joking, of course,” she said, giving the fakest laugh I had ever heard. She walked towards Meredith to give her a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you so much for your hospitality.”

“Of course; it’s what friends are for,” Meredith said, her eyes darkening as she glared at me from over my mother’s shoulder. “How about I show you to your room?”

“That would be great,” my mother said, glancing at the bags we left at the doorway.

“Don’t worry about them. I’ll have the butler bring them to your room,” she said, glancing at the butler who nodded and grabbed my mother’s belongings.

As Meredith guided her away, she glanced at Kelsey.

“Can you be a dear and show Judy where she’ll be staying,” Meredith asked, keeping her eyes locked on her daughters.

Kelsey grinned and I had a nasty feeling in the pit of my stomach.

“I’ll be glad to,” Kelsey said, winking at her mother as she turned to face me, her eyes darkening even more. “Come with me.”

I swallowed and grabbed my own bags that were left by the door. I followed Kelsey through the mansion, neither of us saying anything. I wish I could have said that I was shocked when we neared the servants’ quarters, but I wasn’t. I was expecting to be staying with the maids and other help.

She pushed the door open and walked through the laundry room until she reached the other side; she pushed that door open, and we stepped into what looked like a small living room, except it smelled of mildew like the laundry room and there were only a few flickering lights keeping the place lit. The couch looked like they got it out of the dump and the attached kitchen had outdated appliances that looked like they would spark if used.

The rug was stained, and the wallpaper was peeling. This part of the manor certainly did not fit the rest of the place.

There were a few women in the area and when they saw Kelsey, they quickly straightened their posture and awaited her orders.

She glared at them like they were nothing more than bugs she had previously stepped on.

“What the hell do you think you are doing?” She asked through her teeth. “There was dirt in the front foyer, and you are in here doing nothing? Do you both need to be punished again?”

“N…no mam,” one of the maids said, keeping her eyes on the ground. “We were just taking a rest. We had been working all last night and all day without a break…”

“Do I look like I give a shit??” Kelsey hissed. “Get back to work you useless slaves!”

They nodded and hurried out of the living room. I gawked at Kelsey; I couldn’t believe she had the heart to talk to her workers like that. She was only 18 years old, which meant she was learning this behavior from her mother most likely. I was sickened by the thought, and I wanted to tell her off, but I wasn’t sure what to say. I didn’t want to start any issues for my mother because I knew that’s what it would come down to.

Without saying a word to me, Kelsey tipped her nose up and walked straight towards the staircase. We walked around the curvy hallway until we reached the door at the end. She pushed the door open, and I nearly vomited from the smell alone. It was also incredibly dark; when she flipped on the light, I nearly gagged. There was a puddle of mystery liquid in the center of the room. There was also a cot in the corner, a dresser, and a bedside table.

“This is a prison cell,” I murmured.

She folded her arms across her chest.

“This is one of the nicer maid quarters,” she chirped. “No need to thank me.”

I rolled my eyes; I honestly wasn’t expecting much of anything else.

“By the way, you’re expected to earn your stay,” she said, narrowing her eyes at me. “I expect chores done in a timely manner. The other maids will help you get started.”

“You want me to work as your maid?” I asked her, dumbfounded. Were they going to treat my mother like this too?

“You’re living here rent free out of courtesy to your family. If you want your mother to continue living a carefree and luxurious life in the Cash manor, then yes, you need to work as our maid,” she told me. “It’s the least you can do.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” I asked, confused.

“You pretty much tore this family apart,” Kelsey said, rolling her eyes. “You were never good enough for Ethan. I always knew it and now everybody else sees it too.”

I pressed my lips together.

“You know he was the one who cheated one me, right?” I asked her.

She scoffed at my words.

“From how I see it, he upgraded,” she said, shaking her head. “Now settle into your new room… because starting tomorrow, you work for the Cash family now.”

…..

Gavin’s POV

“Matt seems to be recovering nicely, Alpha Landry. He should be able to return home tomorrow morning. I want to keep him here over night one last time for observations,” Doctor Pierce said as she went over Matthew’s files.

Matt had been in the hospital for a week now and he had to undergo minor surgery. Thankfully, he’s recovering, and he seems to be back to his normal self. Except I’ve noticed some changes in his attitude. He seems kind of down and I couldn’t figure out why; he’s barely said a word to me since he woke up from his surgery a couple of days ago. Irene had barely come to see her brother as well and when I asked her why she wasn’t showing him concern and visiting with him, she would just brush me off and say she was busy with her wedding preparations.

I made a mental note to check in with her again later and find out what’s really going on with her.

“Thank you, Doctor,” I said to her. Dr. Pierce was one of the best doctors in the country and I was glad to call her pack. She always came through when I needed her the most. She also happened to be Beta Taylor’s fated mate. She travels around a lot so she’s often away, but when she is here, they are inseparable. It was almost sickening.

“Of course,” she said thoughtfully.

I went back to Matt’s room and saw that he was scrolling through the tablet I had given him for entertainment. He lifted his gaze to look at me and then averted them again. I sighed, running my fingers through my hair for what felt like the hundredth time.

“Okay, I give up. What is going on with you? Why are you giving me the silent treatment?” I finally asked him.

He looked at me and his frown deepened.

“Do you really not know?” He asked.

“If I knew, I wouldn’t be asking,” I said exasperated. “Talk to me, Matt,” I said more softly as I walked closer to his bed. “Why are you upset with me?”

Matt swallowed and I could see the moisture in his eyes; it broke my heart. Whatever was wrong… it was serious.

“What did you say to Judy that made her not want to see me?”

I raised my brows at his question.

“What?” I asked.

“Before I passed out, after the Epi… you were angry, and I remember you saying something to her. Then everything went dark, and I woke up here. It’s been days since that, Dad, and Judy hasn’t come to see me once. I couldn’t even smell her scent when I woke up, which means she hadn’t been here at all. You had to have said something to her to make her stay away from me.”

Even young wolves had an excellent sense of smell, and I knew he would be able to pick up Judy’s scent anywhere. He was around her often enough that her scent probably became normal to him. I wasn’t surprised that he’d be able to smell if she was here or not… I just didn’t think he would truly care that much.

“Matt, you have to understand, I only did this for your own good. Judy is dangerous—”

“Dangerous??” Matt gasped, his eyes large and turning red with anger. It was a look I had never seen before. “Judy wouldn’t hurt anyone unless they truly deserved it, Dad, and you know that.”

I sighed and sat down on the edge of his bed.

“Look…” I began, not sure what I wanted to say, but I knew I needed to say something to calm him. “Judy was the one who fed you that sandwich, Matt. She was careless and because of her actions, I almost lost you. I can’t have someone like that around my family.”

“So, you told her to stay away??” Matt asked, his eyes wide. “So, I was right. That’s why she hasn’t come to see me… you scared her away. The only tutor I ever liked…”

“I can find you another tutor—”

“There is no one like her and you know that,” Matt shouted.

I was stunned speechless, which never happens. He had never raised his voice at me like this before… he had never spoken to anyone like this before. I couldn’t believe he was standing up for her after what she did.

“You almost died, Matt,” I said a bit louder and way harsher than I meant.

“It wasn’t her fault!”

“She gave you the sandwich and—”

“And I put the peanut butter in it!” He screamed.

My words fell short as I stared at him… bewildered.

“What did you just say?” I asked him after a beat of silence.

“I was the one who put peanut butter in it. I did it behind Judy’s back, so she didn’t know even know about it. You’re accusing the wrong person. It was my fault…”

I had no words.

How? Why? What?

“I don’t understand…” I managed to say.

“I forgot I was allergic, and I wanted to try it,” he murmured. “I was careless. But it wasn’t Judy’s fault. Please, Dad. Don’t punish her because of my actions. I will never do it again… but please don’t be angry with her.”

I let out the breath I hadn’t known I was holding.

Judy was innocent?

She didn’t know about the peanut butter in the sandwich. Maybe I should have listened to her in the first place.

“Alpha…” a mindlink came through. It was Beta Taylor. “We have a new discovery about the peanut butter. The perpetrator is in custody.”