The Beta let out a small breath that almost sounded like amusement.
"That's the story people prefer to tell," he said. "It's easier to fear him that way."
My brows drew together slightly.
"He's brutal, yes," the Beta continued. "But he isn't a mindless killer. He only kills when there is reason."
Something twisted inside me.
"He sent the soothers away," Lucas said, his tone even. "When they couldn't give him what he needed. A connection strong enough to soften him."
"Oh…" I muttered, the word barely leaving my lips as a quiet guilt settled in.
"Until the last one," he continued. "The one he actually honored. That was the calmest I've ever seen him. But it was brief. Everything got worse after she ran away. It's been… difficult since then. His frenzy became worse than before."
My chest tightened at that.
