The Alpha King's voice cut through the silence like a blade.
Cold.
Demanding.
Final.
Ethan didn't answer immediately.
And that hesitation?
It made everything worse.
"Ethan," I said, my voice lower now, strained. "If you know something—say it."
He looked at me.
Really looked this time.
And whatever he saw in my eyes…
It made his expression soften.
"You're not going to like it," he said quietly.
A bitter laugh escaped me.
"Try me."
Because at this point?
What else could possibly hurt more than everything I had already been through?
Right?
Ethan exhaled slowly.
Then—
He said it.
"It was your guardian."
The world stopped.
My heartbeat skipped.
Then slammed violently against my chest.
"No…"
The word barely came out.
"No, that's not possible," I said, shaking my head immediately. "You're wrong."
But Ethan didn't take it back.
Didn't hesitate.
Didn't flinch.
"It was him," he repeated.
My chest tightened painfully.
"My guardian raised me," I snapped. "He protected me. He—"
"He watched you," Ethan cut in.
That made me freeze.
"…What?"
"He wasn't protecting you," Ethan continued, his voice heavy now. "He was hiding you."
My stomach twisted.
"From who?" I asked, even though I already felt the answer creeping in.
"From everyone."
Silence.
Heavy.
Crushing.
"He kept you isolated," Ethan added. "Made sure no one got too close. Made sure your power stayed buried."
"That's not true," I whispered.
But my voice lacked strength now.
Because deep down…
Memories were starting to shift.
The restrictions.
The rules.
The constant warnings.
Don't go too far.
Don't trust anyone.
Stay hidden.
I thought it was care.
Protection.
Love.
But what if…
"What if he was scared of me?" I whispered.
Ethan didn't answer.
And that silence?
It confirmed everything.
My knees felt weak.
"But why?" I asked, my voice cracking now. "Why would he do that to me?"
Ethan clenched his jaw.
"Because he wasn't just your guardian."
My heart dropped.
"He was working for the Sovereign."
Everything shattered.
The air left my lungs.
"No…" I whispered again.
But this time—
There was no denial left in me.
Just pain.
Raw.
Sharp.
Unbearable.
All those years…
All those memories…
A lie.
"He was assigned to watch you," Ethan continued. "To make sure your power never awakened."
"And if it did?" I asked, barely holding myself together.
Ethan hesitated.
Then—
"He was supposed to kill you."
Something inside me broke.
Not cracked.
Not weakened.
Broken.
A sharp, hollow feeling spread through my chest.
I laughed.
But it wasn't normal laughter.
It was empty.
"Wow," I said, my voice shaking. "That's… that's actually funny."
No one spoke.
No one moved.
Because they could feel it.
The shift.
The storm rising inside me.
"All this time…" I whispered.
My hands trembled.
"I trusted him."
My vision blurred slightly.
"I loved him."
And then—
Something snapped.
Power exploded out of me.
The ground beneath my feet cracked violently.
Wind burst outward, sending everyone stepping back.
Even the Alpha King tensed.
My wolf roared inside me.
Not calm.
Not controlled.
Furious.
"He lied to us."
"I know!" I shouted out loud.
Energy surged through my veins—wild, unstable, dangerous.
My eyes burned.
"Everything was a lie!" I yelled.
The pain in my chest twisted into something else.
Rage.
Pure.
Unfiltered.
"I was nothing but a target to him!" I continued, my voice breaking. "A mission! A responsibility!"
Tears streamed down my face.
But they didn't weaken me.
They fueled me.
"I was a child!" I screamed.
The sky above seemed to darken slightly, clouds gathering unnaturally fast.
"I didn't deserve that!"
Lightning cracked in the distance.
And then—
I shifted.
But this time…
It wasn't controlled.
It wasn't graceful.
It was violent.
Explosive.
My wolf emerged with a deafening roar, her silver and gold fur glowing brighter than ever before.
But something was different.
Her eyes—
They weren't just gold anymore.
They burned crimson.
Gasps filled the air.
"That's not normal…" "Her power—it's unstable!" "She's losing control!"
But I didn't care.
All I felt was anger.
All I saw was betrayal.
And all I wanted…
Was to destroy something.
Anything.
I lunged forward—
But strong arms grabbed me mid-motion.
The Alpha King.
Even in human form, his strength held me back.
"Control yourself!" he commanded.
I struggled violently.
"Let me go!" I growled.
"You'll hurt yourself!"
"I don't care!"
That was the truth.
In that moment…
I didn't care about anything.
Not the power.
Not the consequences.
Not even myself.
Then—
He did something unexpected.
He pulled me closer.
Tightly.
Firmly.
And said—
"Feel me."
The words hit differently.
His hand pressed against my neck—
Right where his mark burned into my skin.
And suddenly—
Everything changed.
A calm force pushed through the chaos.
His presence.
His power.
His bond.
It didn't suppress me.
It grounded me.
My breathing slowed slightly.
My wolf's rage didn't disappear…
But it softened.
Just enough.
"Stay with me," he said quietly.
And somehow…
I did.
The storm inside me didn't vanish.
But it stopped consuming me.
For now.
I slowly shifted back, my body trembling from the intensity.
Silence fell again.
Heavy.
Emotional.
I didn't look at anyone.
I couldn't.
Because if I did…
They would see it.
The truth.
I wasn't just powerful.
I was broken.
The Alpha King didn't step away.
He stayed close.
Steady.
Present.
"You're not alone," he said quietly.
I let out a shaky breath.
"But I was," I whispered.
For a long time…
I was.
Ethan stepped forward again carefully.
"There's more," he said.
I closed my eyes briefly.
"Of course there is."
"The Sovereign…"
My body tensed instantly.
"…he's not just coming for you."
I looked up slowly.
"Then what does he want?"
Ethan's expression darkened.
"He wants your power."
A pause.
"And he knows exactly how to take it."
A chill ran down my spine.
"How?"
Ethan hesitated.
Then—
"He needs you alive."
Silence.
And suddenly…
That felt even worse.
Because death?
Would have been easier.