Chapter 17
Liana’s POV
All my life, I was always second to Amira.
Second to the best.
To the most beautiful woman there is
Even she took my mate.
Even when I tried to love her.
Even when I trusted her.
I could still hear the laughter from our childhood, echoing through my memories. The way our mother used to brush her hair while I sat at their feet, unnoticed. The way our father would bring her gifts while I stood in the shadows, hands clasped, waiting for a recognition that never came.
I saw Amira twirling in her new dress, violet eyes shining with joy as she looked at herself in the mirror. I had smiled, trying to be happy for her.
But then she turned to me, that perfect, condescending smile on her lips.
“Do you ever get tired of being less?”
Her voice rang in my head, a whisper of the past that never left me.
I tried to respond, but my mouth wouldn’t move.
Then the memory shifted.
The garden.
The night I almost died.
I was back there again, Olivia’s broken body on the ground, blood pooling beneath her. My hands were covered in red. The scent of iron filled the air.
“Please,” I sobbed, shaking her. “Please, wake up.”
But she didn’t
Amira stood behind metilting her head. “You really thought I’d let you have anything?”
I screamed, lunging at her, but before I could reach her
A hand gripped my shoulder.
I gasped, shooting up, heart pounding
The dim basement came into focus. The cold walls. The flickering lantern. Knox crouched in front of me, eyes sharp, his hand still on my shoulder.
“It’s morning,” he said simply.
I exhaled, pressing a shaking hand to my forehead.
It was just a dream.
But it didn’t feel like one.
Knox studied me for a moment. “Bad one?”
I nodded, swallowing hard
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He sighed, standing up and stretching. “Yeah. Figures. After last night, I’d be surprised if you didn’t have nightmares.”
time is it?
I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. “What time is it?”
“Sunrise,” he said. “Alaric should be back to himself.”
I tensed at the mention of his name.
The memory of his glowing silver eyes flashed through my mind, the way his body had changed, the way he’d chased us.
Knox must have noticed my expression because he sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Look, I get it. Last night was intense. But you’re gonna have to face him.”
I stiffened. “What if he doesn’t remember?”
“He remembers.” Knox said flatly. “He always does
That didn’t make me feel better.
I swallowed. “We should go.”
knox nodded, unlocking the door. We stepped into the dim hallway, and my stomach twisted at the sight of the deep claw marks
gouged into the walls.
I traced them with my fingers. “He really was trying to get in.
Knox placed a hand on my back, gently nudging me forward. “Come on, little wolf. Let’s not dwell on it.”
But how could I not?
The man I was supposed to stand beside the man who was supposed to protect this kingdom–was a monster every night.
And now I had to pretend that everything was normal? That this was just another morning in the palace!
No. This was absurd.
I exhaled sharply, rubbing my arms as we made our way up the stairs. My body still felt on edge, my mind replaying last night over and over again. The chase. The way his eyes had changed. The sound of his body slamming into the basement door.
I turned to Knox, my voice laced with frustration. “I can’t believe that just happened.”
Knox sighed. “Yeah, well, welcome to life with Alaric.”
“That’s not normall” I snapped. “We ran for our lives, Knox! He–he would have killed us
Knox’s expression darkened. “You don’t know that.”
I let out a humorless laugh. “Really? Because it looked like he was about to tear us apart!“,
Knox didn’t reply.
Because he knew I was right
As we stepped into the main hallway, my stomach twisted. And then I saw him.
Alaric.
Already dressed, standing near one of the tall windows, his back straight, his hands clasped behind him. His dark hair was neatly styled again, his suit pressed, as if nothing had happened. As if he hadn’t just spent the night hunting us through the castle like an animal.
1stopped in my tracks, my breath catching.
He turned at the sound of our footsteps. His sharp blue eyes flickered over me and Knox.
And then
“Lapologize.”
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Chapter 17
The words were clipped. Cold. Distant.
I blinked. That was it!
He didn’t even look at me when he said it. Just gave that flat apology and started walking away.
I stared at him, heat rising in my chest.
That was it? After everything! After the way my heart had nearly exploded out of my chest last night? After chasing us like a damn predator?
And he wasn’t even going to look at me?
“Are you serious? I muttered under my breath, but loud enough that Knox heard.
He sighed. “Yeah, I figured that would piss you off.”
I clenched my fists. “That’s all he’s going to say?”
Knox ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah… Alaric isn’t great with, you know, feelings.”
That
That wasn’t even an apology,” I hissed. “That was a statement.”
Knox chuckled. “Yeah, his bedside manner sucks. But hey, he didn’t kill us, so that’s something”
1 shot him a glare. “Not funny.”
Knox raised his hands in surrender. “Alright, alright. Look, I’ll talk to him.”
care?”
I scoffed. “And say what? Hey, maybe next time you go on a murderous rampage, at least pretend to care
Knox smirked. “Pretty much.”
1 groaned, pressing my fingers to my temples. “I don’t get him. He’s impossible.”
Knox hummed. “Yeah. But so are you
I scowled. “I am not.”
He shrugged. “I dunno. You’ve got that same stubbornness. And you ask too many damn questions.”
I rolled my eyes. “Excuse me for wanting to understand the man I’m supposed to be standing next to
Knox’s smirk faded slightly. “Do you?”
I frowned. “Do I what?”
Do you want to understand him?”
“Do
I hesitated.
Did I
Did I want to understand a man who refused to let anyone close? Who carried a curse that he wouldn’t even explain?
Who looked at me like I was nothing this morning, after everything that had happened?
I bat my lip. “I don’t know.”
Knox nodded slowly. “Then figure it out, little wolf. Before it’s too late.”
And for some reason, the way he said it sent a shiver down my spine.
I didn’t reply. I couldn’t. There was something unsettling about the way he looked at me–like he knew something I didn’t.
Instead of pushing for answers, I turned on my heel and walked away.
By the time I reached my room, my head was still spinning. Everything felt off–Alaric’s cold indifference, Knox’s cryptic words, the fact
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Chapter 17
that I had nearly died last night and was expected to go about my day like nothing happened.
I closed the door behind me and leaned against it, inhaling deeply.
Then I saw it.
A small, folded piece of parchment lying on my bed.
My stomach twisted. I hadn’t left anything there. And no one had been in my room since I left this morning.
I hesitated before w
walking over, n
my
fingers brushing over the rough texture of the paper.
The ink was dark, almost hurried. The message was short. Simple.
But it sent a wave of unease crashing over me.
-Traitor among the trusted.
AD
