Ch. 196..200: The Rogue is a Female Alpha chapter 196-200
Back Where 196It was as though she had been waiting for me to rock her to sleep. As though she hadn’t rested for days, and the moment her head came to lie on my arm, sleep claimed her instantly.
Her warm breath fanned across my chest, and I stared up at the ceiling in silence. She felt so right in my arms, and I couldn’t wish for anything else but the rest of her life with me.
But then again, the rest of her life? Would it be a long one? One that lasted beyond these fragile seconds?
Because during dinner I had seen her eyes. When I arrived and found her in tears, I noticed it. Beneath that strength and power of hers was a breaking soul. That frustration, that misery… it shattered me. She was barely holding on, and I could feel it.
I sighed softly when she stirred. Looking down, I found her still, trusting me enough to lower every guard and close her eyes. She trusted me. So much.
I looked away at the blank space. I had come for three reasons. First, to seek Zephyrine’s forgiveness which I had accomplished. Second, to deliver Blue’s paycheck which I had done. And lastly, to face Jurrek Bane and ask what he truly intended for my sister.
Remaining still, I could sense his energy from the east wing. He was there in this pack, awake. I could feel it in his breath, in his pulse of energy.
I looked back at Zephyrine again and carefully eased her off my arm. Gently, without shaking her. Without waking her. At last, I succeeded. Putting on my boots, I slipped out silently.
Through the halls I bypassed the guards without sound, until finally I stepped into the night sky.
A night in Ash Pack was… different. Not peaceful. Not at all. The air was heavy with something holy. The sacred remains of ancestors who had bled for this land, this pack.
I swallowed hard against the overwhelming force of it and followed Jurrek’s energy until I found him, just leaving the night guards after giving orders.
He turned, paused when he saw me, surprise flashing in his eyes before he walked closer and bowed.
“Your Majesty. I didn’t know you were here,” he said. But I didn’t answer. I was too focused on his eyes, breaking past the shields he kept there, stripping away the sorrow he tried to bury.
15:57 Thu
, Sep 11
47
+10 Free Coins
And then I saw it. Clear as day. A sight that clenched my heart and raised goosebumps along my skin.
“You love my sister,” I murmured softly. It wasn’t a question. It was fact.
He set his jaw, realizing I had pierced through his façade. His armor crumbled, his shields fell, and it was all laid bare. So much that I had to look away, swallowing hard.
At home, we had told Mearez I will arranged something with Jurrek Bane. But it was a lie. My brother Hades and I… we lied.
I wasn’t here to make arrangements. I was here to tell him the truth. The bitter, naked, ugly truth.
“You are right. I want her,” Jurrek’s voice broke through. I turned back, fixing my eyes on him. “She’s beautiful. Gentle. Kind. She won’t do more than hold my hand, but she’s so pure, and I… I want her. She said unless you give your agreement, she won’t be mine. So I ask. What can I do to earn your agreement?”
I stared at him for a long time. At last, I nodded and sighed.
“To love is simple; to accept is the true test.” My voice softened as I locked onto his eyes. “She is a victim of multiple rapes. Can you still love her?”
Silence. Dead, heavy silence. It seemed even the background noises faded away. Jurrek looked at me in pure awe, and I understood. No one could hear that and not be shaken.
“Since childhood, until I decided enough was enough. I failed to protect them properly, and I won’t let any man come into their lives to remind them of the past. Of the trauma.” I stepped closer, lowering my voice. “I know you long for her. I can see it, feel it. And I understand if you pull away now, after hearing her dark past. All I ask is that you stay clear of my sister when next you meet. Don’t lie. Don’t egg her on if you won’t be able to shoulder her problems and her pain. If you walk away, we will have no problem. Do you understand?”
He said nothing, and I pressed no further. I turned, making my way back toward Zephyrine’s chambers only to freeze at the sharp scream the moment the door opened for me.
I rushed in.
There she was on the bed, sweating, trembling from a nightmare.
Her eyes darted around in a fear I had never seen in her before. The moment they landed on me, she bolted from the bed and into my arms.
My heart went still as I gathered her against me, holding her close while the maids quietly
:
47
+10 Free Coins
closed the door.
I carried her back to the bed, my brows furrowed in awe.
“Zephyrine?” I whispered, but she shook her head, clinging tighter, unwilling to let me go. held her, patting her back gently.
I
“I couldn’t find peace, Lycan. I can’t find peace after that battle five years ago,” she whispered, trembling as she pulled back to meet my eyes. “I can’t sleep peacefully in my own bed since that battle. It’s as though the gods are punishing me. As though they won’t let me rest until I set everything right. Until everything is right, Lycan. What will I do?”
Her eyes, desperate and broken, crushed me.
I swallowed the lump rising in my throat, then drew her down with me, pressing her against my chest.
“Don’t worry for tonight. Take a deep breath and rest. I’m here. I’m here.” Follow current novᴇls on fιɴdnοvel.net
Back Where 197The morning sun spilled across the bed, warming my face until it stirred me awake. I blinked slowly, squinting against the brightness until it dimmed, shielded somehow. I opened my eyes.
Lycannar.
My gods. How could a man be so blessed with beauty that rivaled the divine, and an aura of unmatched grandeur?
He stood at the window, arms folded across his chest. Barefoot, relaxed, almost at home.
I smiled faintly at the sight, letting my gaze linger on his bare torso. Only in his trousers, his broad arms and sacred runes were bared, and I couldn’t help but swallow hard.
I loved him. Senselessly. He made me feel peace, completeness, as though no worry could touch me. At least, that was what I told myself, until the memories of yesterday clawed back.
Last night was a blur. I had woken alone, terror clutching my chest with a dread unlike anything I had ever known. Until he came. Until his arms circled me, shielding me. And then, just like that, misery withered into nothing.
“Good morning,” I said softly, still sprawled on the bed, head nestled in the pillow.
He didn’t reply. Didn’t speak. Just stared at me.
A knock came, light but cautious. I turned toward the door.
“Come in.”
Normally, my maids never knocked. But with Lycannar here, they dared not enter unannounced, not after Isolde nearly collapsed with shock the other day.
Isolde slipped in with two others, bowing. They opened their mouths to speak, but faltered. Their eyes lifted, not at me, but at Lycannar’s bare chest.
Jealousy, sharp and searing, flared inside me.
“We will prepare your bath, my lady. Shall we?” Isolde finally asked.
I shook my head.
15:57 Thu, Sep 11
“I will bathe with Lycannar. Don’t worry.”
:
+10 Free Coins
They shifted their gazes to him, but he never looked away from me. At last, they withdrew in
silence.
The room quieted again. I sighed, lowering the blanket to rise but Lycannar moved first, startling me. He crossed the space in a breath, sat beside me, and kissed me. Gently, he pressed me back into the pillows, his body covering mine.
His hand caressed my thigh, slow and tender, before rolling me over so I straddled him, breathless from his kiss. His eyes stayed locked on mine. I felt it. The difference in them this morning. Something had shifted.
“I’ve been thinking,” he said quietly, almost as if reading my thoughts. “About your brother.”
My heart clenched. Memories rushed back. I eased off him, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear while he sat up.
“You know…” I whispered. “I learned a new truth from someone.”
He stilled, his gaze fixed on me. I hesitated. I wouldn’t name Luna Tahlia yet. Not openly. To all others, she was dead.
“What truth?”
“That… I know how my brother was sold to Blackwater.”
“Sold?” His tone sharpened, and I nodded, steadying myself.
“He was wounded, returning home, when someone sold him along the way. I won’t know the full story until he speaks for himself, but what I’ve learned is this. Kaela struck a bargain. She traded the life of Varyn Ashmere, my brother, for her five–year stay in Blackwater.”
Lycannar stared at me, silent. The air between us grew heavier than stone.
“Who told you this?” His question came low, deliberate.
I swallowed hard. He waited, reading me when I hesitated.
“Go on. Tell me.”
Lowering my gaze, I confessed.
“Luna Tahlia. Of Blackbridge Pack.”
15:57 Thu, Sep 11
:
47
+10 Free Coins
Silence thickened again. I braced for him to ask how that was possible, since she was dead. But no question came.
When I looked up, I was the one shocked. He wasn’t surprised.
“More and more…” he said softly, almost lazily. “I find myself admiring you. For being so daring. A woman brave enough to have no limits. That’s you. And I respect you for it.”
A lump rose in my throat.
“You… know she isn’t dead?”
“Predicting death is my curse,” he murmured. “Her death was registered with her pup. The woman I am obsessed with would never let that happen.”
Goosebumps prickled along my arms.
“Lycan.”
“She’s here, in your pack. I can sense her scent, her energy. I’ve known since the day of your ascension ceremony. It’s sharper than you realize. My abilities. Too sharp. Dangerous. So I dull it with potion.”
Words failed me.
He was extraordinary, terrifyingly so. I wanted to tell him how much I admired, loved him but he caught my hand, locking my gaze instead.
“Zephyrine,” he said, serious now. “I have something to ask you.”
I nodded, heart pounding.
“I’m listening.”
“How fast are you?”
I froze.
“I can slit your throat before
you blink.”
“How fast… are you?” he repeated, more pointed.
This time, I answered with action. My claws shot out, swiping for his throat but in a blur, Lycannar countered. Faster than anything I had ever seen. In a heartbeat, he was at the window, not even breaking a sweat.
15:57 Thu, Sep
11
I went cold.
:
Slowly, I turned toward him, stunned by the sheer speed. The agility.
“Lycan…”
“Have you ever been on an assassination mission?” he asked.
I stilled, then shook my head. Thɪs chapter is updated by find[ɴ]ovel.net
“I have only commanded the Ashmere armies. I’ve led the battlefield.”
47
+10 Free Coins
“My father sent me on solo missions,” he said. “I learned to creep silent as death. Before you could blink, your life was gone.”
He moved from the window, closing the distance until he stood before me.
“You don’t have an army. And I lost mine five years ago. The only solution left is to go Both you and I.”
I froze.
“What?”
solo.
“Back in the Lycan Kingdom, I once served as a war strategist. That knowledge can work here if you trust me.”
I hadn’t realized I was holding my breath until it rushed out. I nodded.
“You know I do trust you.”
“I don’t mean to brag,” he said, voice low, “but I am brute force. Faster than lightning. With you as the mind, with maps, gold bars for bribery, and strategy… we’ll sneak our way in. Before they realize it, your brother and us both will be outside the gates. I’ll stand beside you. And I’ll kill. I’ll shed blood for you, Zephyrine.”
My heart hammered so violently I feared it would burst.
Moon wouldn’t believe me because he cared too much. Nyroth would force me to kneel because he cared too much. But Lycannar? Lycannar would kill, because he cared.
I met his eyes, trembling, and whispered,
“You want something in return, don’t you?”
15:57 Thu, Sep 11
He held my gaze, silent. And I knew I was right.
“After your brother is safe,” he said quietly, “I will make my demands.”
Back Where 198
“So now, Nyroth. You’re telling me you’ll give up your fight for the woman the Moon Goddess fated for you to a man the same goddess abandoned and condemned?”
The question hung heavy between us. I could only stare at her, helpless. She had a point. A piercing one. Zeph belonged to me. She always had.
All the years I knew her, she was never daring, quiet, never one to cause havoc. But these past months, as Apex’s woman… he had whispered death into her veins. And wait… Kaela.
“Mother… Zeph won’t yield. After I went to her yesterday, thank the Moon Goddess she granted me audience, but she won’t kneel. She won’t yield. I… I don’t know what to do, Mother. And I don’t want her to perish. I want her… here.”
That last word slipped out, laced with goosebumps. If only she could come back. If only she could be mine again. I’d guard her, protect her, quietly, the way I should have.
My mother lay there in bed, still recovering from whatever sickness the gods had laid upon her. She coughed softly, and I reached for her hand.
“If only Kaela hadn’t come into your life and lied to you, we wouldn’t have gone so astray. Kaela is the villain.”
Her voice was weak, her eyelids already falling. She drifted into sleep again.
I sat there, her words echoing in my chest. Kaela.
And it struck me like lightning. The day Zeph appeared at the Wolf Fortress, Kaela stood with the Imperium Council. The moment they declared Zeph impeached, Kaela was named the next ascendant. Why?
Dark blood ran between them. Something I didn’t yet know.
Anger flooded me. I rose, storming from my mother’s chambers, and rode without pause toward Blackbridge. It took time, but when I arrived, I dismounted in silence, chest heaving.
She would hear me today. All of it.
I followed her scent through the hall, ignoring the stares of maids, guards, and pack members. They wondered why I was here, why I still came, when Kaela now lay with another man. I ignored them all.
15:58 Thu,
Sep 11
:
47
+10 Free Coins
I was about to turn toward her bedchamber when a voice from the meeting chamber made me
stop.
“Listen, I didn’t know the letters I was delivering were meant to instigate war. All I did was follow orders from the council. They said the letters were to the Demon King and I obeyed. That’s all. I swear it. I never knew they would slaughter Ashmere warriors and Blood armies.”
I froze. My blood ran cold.
What… did I just hear?
“We need to move quickly, Everyone,” an elderly woman’s voice answered. “Zephyr is a clever woman. With Apex at her side, she’s more dangerous than anything. Days ago, she requested an army. And no Ashmere requests an army unless it’s for war.”
I crept closer, peering through the slit of the door.
It was her. The woman I had seen at Ash Pack’s party. Zeph’s aunt.
My heart sank. My eyes moved to the man speaking now. Yadev. He sat in the Alpha’s seat as though it belonged to him.
“Why would she want an army?”
“I heard she intends to strike Blackwater. But why…?” the aunt pressed, until Kaela suddenly stilled. All eyes turned to her.
“What do you mean, Blackwater? Why would she…” Kaela cut herself short. Her face shifted as realization dawned.
“If that war back then was to wipe out the Ashmeres… then the last order I received was to kill the last surviving Ashmere warrior.” She murmured, pale.
Zeph’s aunt frowned deeply.
“What do This text is hosted at Find★Novel.net
you mean?”
“From that war, Every warriors died. All of them died except one survivor. He was saved by a beast. A demon, they said. Railan was sent to finish the job. To wipe every Ashmere from the field.” Kaela lifted her eyes. “Among the warriors, whose body was never found?”
The woman didn’t take long. She froze, her breath stalling.
“Varyn Ashmere. My cousin. Zephyr’s elder brother.”
15:58 Thu, Sep 11
46
+10 Free Coins
Kaela went ghostly pale. She shot up from her chair, nearly frantic, turning toward her father whose face twisted with unease.
“After I finalized the envoy mission between Wolf Fortress and the Demon Realm, after the battle, I was given one last order. To disappear for five years. To make my mission believable.”
“We know that part,” Yadev murmured.
“Yes, Father, but after that, I was given nothing. No resources. Nothing to live on. And the Council wouldn’t help. I was leaving, hopeless, when another order came.”
“What order?” Zeph’s aunt demanded.
“That a warrior would ride home wounded. I was to make sure he never made it back alive. I had my bow ready. And he came. Riding a white horse, regal despite his wounds. I drew my arrow to end him… but I didn’t.” She swallowed hard. “A thought struck me. If I had to vanish for five years, the only place to truly hide was Blackwater. And to live there, I needed to pay Stone, their leader. So I… traded.”
Zeph’s aunt blanched, collapsing into her chair.
“Tell me you killed Varyn, that it isn’t him Zephyr seeks to rescue in Blackwater. Because if she finds him… if she dares we’re all finished!” she screamed.
But Kaela said nothing. And that silence confirmed it all.
“He was half–dead when I found him. I tricked him, pretended to help. But when we reached Blackwater… he was tortured. Stripped. Broken. His mind shattered. He’s a madman now. A slave. Nothing more.”
“But still an Ashmere,” Yadev said gravely.
The room fell into silence.
“We cannot let Zeph find him first.”
“I doubt we’ll stop her. She is gathering an army.”
“Then before she gathers anything, we must…”
“”
I couldn’t bear it anymore. I shoved open the door, stepping inside, my face carved with horror.
“How much more will you do to destroy the Ashmeres, Kaela? Haven’t you shattered Zeph enough?” My voice trembled with fury.
…
Kaela only clenched her jaw and looked away.
:
“Not until I take her pack. And hand it to the rightful ruler here, Aunt Kostyra.”
My gaze snapped to the woman. Rage boiled, but I swallowed it down.
46
+10 Free Coins
“Kaela will betray you. She cannot be trusted. She’s poison.” My voice shook. “I’m telling Zeph everything I’ve heard. I swear it.”
I turned to leave.
But her voice stopped me, cold and taunting.
“The Lycan King slept at Ash Pack last night.” Kostyra’s lips curved cruelly. “You should have heard Zephyr’s moans. You’ve lost her, Nyroth. He’s won. That’s reality. She doesn’t love you anymore. So why waste yourself trying to save a woman who made a fool of you by giving herself to a cursed, condemned monster?”
Back Where 199
“You must love him so much. Blindly. And trust him more than life itself to believe he will get the job done in Blackwater,” Jurrek said.
I turned to him with a smile. Never had I been so certain that this was the moment, the real
solution.
“For once, I finally have someone I can lay my mind on for support. Someone who will stay by my side without wavering. Nyroth has only ever been my mate, never the one who made me happy. I love Lycannar, and I trust him blindly.”
Jurrek Bane searched my eyes again before stepping closer to take my hand, his gaze steady.
“You know I will always be on your side too. Till my last breath. Even if it costs me my life.”
A lump rose slowly in my throat, and I forgot how to breathe. I went into his arms and hugged him tight. I didn’t need his words to know he would die for any Ashmere if need be.
After a while, I stepped back with a smile.
“I’m happy, Jurrek. I feel relieved.”
“I’m happier for you, Zephyr. Happier to see you finally at peace, as though you’ve already brought your brother home. But I must tell you this. Please, do not let your guard down.”
His advice made me nod. I was about to respond when Lycannar opened the door of my bedchamber and walked into the hall where I stood with Jurrek.
He came straight to me and pulled me into his arms, claiming my lips with a kiss. He never hesitated to show his love for me. I loved the way he held me, tender, yet so sure.
“You’re leaving?” I asked softly when he finally pulled back. He nodded, his thumb brushing my lower lip, coaxing a sigh from me.
“I have to get back home,” he said.
“Yeah,” I murmured with a nod.
We had already spoken and agreed on our first plan. Lycannar Blood would return to inform his sisters so they would not worry when things began. They had a right to know what was unfolding.
15:58 Thu, Sep 11
46 Chapters first released on find⸺novel.net
+10 Free Coins
Meanwhile, I would head to White Pack to inform the Dusk family and Alpha Auedric. Tonight, without fail, we would set out. No delays.
I looked into Lycannar’s eyes and smiled, but then I noticed something unusual. He ignored Jurrek as he turned away, heading for the exit. It almost felt like something had passed between them. Curious, I followed him.
Outside, I felt the weight of every gaze. Pack members had stopped what they were doing to watch the cursed man of the moon goddess walk.
They whispered what kind of curse must have been placed on one so strikingly beautiful.
He stood by his powerful horse and slowly turned. His pale–golden eyes held no one but me. And I felt it, that aura. Regal, immense, as though I was standing at the side of a king which I am. I felt special.
I walked up to him and, before all of them, kissed him. I wanted them to know he belonged to me alone. He held my waist firmly, deepening the kiss before pulling back to smile.
“You are beautiful,” he whispered, mesmerized.
“I love you,” I answered, and he kissed me again.
When he pulled away, there was resolve in his eyes. He turned back to his horse but then Jurrek’s voice cut through the air.
“Your Majesty.”
I turned, startled, as Jurrek walked closer.
“I’ve thought all night about it,” he said.
Wand
Lycannar paused with his hand on the reins and turned toward him, his gaze sharp and waiting.
“Tell me,” Lycannar demanded.
Jurrek Bane swallowed, holding his gaze.
“You are right. It’s one thing to love someone, but another to accept them after knowing their flaws. Mearez’s past was never a flaw to me. And when next I see her, I won’t turn away. I will take her hand and hold her dear in my heart.”
I went still. A confession spoken before the cursed Lycan King. So bold.
#
46
+10 Free Coins
I stayed quiet, realizing this must have been the subject of their earlier conversation when I wasn’t present. Princess Mearez.
I watched Lycannar’s jaw set, but at last, he nodded.
“When everything is settled here and on my end, you will be invited to my kingdom. What you just said, you will repeat before my brother Hades. Then we will know where to go from there. Will you?”
A shaky sigh escaped me at the mention of that name. Hades. That elder brother sounded like a force to reckon with. My eyes flicked to Jurrek, who nodded defiantly, accepting.
“I will come when I receive the invite. Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Lycannar gave no reply. He glanced at me briefly, then mounted his horse with perfect grace. Without hesitation, he galloped out of my pack’s territory and toward the Lycan Kingdom.
Watching him
go, I wondered what this night would hold, and what tomorrow would bring.
In the end, everything depended on our cooperation, our love, our trust, and the hope that we would not be betrayed. Not by those closest to us. And not by those tied to us by blood.
Back Where 200
My horse galloped into the kingdom that cloudy afternoon, and I made it to the stable in no time. I dismounted just as the feelings overwhelmed me. My brother Hades was still around.
I went straight into the hallway, the events of earlier still raw and fresh in my mind.
She had looked at me like a savior, trusted me without a single hesitation. I would never forgive myself if I failed her now.
When I reached the dining hall, my steps slowed. Normally, it was no cause for alarm to see my siblings gathered, but the tense air choking the room made me wary.
I moved forward slowly, my gaze shifting from Hades to my sisters, wondering what had happened, or what was about to happen.
“You got her forgiveness?” my brother asked at last, and I nodded. “You made love to her?”
“Yeah,” I answered softly, taking another step. “What’s wrong?”
Silence fell. Fear coiled inside me. Wait. What’s really wrong?
“Baby brother… uhm…” Serena began carefully. “Today I… stepped out of the kingdom. There was an issue for Lycan Kingdom we had to address at the Market of Werewolf. I went with guards and staff. There, we heard some rumors… about Ashmere.”
I nodded slowly.
“Yeah,” I admitted, turning to Hades. “It’s something I need to discuss with you. Those rumors, that Ashmeres were traitors, are lies. We all know they were tricked into that war. Zephyrine will clear her name by rescuing her brother from Blackwater and…”
“I told you to let him be.” Hades’s voice cut in, stern, firmer than I had ever heard before. My heart sank. He was always on my side. Why not now?
I looked between Mearez and Serena, and the realization hit. Something was very wrong. Something big.
“You are my brother,” Hades said, his gaze steady. “And I will always want the best for you. I will always tell you what is best. And what’s best… is for Varyn Ashmere never to be found.”
I locked eyes with him. After what felt like an eternity, I whispered,
15:58 Thu, Sep 11
:.
46
+10 Free Coins
“Why? She’s my woman, Zephyrine. You want her for me. You know how much she means to me. Will you let me watch her suffer, her legacy dragged through the mud, when I can help her?”
“Five years ago, little brother… something happened,” Hades murmured, soft but heavy. My brows furrowed. What did he mean? “Something happened on that battlefield. Something so gruesome you don’t remember.”
I went cold. Wait. Xyrrha had said something like that too.
“The battle was meant to be Blood Army against Ashmeres. But on the night it was to take place, the full moon surprised us all,” Hades began. His words rooted me in place. “You cannot be defeated in that state, so you were locked in the steel chamber. I received the strict order to lead the battle instead. I took a few Abyss warriors and placed Blood Army on the frontline, isolated.”
I held my breath, dread tightening.
“Isolated and at the front… it was cruel. But they were Blood Army. I thought they could hold. I was wrong. We underestimated the Ashmeres. They were extraordinary warriors, the finest I have ever faced. In seconds, Blood Army was wiped out.”
He sighed, grief still etched on his face.
“Those of us who remained had no chance. Outnumbered. I sent a messenger for reinforcements. We needed help.”
He stopped, and Mearez continued, her voice sharp with memory.
“We were pacing when Xyrrha appeared through the back portal to deliver the message. The army meant to go was Abyss, but no, she made a suggestion. A request. That Lycannar should go.”
I froze. No. That wasn’t how I remembered it.
“I didn’t leave on full moon night. I left when I was myself, didn’t I?” I asked desperately.
Mearez shook her head, sinking my heart.
“That’s why I hated her ever since.” Her teeth clenched, fury breaking her voice. “She knew you were destruction itself on that night. And yet she suggested it anyway. Father listened. He went into the steel chamber and released you. You weren’t yourself, Lycannar. You were unstable. Lost. And they used you. They whispered to you to kill everyone on that battlefield. They wanted you to be the monster. But before you left, Uncle Ureh brought urgent news that the Ashmeres were tricked into the battle and you must stop it.”
15:58 Thu,
Sep 11
…
Hades’s jaw clenched.
:
46
+10 Free Coins
“I had asked only for Abyss warriors. But Apex came instead, in his hybrid form. I was shocked. By then, I was already captured by the Ashmere Warlord, ready for execution. You arrived just in time to save me but you took a life that moment, Apex.”
I stared at him, hollow.
“I didn’t kill anyone,” I said, my voice low, shaking. “When I arrived, the war was already over. We were at the camp.”
He shook his head, confirming my worst fear.
“You slaughtered Warlord Vale. His blood soaked your blade, splattered across the face of his son, Varyn. His wife, General Serephaine, saw it and shattered. They retreated to regroup while we returned to camp. And then, like mercy, the full moon left the sky quicker than usual. You regained yourself, but not fully. That was when you relayed the truth. The Ashmeres had been deceived. We sent a messenger. He returned with grim news that their camp was under attack. You and I stormed there. But it was all ashes. Every last one of them cornered by their own. Slaughtered.”
His voice grew quieter, heavier.
“We arrived too late to save everyone but just in time to save Varyn. You were fast, fast enough to shield him from the killing blow and save his life. He stayed one night in our camp, wounded and bleeding. But he fled at dawn. He wouldn’t dine with us. Wouldn’t eat. He called us demons. Called you a monster. He left, and we watched him go.”
Hades looked at me fully just as I fractured.
“I will always stand by you, Apex. You are my younger brother, who has given me respect, support and love. Any choice you make I will always be by your side.”
“Me too, Lycannar,” Mearez said.
“Me too, baby brother,” Serena added.
Their assurances wrapped around me, but the darkness of the truth crushed me. I lowered my gaze to my hands.
These hands.
I had killed Zephyrine’s father with these hands.