bChapter /bb178 /b

    bra’s /bPOV

    bI /bbstared /bat Mi’s lifeless body, the weight of it sinking in like a heavy fog.

    And then it hit me—the sweet, intoxicating rush of revenge. it

    was like a fire spreading through my veins, and for the first time bin /bbyears/bb, /bbI /bbfelt /balive. This woman… she had been my nightmare since I was a child. I still wore the scars from her cruelty–those marks on my bback/b, reminders of the hell she’d put me through.

    But now? Now, she was nothing. Dead. And damn, it felt good.

    I dipped my de into the snow, washing the blood off. The cold was sharp against my fingers, biting into the warmth of my skin. bI /bbfelt /bsomething heavy then–a hand, grabbing me by the shoulder, spinning me around.

    Thorne.

    His face was unreadable for a moment. The anger and confusion swirled in his eyesb, /bbut there was something else too–sorrow. Genuine

    sorrow.

    “…It was you?” His voice cracked, like he couldn’t believe it.

    I dropped my gaze to the ground, avoiding his eyes. “Apparently

    He raised his voice, the anger boiling over. “Why didn’t you say anything? Why keep this from me?” His words echoed through the silence of the forest, making the trees seem to shudder.

    I didn’t flinch. “You would’ve treated me differently? Maybe held me closer? Or would you have just left me to the rogues when I was taken? Would that have been the better choice?”

    “Yes!” His voice was raw, like it tore through him to say it. “But most of all, I would’ve known–damn it, I would’ve known what I felt for you sooner!”

    I could feel the weight of his words, the regret heavy in the air. But

    ili /i

    wasn’t going to let him off the hook.”

    “You thought it was Mi. You thought she was your saviour, didn’t you? You thought she was your mate.” I let the bitterness drip from my words. “Well, guess what? Everything you believed was a lie. Mi was a damn imposter, and you’re just too blind to see it.”

    I could see his fists clench at his sides. His body froze, like he couldn’t move or breathe.

    “You’re wrong about everything,” I said, my voice steady, icy. “What you feel isn’t love. It’s guilt, it’s gratitude, maybe even pity. But it’s not

    Tove.”

    He stared at me, his expression torn. “It is love.”

    “No. It’s not,” I shot back, my voice cutting through the tension. “You said you loved me. In the Cragfen Fortress, you swore it. But you still handed me over to her, didn’t you? You let her forture me. You didn’t care how I felt, only what you wanted. That’s not love, Thorne. That’s maniption.”

    His eyes burned with frustration, like the truth was a knife he couldn’t pull from his chest. “I didn’t know! I-

    “You should have,” I interrupted, not letting him finish. “You should have fought for me,

    not for your damn power.”

    He flinched as if I pped him.

    I btook /ba bstep /bbback/b, bwiping /bbthe /bbsnow /bboff /bbmy /bbboots/bb, /bbmy /bbchest /brising band /bbfalling /bbwith /bbthe /bbcold /bair. “bYou /bbwant /bbto /bbprove /bsomething id m

    bfighting /bbfor /bbthe /bbthrone/bb. /bbLet /bbgo /bbof /bbthis /bbobsession /bbwith /bbing King, and bmaybe /bI’ll breconsider/bb. /b

    bHis /bbbreath /bbcame /bbout /bbin /bsharp bursts. “Why do you care so much about this? If I’m King, I can protect byou /bbetter-

    bI /bbsnapped/bb, /bthe anger taking over. b“/bShut up! Don’t use me as an excuse for your power–hungry dreams! You’re ba /bbdamn /bmonster, bThorne/b, and bnothing’s /bgoing to change that!”

    “ra-‘

    “Don’t you dare say it!” I cut him off, my voice sharp as a whip. “You say you love me, but every time ites to ba /bchoiceb, /bbyou /bbchoose /bbpower/b. You’re selfish. You deserve to die alone on that damn throne, just like the heartless king you are!”

    I raised my de, pointing it straight at his chest. My body trembled with the fury I couldn’t hold back. “If you ever say that bagain/bb, /bbI’ll /bslit byour /bthroat. Just like I did to Mi.”

    The air between us was thick with silence, heavy with the weight of what I’d just said. His eyes were full of sorrow–he didn’t bspeak/bb, /bbdidn’t /bmove. The snow fell quietly around us, softening the world into something cold and unforgiving.

    I breathed out, breaking the silence. “Now, let’s go. We still have to deal with Lance.”

    I turned on my heel, shifting into my wolf form before I could hear him say another word.

    Iran.

    And not long after, Thorne’s paws were pounding behind me. We weren’t alone in this anymore, but I didn’t care. Not really. All I wanted bwas /b

    to end this–whatever this was between us.

    When we reached the tower, Kimberly and Jory were still trying to get Zara to talk. Kimberly looked up when she saw us enter.

    “Mi?” she asked, a flicker of disbelief in her eyes.

    “Dead,” I said tly, not bothering to borate. “Any progressb?/bb” /b

    Kimberly shook her head. “No. She’s still holding out.”

    I stared at Zara, my eyes cold as ice. “She’s not the one in control here,” I said, walking towards her. “I am.”

    Zara shot me a re, her eyes filled with venom. “You cold bitch,” she spat.

    I ignored her, watching her with a steely calm. “Tell me where Lance is, and I’ll make this quick. Otherwise, you’ll wish for death by the time we’re done with him.”

    Zara’s breath came in ragged gasps, but she didn’t answer.

    Kimberly stepped forwardb, /bher arms crossed. “You don’t want to be on the wrong side of this. Better let him die with some bdignity/bb./bb” /b

    Zara hesitated, her eyes darting back and forth. She looked to Thorne, but I didn’t let her focus thereb. /b“This is my bdecision/b,b” /bbI /bbsaid/bb, /bbmy /bvoice sharp. “Not his.”

    After a long silence, Zara finally spoke. “I asked him to hide. I’ll give the signal, and he’lle to me.”

    “Good.” I grabbed her arm, pulling her to her feet. “Let’s go then. We’ll deal with him. And it’ll be quick.”

    We made our way outside, the snow crunching underfoot. The courtyard was empty, just the way we bwanted /bbit/bb–/bbperfect /bbfor /bban /bbambush/b. Kimberly’s soldiers hid in the shadows, waiting.

    bChapter /b178

    bShall /bbwe /bbbring /bbthe /bbLycans /bbin/bb?/bb” /bbJory /baskedb. /b

    “Nob,/bb” /bbThorne /bbsaid /bsharplyb, /bwithout hesitation.

    bKimberly /bgave a shrug. “I agree. This one’s oursb./bb” /b

    bThe /btension in the air was palpable as we waited. It felt like an eternity before Zara howled, three long, echoing cries into the night. bEvery /bnerve in my body tensed as we listened, waiting for the enemy to make his move.

    And then we heard it–the soft pad of footsteps, slow but deliberate. A figure emerged from the shadows, stepping into bthe moonlight/bb. /b

    Lance.

    My heart skipped a beat, but I didn’t move. Didn’t flinch. I just stared, watching hime closer. This was bit/b.

    “Zara?” His voice was cautious, uncertain. He didn’t know what wasing.

    “Yes,” Zara answered, her voice shaky.

    “Are you alone?” Lance asked, suspicion in his tone.

    For ? moment, everything hung in the bnced.