Betrayed by an alpha claimed by a lycan king

Chapter 71

SAGE

current

My heart was still heavy as I made my way out of the dungeon. Iwas conflicted on how I should feel about Anni situation. I shouldn't be feeling this way, but I feel responsible for what happened to her. It might be hard to accept, but there's part of me that believes in her. She's e's right. There's no point for her to put the blame on my father, as it will not help her get out of this messy situation.

"Sage? I brought back from reverie, but a familiar voice called my name. I was surprised to find Holt standing in front of me. He looked surprised as well. I was probably the last person he was expecting to meet right now. I was staring at his beautiful face, trying to find a hint of what might be going on inside his head. Is he mad at me? Is he blaming me for what happened to Annika? "You're back." His face was filled with a smile of relief.

And with that, all the questions lurking inside my head vanished I was a bit taken aback when he suddenly imprisoned me into a tight embrace..

I'm glad you're safe," he said as he continued to embrace me.

I smiled. "It's nice to see you too, Holt." I felt him take a deep breath as if something heavy was lifted from his chest. After that, he slowly loosens his embrace until he finally lets me go. It took him a while before he found the courage to speak once again. D-Did you..." His voice faltered, the words trailing off as he glanced nervously between me and the door I had just walked through. His wide eyes flicked back to mine, clearly unsettled, like he wasn't sure whether he wanted to hear the answer or

I sighed, feeling the weight of his question even before he could finish it. "Yes," I said, my tone more tired than anything else. "I came to visit your sister. The air seemed to thicken with the weight of unspoken words. His face paled, and he took an uneasy step back, as though my response confirmed something be had been dreading. He looked torn, like he wanted to ask more but couldn't bring himself to voice the questions hanging between us.

Did she say anything to you?" he asked.

Yes. Nothing but lies."

"I replied.

she finally tell you

she's your sister; that's why you

side in a heartbeat. It's true. Since we were children, Holt would always take my side whenever I had an altercation with Annika. He always believes

asked, my voice trembling with disbelief. "Do you really

the

and when he finally spoke, his words hit me like a stap across the face. "Yes, I do. For a moment, world seemed to tilt beneath me. I had been prepared for many things, but not this. Not this betrayal from the man I had once trusted so deeply. The man who, until this moment, had

this conversation, this moment, behind me. But before I could take a step, he reached out, his hand gripping my arm tightly, halting me in place. "Sage, wait," he said urgently, his voice pleading. "I know it's hard to accept the truth. You worshipped your father. You only saw him as a great alpha,

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I shot back, my voice shaking. "She's lying. She has to be He shook his head, the look on his face one of deep sorrow. "I saw it with my own eyes, Sage. I tried to stop it. I swear. But Armika, she begged me to keep it a secret. She swore she would kill herself if I exposed the truth. She was madly in love with your father. So in love that she couldn't see what was right anymore. "I feel like my

thi, Holt," I said, my voice sharp, but inside, I was battling a storm of emotions. darkened, and for a moment, I saw the weight of something heavy in them. "Because I'm going

much she's hurt you, how much pain she's caused. But she's my sister. His eyes glistened with unshed tears as he bowed his head, gripping the hem of

his voice, in the way he trembled, gave me pause. Despite everything. I could feel the weight of his love for her. The

losing her.

for vengeance and the undeniable pull of

be easy for you as well. But I'm losing all my hope What makes

gaze fell to the ground, the humiliation washing over him. It pains me to ask you this. I'm already dying inside with the shame of it but I have no other choice. Sage. This is the only thing I can think of that might save her. I scoffed bitterly, crossing my arms, the sharpness of his of his request cutting into me like ice. "You think too highly of me, Holt," I replied, my voice dripping with irony. To believe I have that kind of power over the most powerful lycan in the territory. Do you honestly think I can just bat my eyelashes

him further. "I know. I know it's unfair of me." he whispered, his voice breaking. "But she's all

me feeling utterly conflicted. I wanted to scream, to shove him away, to tell him his sister deserved her fate-but part of me, the part that had once trusted Holt, struggled against the coldness I'd wrapped around myself. "Stand up. Holt," I said softly, stepping closer and placing my

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Chapter 71

composed. "I can't let you continue kneeling like this, especially when I can't promise