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.

finally tell you the

sister; that's why you believed in every word she said, but she's

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

her? I asked, my voice trembling with disbelief. "Do you really think my father would do

the

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

sharply, intending to walk past him and leave this conversation, this moment, behind me. But before I could take a step, he reached out, his hand gripping my arm tightly, halting me

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to stop it. I swear. But Armika, she begged me to keep it a secret. She swore she would kill

I saw the weight of something heavy in them. "Because I'm going to

she's my sister. His eyes glistened with unshed tears as he bowed his head, gripping the hem of my dress as if it were the last tether keeping him from falling apart completely. Igre my life in exchange for hers. I already failed to protect you, and I have to live with that regret every day. But please, ge. Let me save Annika His words hit me like a wave, crashing against the anger and betrayal I had been holding onto, I looked down at him,

he trembled, gave me pause. Despite everything. I could feel the weight of

losing her.

frozen, my breath shallow, caught between the desire for vengeance and the

for you as well. But I'm losing all my hope What makes you think that I

u whatever influence I might have over the king to save the very sister who had betrayed me so viciously. His 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 and have His Majesty bend to my every

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

had done, despite the betrayal, I could see how much Holt was willing to sacrifice for her. And it left me feeling utterly conflicted. I wanted to scream, to shove him away, to tell him his sister deserved her

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Chapter 71

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