Chapter 111
+5
SAGE
The man escorted us down a dimly lit hallway to our rooms. When we reached the end, I hesitated, glancing back just in time to see Titus and Anna step into two separate rooms. My curiosity sparked, but I quickly shoved it aside. It wasn't my business, and I had no reason to get tangled up in whatever Titus was doing.
I pushed open the door to my room and stepped inside, letting out a loud sigh as I closed it behind me. The silence wrapped around me like a heavy blanket, and I pressed my back against the door, trying to gather my thoughts. It hadn't even been a few minutes when I heard a soft knock.
person
you expected to to see, he
Startled, I straightened, figuring tall frame filling the doorway, his expression unreadable. it must be Elara checking in. I moved quickly to open the door, but when I did, I froze.
," he said, a small, almost sheepish smile tugging at his lips.
stood on the other side,
"I'm probably the last
his
"Holt" I breathed, my voice a mix of confusion and disbelief. "What are you doing here?"
I
"Can I come in?" he asked, his tone calm, but there was an undercurrent of something heavier-urgency, maybe.
I
I crossed my arms and leaned against the doorframe, narrowing
my eyes slightly. "That depends. What's the purpose of this visit?"
"I just want to talk," he said, his gaze steady, like he was trying to convince me of his sincerity. anything to talk about?" I countered, my words blunt but not harsh.
"DO
we ever even have
"A lot, actually" he replied, a flicker of something I couldn't name crossing his face. "You're probably wondering why I'm here."
I studied him for a moment, my
Questions that wouldn't leave me alone until I got answers. Finally, I sighed and stepped back, opening the door wider. "Now that you mention it, yeah,"
calm but hesitant, like he wasn't sure how to proceed. I closed the door behind him and turned to face him, crossing my arms over my chest. The gesture wasn't meant to be hostile-it was more for self-preservation.
been?" Holt asked, his tone
fine," I answered quickly, keeping it short. I didn't
light but edged with
smile, though I knew it wouldn't fool him. Holt had always
in its rightful place," I said vaguely, hoping to steer the conversation away
it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I
"That's why I'm here,"
confusing me. "What do you
Majesty," he began. "If it weren't for the two of you... I'd have lost the last bit of family I
heaviness in his voice that made my chest
happened?" I said,
softer
now.
out," he continued, "my father
and it fell on me to take over the pack." He paused, his jaw tightening before he added, "My mother couldn't handle the shame. The guilt. She..." He hesitated, his voice breaking slightly. "She took her own life." My breath caught, and my hand flew to my mouth in shock. I'd been angry at his family for so long-for how they treated me, for the chaos they brought into my life-but I'd never wished for anything like this. "I'm so sorry," I whispered,
gave me a bitter smile. "It's not your fault," he
in his
voice
lip, unsure of what to say. The pairs slumping. "Prison broke her, Sage. She tried to hold on, but when she heard about our mother... it was too much. She completely fell apart. I resisted at first-I
Annika?" I asked cautiously, remembering his sister. "She's... struggling," he admitted, his She's in a
your
his family. "I had no
own
so so much for
it. And now..." He hesitated, his expression shifting to something resolute. "Now, I think
Majesty is seeking new alliances Holt said, his voice steady. "I came here to help. Whatever you need, I'm here
that-and I couldn't help but wonder if his presence might be exactly what we needed. of the chair in my room,
but there was an edge of vulnerability in his words that he couldn't completely
t
e table, my arms crossed. "And now, he's using you to test
I
trust. He needs to know I'm committed to his pack and his leadership.
Holt nodded, his
gaze
Titus?" I asked, my chest tightening
his eyes meeting
trust him either. The fight isn't just a test for me-it's a test for Titus too. The winner earns the Alpha's trust and, by extension, his support for the
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UNy76IaeTKCskFjJne6AH0ruLxWHLoS591roCRy3vnbNFDG7E3JiBB1DgZ6K9M4HHD4Q7Nlc2xcv2bh4NPg2Lpne5aYpP8aP+bjLRn/vSFYDlFOTU/sy65hcKXP5Bo/DxtxRuOiQfDSrB7lTuwW0nTyi3sKbyb3ZjplOFmyJElbATuia6YCejyFt6nIkC3RE+muwON4Zv9liAX0GyrUr56dXqElPJ8mWX2t1QZrfvI+9ABX/3pZL3heOAcX5aDXsBgz38/eKFv/5hTKPIX9iMZaHQr5lO9gZpZM9OskGYukjAdYxi2rtcPhrNIfSOfr/1pJ68s45SpOkhfU2yx4RoLU0OwRNldf1fcKRIHZEAEukS6C73S0SsuvMbEYiJbStCJGy9+Us3wecyyfbsZg2Bd1ONV8Y9WdaoEY37drtaA34VNlrrMJ4VgOaWxEu6Joa9DfN3wFQaPYKhOuN8W2A4iRgEvD2bRU1+5D8Q0WJnJQQKAK55mYL+YKyTPWICZ1reFBK8C65r2jD3gIXMwvJ9OSDb5YwQQnqe2KBApOFkCeb3DD1/+uKLQP4Z9kJd+2APuEqtrD9GBGeIXQNhfibOm4yY0MFc7Z495QdGH52RQAH8M7kTHYMqzAyunzFjWlG+CF/IoXHsGVmz7jZiD9gIdLGJt3nzBOwx5ywDb1yq6r+ZoMYPOfkDiuuL1dLv1INjBXpi2byftOmKCvUz3Otwn6HFP41d5nm8TYm21V/fcJDQVdBaBpd8lGD73IBVJf5cPkUgWVD1A0KHhjhtFuywxerfAU+LnLJQlHdq7wvkX36ogk9yeE6CMadMdQ8JAMKGjcfWoJnOh2eOs92ne6RZCsEYPvN8QV1fc0FavmL4UrYE90K9CYErWnKxfADMfeYm8SpZ3oQ9AL3LiZnwI+c+mBBlqQaMq+A3g/Th9dRkNSRGBtOn6LYa/qvLlChRd6ZxSfzO5fbMY4cLbMhIN/fp66v/0xPDJ2hYrMoYUtWMQoV1HJmYZjvghfVvQYwVNeFCkdtQgJ2VAVlQY0Le9yr+PbA/TC+gnLp6N7/irdO6BsMvA7WwmRW1EOGbvtEM+RPwnotEJt+t9mG7XR+TkUBs8ydxH0=
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