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
alone until I got answers. Finally, I
how to proceed. I closed the door behind him and turned to face him, crossing my arms
you been?" Holt asked, his tone soft but
I didn't want this to turn into a deep
the sound light but edged with
smile, though I knew it wouldn't fool him. Holt had always been able to see through me,
put everything back in its rightful place," I
didn't quite reach his eyes. "I know," he
"That's why I'm here,"
his words confusing me. "What do you
a lot to you and His Majesty," he began. "If it weren't for the two of you... I'd have lost the last bit
a heaviness in his voice that
I
softer
now.
everything came out," he continued, "my father
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
gave me a bitter smile. "It's not your fault," he said
in his
voice
on, but when she heard about our mother... it was too much. She completely fell apart. I resisted at first-I
tugged at something deep inside me. "How's Annika?" I asked cautiously, remembering his sister. "She's... struggling," he admitted, his She's in a mental institution now. It's the best place for
your
other than anger toward him and his family. "I had no idea you'd been through all this," I said softly. "You've had
own
done so so much for
it. And now..." He hesitated, his expression shifting to something resolute. "Now, I think it's time for me to
know His Majesty is seeking new alliances Holt said, his voice steady. "I came
and for a moment, all I could do was stare at him. Holt had changed-there was no denying that-and I couldn't help but wonder if his presence might be exactly what we needed. of the chair in my room, his shoulders tense as
but there was an edge of vulnerability
my t
the e table, my arms crossed. "And now, he's using you to test
I
words. To him, this duel isn't just about power-it's about trust. He needs to know
Holt nodded, his
gaze
Titus?" I asked, my chest tightening at the thought of
his eyes meeting mine with a grim
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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