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

racing with questions. He wasn't wrong-I had a lot of questions. 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," I said.

like he wasn't sure how to proceed. I closed the door behind him and turned to face him, crossing

Holt asked, his tone

I answered quickly, keeping it short. I didn't want this

light but edged with disbelief. "You

knew it wouldn't fool him. Holt had always been able to see through me, no matter how hard I tried

doing our best to put everything back in its rightful place," I said vaguely, hoping to steer the conversation away from

quite reach his eyes. "I know,"

"That's why I'm here,"

confusing me. "What do you

to you and His Majesty,"

was a heaviness in his voice that

I said,

softer

now.

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.

smile. "It's not your fault," he said firmly.

in his

voice

to hold on, but when she heard about our mother... it was too much. She completely fell apart. I resisted at first-I didn't want to admit she needed help-but I

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

your

I felt something other than anger toward him and his family. "I had

own

done so so much for

something resolute. "Now, I think it's time for me to return the favor." I

said, his voice steady. "I came here to

exactly what we needed. of the chair in my room, his shoulders tense as if he were carrying the weight of the world. "After everything fell apart, I had to rebuild. Swearing loyalty to Alpha Homer wasn't just about survival; it was about proving I

His voice was steady, but there was an edge of vulnerability in his words

my t father's

my arms crossed. "And now,

I

To him, this duel isn't just about power-it's about trust. He needs

Holt nodded, his

gaze

tightening at

looked up, his eyes meeting mine with a

test for me-it's a test

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