Chapter 402: Final Act

Astrid's POV

I studied Andros's face as he spoke, searching for even the faintest trace of deceit, but there was none.

His expression was raw, stripped bare of his usual indifference, and in its place was something achingly human.

Beneath the steady timbre of his voice, I caught a faint sadness-not just for Rowena, but for Killian, too. It made my chest tighten.

I turned to Killian and felt my heart break at the sight of him. His golden eyes, usually so fierce and commanding, burned with a storm of emotions that threatened to drown him-anger, sorrow, regret.

He stood frozen, like a man facing the wreckage of his entire world.

"Then why didn't she?" Killian's voice, sharp and brittle, sliced through the heavy air.

His fists trembled, clenched so tightly at his sides that his knuckles were white. "If she regretted everything so much, why didn't she just say something? Why didn't she stop?"

Andros let out a quiet sigh, leaning his head back against the damp stone wall. "Because she couldn't," he said, his voice heavy with the weight of the truth.

"The rogues wouldn't let her. They were using her as a spy, forcing her to betray you-to betray the Pack. And if she refused..." He hesitated, the words catching in his throat. "Someone else would have paid the price."

and falling

rising with each word. "She let them destroy everything?" His voice

choice," Andros said, his tone steady but firm. "She played the villain because she thought it was the only

his voice barely audible now, his shoulders slumping under the weight of the

onto Killian. "She planned all of this," he

moment the rogues came to her, she decided how it would end. She knew she was

step, his breath catching as he

his golden eyes shimmered with unshed tears. "She planned to die," he said hoarsely.

heavy with the weight

ways you couldn't see," he continued. "She was harsh, cold, and distant because she thought it would hurt less

chin pressing against his chest

raised me. She took care of me. How could she... how could she have thought that I could hurt less when she

it was the only way to

to protect you. And she didn't tell you, didn't let you see her regret, because she thought... she thought it was

his

echoed, his voice trembling. "To

she had done terrible things, Killian," Andros said, his voice

expect

the weight of her mistakes. She thought that...maybe, if you hated her, it would be easier for you to move

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255