The Omega Mated To The Four

The castle nains loomed ahead, inged stone walls covered in moss and broken windows staring out like hollow eyes. I burely registered the eerie beauty as she trudged through the overgrown path, my heart heavy with the weight of Elijah's betrayal. The

the sky above, others followed behind mein tense silence, their expressions as dark

The place was haunted-by memories, by ghosts, by the terrible massacre that wiped out my bloodline. I barely glanced at the scorched stones where my family's banners once hung, Ina consumed by the chaos in own mind. My hands wouldn't stop shaking. and my heart felt like it was being ripped apart piece by plece,

My heart pounded against my ribs like it was frying to break free, nid I couldn't get the image of Elijah handing over the map out of my head.

My feet moved without direction, dragging me through the overgrown path toward the shuttered archway. The others followed behind me in silence, their presence like shadows looming just out of reach. Everything felt muted, distant, as if I was watching myself from somewhere far away. My hands wouldn't stop shaking, and my vision blurred as I tried to process what had just happened.

"How could he do that?" Austin growled behind me, breaking the silence. His anger crackled through the air, and I heard the distinct sound of ice forming at his fingertips, "Damn it! I knew something was off about Elijah a few days ago! I should've noticed

it sooner.

Isaiah shot him a glare, his voice tease but controlled. "Don't jump to conclusions. We don't know why he did it yet. There has to be an explanation— Elijah wouldn't betray us

us like

that,"

A harsh, humorless laugh tore from my throat, and I spun around to face Isaiah, cage burning through the numbness. "Are you serious right now? What explanation could possibly justify what he did? Did you not see it with your own eyes? He gave her the map, Isaiah! Just... handed it over like it was nothing!"

looked away, jaw clenched, his shoulders tense. "I know what it looked like, but Elijah wouldn't do that without a reason. He's our brother-my best

yourself? He betrayed us. There's no other way to see it. Mother didn't even force him-ho just walked

is betrayal."

do that!

boiling over. "Isaiah! Stop defending him!" My voice broke, and I hated how weak I sounded. "He looked me in the eye and handed over the one thing

make excuses

words came out. Instead,

my hair and tugging until my scalp burned. My chest felt fight, like I couldn't breathe, and every inhale was a struggle. I tried to make sense of it, but my mind kept replaying the nioment-the way

failed to protect everyone. I

could stop it, and I pressed my hand against my mouth, trying to smother the sound. It hurt. It hurt so much that I couldn't even think straight. My knees gave out,

cursed under hits breath, taking a

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Chapter 168

touched tight now. If anyone come closet, I would break into a million ploces, and

hesitated, glancing at Alex and Austin before cautiously approaching me. He knelt down, his voice softer than before, "Stormi, I know it feels like everything's falling apart. But we're still here. You're not alone.

believe him, but it didn't make the pain go away, Elijah'shetrayal carved a hollow fill. I couldn't shake the image of his back tumed to me as he walked toward Mother-like he belonged with

by my side, no matter what. He was supposed to protect us... to protect me. Why

don't know," he admitted, his voice cracking. "But I refuse to believe he's

betrayed us because it was easier than fighting? You keep making excuses for him, but you didn't see his face.

stone wall, sending ice splintering through the cracks, "Damn it! We should've seen should've done