Untouchable by Marii Solaria

Chapter 52 – The Unexpected Truth

“Lies require commitment.“–Veronica Roth

Neron

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03:1

After my trip to the pack hospital, I spent the rest of my time scouring through the endless stacks of books in the Zircon Moon Library as Diana sat on top of a bookcase, preening her feathers. Wooden bookcases lined the walls, surrounding the tables, chairs, and couches glowing under the brilliant sunlight. Every open book emitted an earthy aroma wafting into the air. I’ve never cared for reading, but there were a handful of wolves who enjoy the silence and solitude of the library, lost in a world of adventure and words.

Almost every title I’ve come across contained bits and information about werewolf history I never paid attention to; lifespan development, sociology of weres, the works. Grunting with effort, I picked up a large stack of books and settled them on an adjacent table.

Taking my seat, I began the banal task of flipping through pages while Ariel’s request weighed heavy on my mind. Never in my life have I’ve heard of a wolf wishing to part from their human–it was relatively unheard of. She looked so unhappy and it crushed my heart. Our soul bond connects the humans to our wolves until the day we die; losing your woll is like losing half of your spirit.

Flashback

“I cannot remain attached to Odessa any longer, Alpha Neron. She has done shameful things throughout our life together that I’ve let slide for very long, under the pretense that she will change. Now, because of my passivity, I’ve lost my soulmate. You can try to persuade me, but I will not change my mind. I want out.”

Is there any way you can rekindle with her and try to make your relationship work?” Lasked. “This is a very extreme request, Ariel. You’re proposing for a soul separation and whilst I’ve never witnessed such an event, there is no guarantee you’d come out rninjured.”

I’m prepared to take all the risks needed to make this happen.” Ariel cast her eyes down on the ground, biting her lip. “Odessa and I never got along. I’m afraid that I was but a handicap to her. Wolves are the voice of reason to our humans, but I’ve never got the chance to make myself heard around her she always shuts me out. I cared about Odessa, a lot, but what can I do when she doesn’t care about me? What about my feelings? I’ve taken the backseat to her madness for so long and it is now do I understand I cannot change her. It’s too much for me.”

“You said you are prepared to die if it meant parting with your human.”

“I much rather be with our Moon Goddess than confined to this woman. I want…” Ariel’s breathing snagged in her throat; pain interlaced with her gasps. Looking up at me once more, her alive eyes saturated with tears; a couple of them cascading down her cheeks. “I’m not happy, Alpha Neron. I lost my sense of self, and I don’t want to continue in life if my human doesn’t even regret what she’s done!”

“I just wish to be happy again, even if the likelihood of my death are high.”

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Ariel will risk it all for the sake of her own happiness. The pain in her eyes when she spoke to me branded themselves in my mind. Her sorrow. Goddess knows that if I ever lost Onyx, I wouldn’t know what to do -3.10 myself. Hating me is one thing, but losing him forever is another.

“Come on…there has to be something here…” I murmured, flipping through the pages to find an indication of soul splitting, but came up empty. The scarcity of the process reaffirmed my intimal belief that this situation doesn’t happen often, but I cannot get Ariel’s grief out of my mind. As her Alpha, I must honor her request.

I need to help her. She deserves joy, with or without Odessa.

“This book is a complete dud. Since we can’t find anything, what are we supposed to do now?” Onyx quipped as I strode back to a bookshelf.

“We have to keep trying.” I answered, setting the book away. “The sooner we find what we’re seeking, the sooner we can get back to searching for answers about Kiya’s disappearance.

we find those answers here? Anthony has yet to call us about Miss Phoebe’s progress.”

a rolling ladder. “Call it a hunch, but I feel as though he isn’t targeting our pack only for Kiya.”

to hear this hunch.” Onyx chuckled amusingly. “Go on.”

a stronger connection there, so why only bother

it? Could his reasoning just be from how

think so

ground whenever she wanted without his help. Why would he care so much? Maybe this

Begrudgingly, I trekked down the stairs and went to nurse the

dilemmas.

rather what was under it. Something black and dusty. Curiously, I eased the tile away

digging my hands into the hole like a pirate hunting for buried treasure. But what I pulled out was not a chestnfull of riches. It was two aged, dilapidated journals. The worn leather traps failed to keep the yellowing pages threatening in order. An opaque film of dust stained the black cover, paling

under the floor?” Onyx asked, perplexed.

have something to hide.”

I

crack those babies open and let’s see what inside!” He urged. Such an impatient patient

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back to my table, obeying Onyx’s request. Each page had more dust than the last, but the page froze me stiff in shock. Not by the contents,

“What the hell?”

my predecessors rested on my fingertips, waiting to be read. I’m both eager and apprehensive for what I am about to read, but an inkling in the back

are you hesitating?”

I responded with a sigh. “I’ve been told nothing but good things about these men. It’s nice to have their own words them versus the

so. Neron, this feels strange and I don’t know

on some of my anxiety.

H

else. Regardless of the bubbling worry we both feel, I have to read the contents of the journals. What do I

was wrong. Very

all these men cared about. Word after word, passage after passage, all in their handwriting detailed pillages and quandaries of packs, fantastical ambitions, and scrutiny over how other Alphas ruled over their pack. They wrote every encounter to the smallest detail with names I’m unfamiliar with.

v can

is acceptable and what is unacceptable. Those with less power didn’t

sensing my discomfort, glided over and cautiously stepped toward me with her talons clicking against

I’ve learned. Hidden in the ocean of lunacy was the notice of his jeweled prize,, bedazzled with power

further I read. But it

a whole bloodline

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The Une

should scream at you for your tasteless sense of humor, but you’re

I see that I should have. Maybe if I didn’t have the attention span of a goldfish and a brattish shriek, I

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