Chapter 65: A Wolf’s Bitter Truth
Chapter 65: A Wolf’s Bitter Truth
(Celeste’s POV)
Luna Victoria’s face turned pale as the weight of Lucas’s actions started to settle in. She stood frozen, wringing her hands as if trying to physically erase the consequences bearing down on her. Her wolf emitted small, distressed whimpers that echoed through the council
chamber.
“The Alpha King’s court,” she finally whispered, her voice trembling. “If they find out about this …” Her words trailed off, horror dawning in her emerald eyes.
I stood still, meeting her gaze with an unreadable expression. My wolf, though weakened, laughed bitterly within me. Of course. She would panic now, not because her son betrayed me, but because of the political consequences threatening to bury the Winters Pack’s reputation.
Before I could utter a response, Scarlett smoothly stepped forward. She looked every bit the devoted daughter–a stark contrast to her usual slyness. Subservience practically oozed from her every movement.
“Sister must be exhausted,” she said softly, her tone lined with false sweetness.
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Her emerald eyes flicked over to Alexander, ensuring to catch his attention as she continued. After her ordeal with the mercenaries and those awful wolfsbane bindings, surely a proper rest is what she needs.”
I tensed at the implication buried within her words. Scarlett’s suggestion wasn’t made out of concern. No, it was a calculated move to redirect attention–and likely remove Alexander from
my presence.
Victoria, eager to grasp onto any solution, lurched at the idea like a drowning wolf clutching at the air.
“Yes! Yes, of course,” Victoria chimed in hurriedly. “It’s late. And after all this trauma, you need to recover, Celeste. We can discuss everything tomorrow, with clearer minds.”
Their tone, dripping with artificial sympathy, made the burns on my wrists flare with painful memory. Four merciless years in Moon Shadow Prison had taught me to see through such hollow concern.
But I didn’t respond to them. My gaze had already shifted, locking onto Alexander instead.
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Chapter 65: A Wolf’s Bitter Truth
He stood not far from me, his powerful frame rigid, his white wolf simmering beneath the
surface like a storm barely held at bay. The raw intensity radiating from his aura filled the
space between us, flooding the atmosphere.
His ice–blue eyes were locked on mine, and though I couldn’t place the exact emotion reflected
in them, it made my scarred wolf whimper involuntarily.
Exhaustion dragged every fiber of my being down. I ached, both physically from the
wolfsbane–laden ropes and mentally from the endless betrayals of those I once called family.
As much as I wanted to push forward, to claw at Lucas’s schemes until every piece unraveled
publicly, I could feel my body near its breaking point.
Lucas wasn’t escaping me–not permanently. No. My wolf silently vowed that he would face justice, even if I had to rebuild my strength from ashes to drag him down myself.
Resolute, I stepped forward, deliberately closer to where Alexander stood. Scarlett’s soft gasp didn’t escape my notice. Her distress was palpable, her wolf sending ripples into the air as her possession over Alexander flared like a dying flame.
I maintained a calm exterior, even though every inch of movement sent sharp spikes of pain
through my battered body.
“Your tracking skills proved invaluable tonight,” I told him, my voice cool, formal. “Allow me to
express my gratitude.”
I chose my words carefully, ensuring every syllable was detached. However, it was nearly
impossible to miss the tension that gripped the room as I spoke.
Alexander’s tall form loomed dangerously close as I met his eyes. I refused to glance away,
even as the space between us felt electric, charged with something I didn’t dare name.
“To repay you,” I added, my tone steady, “I will send moon–blessed healing stones, rare ones.
Your warrior unit may find them beneficial.”
My wolf keened internally at the formality in my tone. Where once such gestures carried
warmth and secrets shared under moonlight, now they felt hollow. Forced.
I waited. Waited for his familiar nod of acknowledgment, the stoic response that always
matched his disciplined warrior demeanor.
But no such response came. The silence only deepened, stretching into something thick and
suffocating.
Alexander didn’t move. He didn’t look away. Instead, his ice–blue eyes bore into mine with an
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Chapter 65: A Wolf’s Bitter Truth
intensity that made my wolf shift uneasily.
The air crackled with unspoken words, emotions hanging heavy just out of reach. My heart
clenched painfully against my will, betraying the control I fought to maintain.
I clenched my fists, the bandages over my wrist burns rubbing slightly against my tender skin.
Not allowing myself to dwell on his silence further, I turned on my heel.
Without sparing the Winters Pack family another glance–Victoria’s feigned concern, Scarlett’s manipulative sorrow, Lucas’s defiance–I walked out of the council chamber.
Every step away felt torturous. The wolfsbane burns along my back and wrists screamed with
agony, but I forced my gait steady.
Even as I exited the chamber, I could feel Alexander’s gaze following me. The intensity of his
wolf’s aura sent shivers down my spine, the sensation lingering long after I broke free of their
sight.
Reaching my quarters had never felt so arduous, and I had endured far worse. Finally, I
reached the sanctuary of my rooms–only to find them far from empty.
Pack healers busied themselves as Nina lay on a makeshift cot in the center. Supplies were scattered across the room as whispers passed between the healers about her worsening
condition.
My chest tightened.
Nina, my ever–loyal protector, who had already been injured defending me from Lucas at the Sacred Moon Temple, now bore fresh wounds from fighting the mercenary wolves.
The depth of her loyalty hit me harder than any wolfsbane rope. Despite everything, she had stayed at my side, even at the cost of her own health.
Her silver–gray wolf stirred weakly, radiating concern when she noticed me enter. Even in pain and vulnerable, she struggled to rise.
“My Lady,” Nina rasped, her voice strained. “Your wrists… are you alright?”
“Stay still, I ordered gently, moving toward her. “You’ve reopened your injuries.”
The sight of her struggling to move despite her battered state made my wolf whimper softly with guilt. I knelt beside her, brushing strands of silver hair from her damp forehead.
“The healers need to tend to you first,” I added firmly. “That’s an order.”
Her silver–gray eyes flicked toward my bandaged wrists. Concern radiated from her even as
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Chapter 65: A Wolf’s Bitter Truth
she winced at her own pain.
“I am fine,” I reassured her in a softer tone, though we both knew it was only half the truth.
Nina hesitated but finally lay back as the healers moved to treat her. They exchanged wary glances in my direction, likely debating whether to address me, the disgraced wolf.
It didn’t matter. What mattered was Nina.
I remained by her side, watching the healers carefully tend to her wounds. My wolf growled
softly inside, guilt gnawing at the edges of my resolve.
Lucas had caused this. His schemes had injured not just me, but one of the only wolves who
truly stood by me.
Nina’s weak voice interrupted my thoughts.
“I’ll stand by you,” she whispered, her gray eyes locking onto mine. Even in pain, her voice
carried unshakable conviction. “Always.”
Tears pricked at the edges of my vision, though I blinked them back quickly. My wolf keened
softly, the ache of loyalty and guilt twisting into something painful yet steadfast.
“Rest, Nina,” was all I said in return.
But deep down, I swore–Lucas would pay.
He would
pay for every wound. Every betrayal. Every scar.
And this time, I wouldn’t let anyone–not even the Winters Pack–stand in my way.
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