Chapter 11
“Alpha Baltḥar never truly wanted me,” I confessed, the words heavy with the weight of old wounds. “Despite being mates, our union was forced–driven by the alliances between our families. It was always clear that his heart belonged to my sister, Nayra.”
Alpha Caius‘ s brow furrowed with interest, and he leaned in slightly. “So, your sister targeted you out of jealousy? A romantic feud?”
“Partly, I believe so,” I admitted, nodding. “But it runs deeper than that.”
“Nayra resented me long before Balthar came into the picture. Ever since we were children, there was tension between us. That only grew worse when I was chosen to inherit a family heirloom.
“We called it the Lunar Crystalis. It was a sacred stone that strengthens the bond between a person and their wolf spirit. Even those with a severely weakened connection to their wolf can recover with its power.
I could see the skepticism flickering in his eyes, so I continued, determined to make him understand.
“You may doubt its existence, but I can testify to its power.”
“My bond with my wolf weakened over the years, neglected by my former mate, and when my son, Balto, fell ill and died, my spirit… shattered.” My voice trembled with the raw emotion of that memory, anger and pain bleeding into every word.
Caius‘ s expression softened at the mention of my son, sympathy gradually overtaking the skepticism. There was pity in his eyes that he didn’t need to state.
“But on the night of the ambush,” I said, my voice tightening, “I learned an even more devastating truth. Nayra… she revealed that she had poisoned my son. She used some formula of wolfsbane that she got from the Calamity Cult.
My voice cracked, but I forced myself to continue, my gaze steady on Caius. “She killed my son to push me over the edge, to make me desperate enough to use the Lunar Crystalis so she could steal it before I could harness its power.”
I wasn’t entirely sure why I felt compelled to trust him. Perhaps it was because he had saved my life, or the fact that he had shown me nothing but kindness. Something in me believed that I could reveal the truth about the Lunar Crystalis to him.
Secretly, I hoped my instincts were right–that he wouldn’t desire the stone the way Nayra had. To me, Caius already seemed powerful and content with what he had.
“That’s just… fucked up, he muttered, his voice low and sharp. His eyes darkened, as though he had just recalled something unpleasant.
I nodded, the weight of the story pressing down on me. “I tried to fight back, but Nayra wasn’t alone. Her Calamity accomplices used magic against me.
“I realized I couldn’t win against them, so I did the only thing I could to escape. I threw myself into the river, hoping the current would carry me far enough away before they could steal the Lunar Crystalis.
I paused, my heart heavy. “And now, here I am. I owe you my life, Alpha Caius. Without your help, I wouldn’t have survived.
Caius shifted in his seat, sitting up straighter. His eyes held a fierce determination as he reached out and took my hand. I flinched at the unexpected gesture.
“Will you join me in destroying Night Howl, Elmyra?” he asked, his voice calm but simmering with barely restrained anger.
“Destroy them?” I echoed, startled.
I knew Blue Moon had no love for Night Howl, but for Caius to talk of destruction for another pack–it had to be about more than just rivalry between packs.
“I have my reasons, he began, his tone cold but controlled. “My mate was killed in an ambush by Balthar‘ s pack. She was on her way to her home pack at the time, out of Blue Moon’s terriotry. “They struck her right then. They knew what they were doing–knew that my mate was my one vulnerability. It was a deliberate attack, meant to weaken me. I’ve been biding my time, waiting for the right moment to strike back.
A pang of sympathy hit me hard. I knew the pain of losing a mate, the kind of heartache that could drive someone to madness. Many in our kind never recovered from such a loss.
“I’ll be straight with you, Alpha Caius. Why are you telling me this?” I asked, meeting his directly, searching for his true intentions.
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He smirked, a dark edge to his expression. “Because I need all the help I could get to end Night Howl. They had been using dirty tactics like how they had killed my mate to gain more territory instead of diplomatics through the pack continent alliance.
He grasped my hands tighter. “You know their weaknesses better than anyone, Elmyra. With your knowledge and my resources, we can make them pay for everything they ve done. Please, join me.”