PRIMUS ALEXANDER’S POV
My heart raced as I stared at her white orbs.
The only thing louder than the silence was the ringing inside my skull.
It better not be what I was thinking. It better not be.
But I could smell the guilt. It twisted my stomach in ways I couldn’t comprehend.
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Levi stepped in. “All guards. Out. Now. Everyone. Clear the castle in the next thirty seconds. I don’t even want to hear the
sound of the wind.”
There were murmurs. Footsteps. The scrape of steel against stone as the guards saluted and left.
The Order remained.
Aquamarine, Katherine, Levi and Juliet, who came rushing in with wide eyes just as the last guards exited.
“What happened?” Juliet whispered.
No one answered.
Because it was clear.
Glowing through the blanket like a burning truth. The tension in the air was suffocating.
Then silence.
I moved toward her slowly.
Every step was a war to keep my wolf from tearing out. To not shift. To not roar. To not kill.
My mate.
My traitor.
I gritted my teeth. Smoke billowed out of my nostrils as I tried to control myself. “Why?”
That was all I could say. All I could think of. But she didn’t respond.
“I gave you freedom,” ! growled, “I gave you my bed. My pack. My trust. I gave you part of me that shouldn’t be shared. I
showed you something no Luna has ever seen. I let you touch it.”
Aquamarine shook her head. Her white eyes were trembling in fear. “Alexander, please. I can explain. I-”
“Explain why you’re stealing?” I cut in harshly.
“I wasn’t stealing-‘
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“Then why are you hiding it?” My voice echoed through the corridor like a stap. “Do you have any idea what you just did? What you just proved?” I snarled. “How could you go back there without my knowledge?”
“This is an abomination!” Marcus yelled. “She. A woman, touched a sacred weapon? Under the old laws-”
“I know the laws!” 1 barked at him, but my eyes were fixed on Aqua’s.
“It’s not what you think,” she pleaded wide–eyed. “I’m sorry. But I had a reason-
“Sorry?” I laughed, but there was no humour in it. Just rage and the sickening twist of betrayal. Betrayal soo deep that it woke up something dead inside of me.
“You always have a reason, Aquamarine.” My jaw clenched so tight it ached. “And I defended you. I fought for you in rooms where no one wanted you. Even when they said you were a threat. I believed you. Even minutes ago, I stood in front of Leonard and told him you were loyal!”
She opened her mouth, but nothing came out and she looked at her hands.
Silence fell again.
Her body was shaking now. Her skin was paler and her lips were quivering. Her bloody hands were trembling around that cursed bundle in her arms now pulsing a darker shade of red from between the folds of the grey blanket.
My jaw locked, my chest rose and fell in sharp waves, and for a second, I forgot how to breathe. How could she betray me? How could she deceive me? After everything that happened recently?
Aquamarine’s lips parted, her eyes already moistened, “It’s not what it looks like. I swear, I just–I needed to-”
“Shut up!” I snapped. “Don’t you fucking lie to me Aqua. Trust me, I can do things to you that would make you wish you
never crossed me.”
She flinched. Her knees looked like they were about to buckle.
“She wouldn’t do this on her own,” Levi said suddenly. “She was manipulated.”
“By who?” I snapped, my blood already bubbling within me, “You have someone in mind?”
“I don’t know yet,” Levi admitted and I hissed.
* knew she was the mastermind,” one of the Elders cut in. “She’s working with our enemies to kill you, Primus, Gaia was right about her! We all were. This is what she’s truly after!”
Was it?
“That’s not true!” Juliet cried, stepping forward. She wouldn’t steal unless someone made her believe she had to. Maybe she thought she was helping you.”
“Helping me by taking the Core Fang? Helping me for what?” roared. “What could you possibly help me with Aqua?”
Aquamarine let out a broken sound.
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Something between a sob and a breath. Her fingers were digging into the blanket so hard that her knuckles turned purple.
Katherine placed a hand on her back, trying to steady her.
I couldn’t look at them.
All I could see was what I’d given her. What I trusted her with. What I said about her to the people who doubted her.
Awas such a fool. I was deceived by a pup.
Your judgment is compromised,” Leonard said. “Primus or not, this is a direct violation of the Old Code. They must be
dealt with accordingly. Death.”
I drew in a sharp breath. I remembered the words I had said to them weeks ago. About killing her myself if she was truly a spy. Killing my mate I had waited for.
“No,” Levi said immediately. “You’re not killing her. Or Katherine.”
Aquamarine’s voice cracked through the silence. Her chest rose and fell and a tear dropped from her eyes. “Alex-”
“Don’t,” I growled, loud and final. “Don’t say my name like that.”
Her lips trembled as she reached for me.
She actually reached for me.
But I slapped her hands away and stepped back from her.
Like her touch would burn. Like the poisonous snake she was. Even my wolf was raging soo bad that it wanted to just……. unleash itself and snap her neck.
That Core Fang is more than what she knows. More than what I had told her.
“You don’t understand,” she whispered. “If I don’t give what was asked-”
“Give who?” I asked, my tone sharper than usual. “Were you deaf when I told you about it being kept!? Or do you want to blame Gaia for your problems!”
But Aquamarine’s gaze darted around. “W–wait.” She whispered.
“She’s clearly been deceived,” Levi said quickly, turning toward the council. “Someone got to her. This isn’t what it looks
like.”
“Oh, come on Levit Deceived?” Esmeralda stepped forward from the line of Elders. Her voice was sharp, lips pulled into something smug and trembling all at once. “Let’s not act like this…….. child is innocent. She knew exactly what she was doing. I warned you about her Primus
Aquamarine’s eyes went wide. “Wait,” she muttered again.
“You shut your mouth, old hag,” Juliet suddenly barked at Esmeralda. “You’ve always had a problem with her!”
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“Juliet-“Levi warned.
“No! I’m not going to stay quiet and watch the Luna be dragged like some traitor. I doubt she even knows what it is and
what it can do.”
She does. Because I showed it to her.
I let her touch it. I freaking let her connect with it.
“Luna?” one of the Elders scoffed. “What Luna walks around sneaking into relic chambers like a damned thief? Are you and Levi also working for her? Why are you defending her?”
“Because my loyalty lies with her and her Primus.” Juliet spat back.
“I want her taken to the dungeons. It was the Primus’s mistake for making a child, the Luna.” Leonard said with finality.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Levi sneered, almost taking in his form.
I could only watch and listen to the voices while I tried to keep my wolf in check. Clenched teeth, fisted hands and even
releasing hot breath didn’t help one bit.
I didn’t want to let it out. Not now.
Not after this shameful act.
Aquamarine kept repeating ‘Wait.‘
Esmeralda and Juliet were still having their stupid banter.
Levi seemed like he was ready to have a go at Leonard.
And I was soo fucking close to the edge.
“Enough!” I thundered. I needed silence, I was done. “She and Katherine would be-
” SAID WAIT!” Aquamarine’s voice cracked like thunder.
And everything stopped.
Everybody. Every breath. It was just like time stopped.
The air felt like it thickened into glass. Magic, raw and ancient, snapped through the corridor like a whip. I couldn’t move, None of us could.
Even Levi’s eyes widened as his lips froze around the name he was about to shout
My chest locked up Her scent curled around me, suddenly stronger. Too strong.
I could feel her power. Her wolf. Her blood curled down my spine like tire, as a part of her was already in me. My wolf howled beneath my skin, disoriented. Yielding
The Elders around me still hadn’t moved. Their eyes were locked in place, hands twitching at their sides.
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Even Levi looked stunned. Not scared.
Aquamarine’s chest was rising and falling fast. Sweat was trickling down her body.
“Please Alex,” she held my arm and she started crying. “Let me speak. I just… I just want you to hear me. Alone. I’ll explain
everything.”
No one moved.
Not yet.
Not even me.
Because something wasn’t right. I was having the slightest feeling of deja vu. Like time had stopped before but she could
move.
But whatever just happened… whatever that command was.
It didn’t come from submission.
It came from claim.
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