Chapter 54: Chapter 53

“Let me explain myself, Katrina!”

I stared at Damien, my chest tight with anger, disbelief swirling in my head. He was kneeling in front of me, like that would fix everything.

Like his regret would magically erase the hell he put Archer through.

“It was my fault!" Damien's voice cracked. "I let my father do it because it’s for my welfare! I know it was selfish to put Archer in prison instead of me.”

My heart pounded. He looked at me like he was about to shatter, but I didn’t care. My blood boiled. Archer had suffered because of this—because of him.

"I took advantage of our similar face and body!" he confessed, his words spilling out in desperation. "But you know what’s more fucked up?! That fucking bastard is my brother! He’s my father’s missing biological son, Katrina. We’re twins!”

I froze. My brain couldn’t process what he was saying fast enough. "What...?" My voice barely came out as a whisper. "Archer is... what?"

“Alpha Steven’s son. My twin,” he repeated, his head hanging lower.

Archer. My Archer. Steven’s son?

That explained so much. The resemblance. The pull between them. All those moments that didn’t make sense before suddenly snapped into place, leaving me feeling hollowed out.

“You lied to him. You lied to me,” I said, my voice shaking now, a storm building in my chest. "You knew all this time."

Damien flinched, not meeting my eyes. "I... I didn’t know at first! Not until later. But when I found out, it was too late. I was too deep in this mess. It’s why I had to switch places with him, Katrina! My father would’ve killed me. I didn’t think—”

“You didn’t think?! You let Archer rot in a cell for your mistakes!” I shouted, stepping closer to him, every muscle in my body trembling with rage. "You ruined him."

Damien’s shoulders shook as he knelt there, head bowed in shame. “I’ll repay him. I’ll do anything. Just—please—let me get away from Lupus,” he pleaded.

Lupus shifted in the corner, stepping into the dim light. His eyes were cold, calculating. “Repay your sins?” Lupus drawled, his voice like ice. “You really think it’s that simple?”

Damien’s breathing hitched. He looked between me and Lupus, fear etched in his face.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to hit something. I didn’t care if Damien was sorry; nothing could erase what he had done.

Nothing could make this right. “You can’t repay what you’ve done. Not to Archer. Not to me.”

Damien swallowed, his eyes brimming with guilt, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. All I could think about was Archer—the truth he didn’t even know yet.

Lupus stepped closer, his presence looming over Damien like a shadow. "You don’t get to run from this, Damien," Lupus said, his tone deadly. "If I have to drag you back to face Archer myself, I will."

Damien trembled. “Please, Katrina…”

I shook my head.

“I’m done,” I said, my voice hollow, devoid of any warmth. I turned my back on Damien, my chest still heaving with anger. "Do whatever you want with him, Lupus."

I heard Damien’s sharp intake of breath, but I didn’t look back. I couldn’t. Not after what he did. Every word he spoke felt like another cut, reminding me of the lies, the manipulation, the betrayal.

“Are you sure about this?” Lupus’s voice was calm, almost too calm. I knew what that meant. He was ready. He was always ready for blood, for revenge.

I nodded, clenching my fists at my sides. “He’s yours.”

Damien made a strangled sound, somewhere between a gasp and a sob. "Katrina, please!" His voice was desperate, pleading, but it felt distant, like a whisper in a storm.

“I trusted you,” I whispered, my back still turned to him. "You don’t deserve anything from me. Not mercy. Not forgiveness. Nothing."

Lupus moved, his footsteps deliberate and slow, the sound filling the suffocating silence. “You heard her, Damien,” he said, his voice cold and final. “This is the price you pay.”

Damien started to cry—quiet, broken sobs that echoed through the room. But I walked away, each step heavier than the last. I didn’t want to hear him anymore.

The next thing I knew, I was dialing my parents’ number, my fingers trembling against the cold screen of my phone. I needed to get away.

My throat was tight, emotions I couldn’t name swirling in my chest, threatening to burst.

The phone rang twice before my mother’s voice came through, warm but cautious. “Katrina? Is everything okay?”

I took a shaky breath, trying to steady myself, but my voice came out fragile. “Mom, I… I’m coming home.”

There was a pause on the other end, the kind that stretches too long, like she could sense something was wrong but didn’t want to ask. “Home like in Hawthorn Pack?” she asked gently.

“Yes,” I whispered, blinking back the sudden burn of tears. “I need to be with you and Dad.”

“Of course, sweetheart,” she said softly. “We’ll be waiting.”

I ended the call and stood there for a moment, staring at the screen, my heart heavy.

I will take Damien’s case as the attorney in charge, and I could only do that once I passed the bar exam. I already took the bar exam, and while I’m on vacation on Hawthorn pack, I will be just waiting for the result.

The sun filtered through the curtains, casting a soft, golden light over the room as I sat at the kitchen table, my hands wrapped around a mug of coffee.

The aroma of fresh pancakes filled the air, and the familiar sound of my mother humming as she flipped them brought a small sense of peace. For the first time in what felt like forever, I was home.

The Hawthorn Pack’s territory, with its dense forests and serene silence, had always been a sanctuary. But today, even the calm couldn’t quiet the anxiety twisting in my stomach.

I kept glancing at my phone, refreshing the page over and over again, waiting for the bar exam results to go live.

Each second felt like an eternity, my heart pounding in my chest. My parents were in the background, chatting softly, trying to distract me with stories about the pack and the upcoming events, but my mind was somewhere else entirely.

“Katrina, eat something,” my mom said gently, placing a plate of pancakes in front of me. “You’ve been staring at that screen for hours.”

I gave her a weak smile, but the nerves were still there, gnawing at me. "I will, Mom. I just—"

The notification pinged. My heart stopped for a split second before I grabbed the phone, my breath catching in my throat.

Slowly, I clicked on the link, eyes scanning the list of names, looking for mine. Time seemed to slow down, my hands shaking as I scrolled.

And then—I saw it. My name. I passed.

A breath of relief escaped me, tears springing to my eyes. "I passed," I whispered, the words not feeling real. “I actually passed.”

My mom’s face lit up with pride as she rushed over, pulling me into a tight hug. “Oh, honey, we knew you would!” she exclaimed, her voice full of warmth. My dad joined in, clapping me on the back.

But the moment of celebration was brief. There was something else, something heavier weighing on my chest, something I needed to tell them.

“Mom… Dad…” I started, pulling away slightly and looking down at the table, my fingers tracing the edge of the mug. “There’s something I need to talk to you about.”

My parents exchanged a glance, their expressions shifting from joy to concern. “What is it, sweetheart?” my dad asked, his voice calm, steady.

I took a deep breath, feeling the tension coil in my stomach. “I want to take over Damien’s case.”

The room went quiet. My mom blinked, confused. “What? Why would you want to do that? After everything he’s done?”

“I need him out, Mom. I want him to get out as soon as possible.”

She shook her head, her eyes wide. “But, Katrina… Damien killed a mother and her baby. You can’t just—”

“It wasn’t Damien,” I interrupted, my voice trembling. The words felt heavy in my throat, almost too much to say. “It was Archer.”

My mom gasped, stepping back, her hand flying to her mouth. My dad remained silent, his jaw clenched, his gaze fixed on me.

Tears blurred my vision as I pushed through. “It was Archer, and he didn’t even know. He was manipulated, pushed to do something unthinkable. Damien set him up to take the fall. That’s why I need to get Archer out of prison. I owe him that. And after he’s out, I’ll file a case against Damien and the rest of his family. They’ll rot in hell for what they’ve done, I swear it.”

My mom looked at me with wide, tear-filled eyes. “You’ll represent Archer?”

I nodded, my voice growing firmer. “I’ll be his attorney. I’ll make sure Damien pays for everything. But first… Archer needs to be free.”

The room was filled with a tense silence, the weight of my words settling in. My parents stared at me, their faces a mixture of shock, confusion, and something else—fear.

My father finally spoke, his voice low but steady. “This won’t be easy, Katrina. But if anyone can do it… it’s you.”

I swallowed hard, my resolve solidifying. “I know, Dad. I’ll fight for him. No matter what it takes.”