Chapter 44: What Other Choice Do I Have? - Riven's POV

I didn’t know what he wanted from us. Callista’s question echoed in the silence that followed his response. I felt the demon stir with interest. He had been…quieter since we marked each other and seemed subdued. I thought he would have been gone by now, but it seemed that I was wrong.

Love hadn’t cured me.

I shoved that thought down and focused on the Alpha King, who was watching us with piqued interest. It was like that of a predator who had already cornered his prey.

“What I want is to understand the full scope of what you’re dealing with,” he said slowly, standing up from his chair and moving to look out the window behind him. “You see, you’re not the first wolf to be born with…complications.”

My stomach dropped. I had never heard of another wolf being born with a demon or any other issue, so I wasn’t sure what he was talking about. “What do you mean?”

“There have been others like you. Wolves are born with darkness in them and have power that exceeds their natural abilities.” His eyes locked onto mine and I could see it then. He was beating around the bush about the demon without saying it. “When did you first realize that you were different?”

The question caught me completely off guard . I had expected threats, demands, maybe even punishment, but not…curiosity?”

“I was ten,” I said carefully. I was aware that every word I spoke could be used against me. He was the Alpha King and as such, he could use this later to his benefit. “There was a rogue attack and my wolf emerged stronger than he should have been. He was also a little more violent, but I dealt with things.”

“And your parents?”

I shook my head. “They think it’s genetic and an abnormality. They don’t know the full truth and think that the Moon Goddess just made me different.”

“You’re not the first and won’t be the last,” he said, his tone firm. “But I can tell you that the cure you think will save you won’t.”

I glanced up at him, my gaze narrowing in suspicion. “What are you talking about?”

“I bet you already said you loved each other,” he said, his voice low now. “And you think you’re falling in love and that will silence the voice within. But I hate to tell you, it’s not going to work. It will only grow…stronger.”

“No,” I said, blinking rapidly in disbelief. “No, that’s not right.”

Callista’s face scrunched as she studied the Alpha King. “That’s not right. What do you even know about it?”

The Alpha King turned from the window with an expression that I couldn’t read. “I know more than you can possibly imagine, Miss Monroe. You see, I’ve spent decades studying cases just like Mr. Nightshade’s. Those entities feed off their hosts and grow stronger each passing year.” He moved back to his desk, opening a drawer and pulling out a leather-bound journal. “Would you like to know what I’ve learned?”

Neither of us answered, but he continued anyway as he flipped through pages covered in notes.

“In documented history, there have been twenty-five confirmed cases of wolves born with what you call demons. Fifteen of those cases ended in execution before the wolf reached maturity. The darkness became too strong and too violent.” He looked up, his eyes darting between us to check for a reaction. “They were deemed threats to the pack, because of their feral nature. Four of the remaining ten also died attempting to control or remove the entity through…other means.”

My throat went dry. “What happened to the other six?”

“Two went mad, slaughtering his entire pack, along with his mate’s pack before the Alpha King ended his life.” The Alpha King’s finger traced down the page as he looked at his notes. “Two believed love would save them. They took their mate’s life before the demon completely consumed them, resulting in death. The last two tried what you have, sealing their unions young. It worked for a time, but in both of those couples, the bond never fully formed and their mate…was forced to end their suffering.”

Callista gasped. “So taking a mate didn’t work?”

“For the last two, it worked for a time. The demon was subdued, held back by the strength of their bond. They were happy, in love, and were certain they had found the answer.” He closed the journal with a soft thud. “But demons can be…patient creatures. They don’t need immediate freedom. They can wait five, ten, or even twenty years. That initial intensity of their young love settled into comfortable companionship, and that is when the demon found cracks and weaknesses.”

“What are you saying?” I demanded.

“I’m saying that love doesn’t cure the darkness, Mr. Nightshade. It merely postpones the inevitable.” He moved the journal aside, glancing up at both of us. “Do you want to know what else the demon does once it breaks free?”

I didn’t want to know. Not really, but I had to ask. “What happened?”

“In all instances, except for the last two I mentioned, he killed his own mate first. The person he loved most in the world was the one who suffered. The demon used her mate’s body, his strength, and his connection to her to tear her apart before moving on to the rest of the pack.”

Callista’s hand gripped mine so tightly that it hurt. “You’re lying. No wolf would harm their mate.”

“I wish I were lying.” The Alpha King’s expression held something that might have been pity. “But you see, that is why I summoned you here and why I’ve been watching you for a long time, Mr. Nightshade. History has shown me exactly what happens when wolves believe love is enough.”

Callista shook her head. “This can’t be right. Why wouldn’t we be taught this? Why wouldn’t the packs know more about this?”

“Because the previous Alpha King thought it would be better to…keep this private.”

“You’re wrong,” she said firmly. “The Moon Goddess told me—”

“She speaks in riddles and half-truths,” he interrupted. “She told you that love would contain the demon, didn’t she? But she didn’t tell you for how long or explain that eventually the demon wins. She told them the same thing.”

I waited for the sour smell of a lie to me, but it never did. The Alpha King was telling the truth.

I felt myself shrink. “So, I never had a chance.”

His eyes drifted toward me. “Most would agree with what you said.”

The demon inside me stirred, and for once, it didn’t feel…triumphant. He felt vindicated, like the Alpha King was confirming what he had been whispering to me all along.

Sure, even he said love would free me, but what if he lied.

“Demons don’t always show the truth and alter things,” I said, only stating what I know.

“And they can affect your mate’s visions as well or make them think they saw things they didn’t,” the Alpha King murmured.

I looked at Callista and saw the confused expression on her face. She didn’t have to speak for me to know what she was thinking about. Was that really the Moon Goddess she spoke to? Or the demon pretending to be her?

How were we ever going to know what was real and what wasn’t when this was our situation?

See? He hissed. Love won't save you. It will only make it worse when I finally take control.

I shook my head and the Alpha King noticed. The demon lied to me.

“Are you suggesting that I should give up and accept my death?” I asked, fighting to keep my voice steady. “Is that why I’m here? Are you going to order my execution before I get out of control?”

“No,” he said, leaning forward. “I’m suggesting that you stop relying on something as fragile as love and start learning actual methods of control. Accept my help before it’s too late.”

My brow furrowed. “Why would you help me?”

"What kind of help?" Callista asked suspiciously.

The Alpha King smiled. It wasn’t fake at all and seemed genuine. “I’ll train him here at the mansion. Under my supervision, I believe he can live a long, happy life. I’ve spent years studying these cases and compiling techniques that have shown promise. There’s even medication that might suppress the demon’s…voice.”

“Why would I do that? Were the other wolves helped?” I asked, my voice low.

“No, they did not have help.”

"So you want to experiment on me," I said flatly.

“No, I want to save you,” he corrected. “And through you, Miss Monroe, because make no mistake, if that demon breaks free, she is his first target.”

Silence filled the study and I could feel Callista trembling beside me.

“The Moon Goddess wouldn’t have marked us if there wasn’t hope,” she said quietly. “She wouldn’t have brought us together to watch us fail.”

“The Moon Goddess normally has her own agenda, Miss Monroe. Though I will admit the other wolves who have had this issue were never Moon Marked.” The Alpha King’s voice softened. “I’m not saying there’s no hope, but hope alone won’t be enough. He needs training, knowledge, and tools to fight what is inside ‌him.”

"And if we refuse?" I asked.

He motioned to the journal. “Then I’ll document your case, monitor you from a distance, and wait for the inevitable, so I can end your life before you decimate all the wolves. But I would prefer not to add you to my journal or the records like that. I’d rather document you as the first healed case.”

I almost refused. There was a feeling in the back of my mind that I couldn’t shake. It seemed too good to be true, but also…wrong. Like he was up to something or knew something he wasn’t saying.

“It’s either accept my help and have a better chance than you do now, or you'll end up like the other wolves.”

It wasn't really a choice. Not when he put it like that.

“How long would I have without your help?”

He flipped open his journal and scanned through the pages. “The oldest wolf was…thirty seven. The ones who wiped out their entire packs were only seventeen and eighteen. You could have months or years, depending on what the demon wants.”

I glanced at Callista, who was already looking at me with wide eyes. The thought of losing control and ending her life weighed heavily on me. I didn’t want to end up like one of the others, but I didn’t trust the Alpha King fully.

There was just something about him that didn’t sit right.

But what other choice did I have?