Chapter 61: Chapter Sixty-one

Chapter 61

Lia’s POV

The night pressed against the windows like a restless tide. Inside Edgar’s chamber, the fire had burned low, casting the room in muted gold.

He sat in the armchair, his hands gripping the carved edges, his posture rigid despite the shadows beneath his eyes. Every day he tried to appear stronger, but I saw the truth in the way his fingers trembled when he thought no one noticed.

I crossed the room with a bowl of broth, setting it carefully on the table beside him.

Lia: “You need to eat.”

Edgar (with a faint smirk): “You say that every hour.”

Lia: “Because every hour you find an excuse not to.”

He gave me that look, the one that mixed amusement with irritation.

“I won’t heal by drowning in soup, Lia. Strength comes from standing, from fighting. Not… this.”

I crouched in front of him, meeting his storm-colored eyes.

“Strength also comes from surviving. And right now, surviving means being patient.”

For a heartbeat, neither of us spoke. His pride wrestled with his weariness, and I could almost hear the war inside him.

Finally, he sighed, leaning back.

“Patience has never been my gift.” Edgar said.

“No. But stubbornness is.” I said softly.

That earned me a quiet laugh, though it faded quickly. He picked up the bowl, sipping reluctantly. Watching him fight his own body was harder than any battle I’d faced.

The door creaked, and Elena slipped inside, her face pale. She closed the door behind her, glancing toward Edgar before beckoning me with her eyes.

I rose, following her a few steps away.

Elena said “Something’s wrong.”

“What is it?”

She bit her lip, lowering her voice further.

“The guards. They’re… different. Not all of them, but some. I caught two whispering in the corridor. When they saw me, they froze like guilty children.”

A cold shiver traced my spine.

“What did they say?”

“I couldn’t hear it all, but I caught a name. Brie.”

The name struck like a blade. My gaze flicked back to Edgar, he was staring into the fire, unaware of our hushed exchange.

Lia: “She’s reaching inside the walls.”

Elena nodded grimly.

“We knew she wouldn’t stop. But if she’s planting seeds in the guard, then…”

Her voice trailed off. She didn’t need to finish. If the guards bent to Brie’s will, then Edgar’s enemies were already inside our home.

Later that night, I left Edgar’s chamber briefly, the weight of Elena’s words gnawing at me. The corridor was dim, torches flickering against stone. That’s when I heard it.

Two voices, low and urgent, just around the corner.

Voice 1 (a guard, gruff): “She promised it would be swift. No suffering.”

Voice 2 (softer, uncertain): “And if we’re caught?”

Voice 1: “We won’t be. She has power still. More than him. More than the council combined.”

My breath caught. I pressed against the wall, straining to hear.

Voice 2: “I don’t want his blood on my hands. He’s still our Alpha.”

Voice 1 (coldly): “Not for long.”

Footsteps shuffled, moving away. I remained frozen, heart pounding.

Betrayal. The word echoed in my chest like a curse.

I returned to Edgar’s chamber, forcing calm into my expression. But Elena saw through me instantly.

“You heard something.” she said.

I nodded, keeping my voice low so Edgar wouldn’t catch it.

“Guards. Talking of her. Talking of… finishing him.”

Elena’s hand flew to her mouth, her eyes wide.

Elena: “We have to tell him.”

I glanced at Edgar, still by the fire, his bowl now empty, his shoulders heavy with fatigue.

L“Not yet. He’s carrying enough. If he thinks his own guards are turning…”

“He deserves the truth.” Elena said, firmly

“And he’ll get it. But not tonight. Not when he can barely stand without pain. Let me handle this.”

She hesitated, torn, but finally gave a sharp nod.

When Elena left, I sat beside Edgar, my fingers brushing his.

“What were you two whispering about? You think I don’t notice?”

I smiled faintly, though my chest was tight.

“She worries too much.”

Edgar: “And you?”

“I worry about the right amount.”

He studied me for a long moment, as if trying to peel away my layers.

“You’re keeping something from me.”

My throat tightened. I wanted to tell him everything, but the image of his trembling hands stopped me. Instead, I leaned closer.

“I’ll keep you safe. That’s all that matters.”

He frowned, but didn’t press further. Instead, he reached for my hand, squeezing gently.

“You’re my anchor, Lia. Don’t ever forget that.”

His words nearly broke me. If only he knew how close the tide was to pulling him under.

That night, as he finally drifted into uneasy sleep, I sat awake by the fire. The whispers of betrayal still echoed in my ears, mingling with the crackle of the flames.

Brie had already reached inside our walls. The guards, the council, all were threads in her web.

I looked at Edgar’s sleeping form, his face pale, his breathing shallow.

“They’ll have to go through me first.”

And in that moment, I made my vow: I would not let betrayal take him. Not from the outside. Not from within.

Even if it meant tearing the walls apart stone by stone, I would find the traitor.

And I would end them.