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"Don't listen to him, Thalassa!" Kenzo's voice sliced through the tension between Hadrian and me, raw and unrelenting. "He may not have sent you those texts, but that doesn't mean he's telling the truth now!"
His accusatory tone scraped against my nerves, and I exhaled sharply, clenching my fists. One punch from Hadrian hadn’t been nearly enough for what Kenzo had done to me. But despite my resentment, I couldn't ignore the kernel of truth in his words. How could I be sure that Hadrian wasn't deceiving me, just as Kenzo had?
"Look at me, Thalassa." Hadrian’s fingers brushed my chin, lifting it gently. "Look into my eyes, and you'll know I'm not lying."
Hesitantly, I opened my eyes, meeting the stormy depths of his gray gaze. Pain and longing swirled within them, unguarded and raw. I studied his face, absorbing every detail I hadn't realized I had missed. The barriers he had once carefully maintained were gone, leaving him utterly exposed before me. This powerful man, who had always seemed so untouchable, now stood vulnerable in front of me.
"I will never lie to you. I won’t hide anything from you," Hadrian vowed, his voice weaving around me like a tender caress.
"Come back to me—"
"She is already mine." Kenzo’s voice shattered the fragile moment, yanking me back into reality.
Shame burned through me, and I instinctively pulled my hand from Hadrian’s grasp, lowering my gaze. Kenzo’s claim felt like a chain around my throat, heavy and suffocating. His words made me feel cheap, as if I had given myself away for nothing more than a fleeting moment of comfort. And the worst part? No matter how he had manipulated me, no matter how much I despised him, I had chosen to go to him.
For the first time, his voice sounded foreign—detached, almost cruel. I turned to him, needing to see for myself that it was truly Kenzo speaking.
He stepped closer, placing a firm hand on my shoulder, his grip tightening possessively. "She is my mate, whether you like it or not," he sneered at Hadrian, his arrogance slicing through me, filling me with an overwhelming sense of guilt and self-loathing.
I jerked back, trying to break free, but his other arm coiled around my waist, locking me in his grasp.
"Let go," I spat through gritted teeth, shoving at his hold.
"Stop it," he murmured harshly against my ear.
A shiver bolted down my spine. His voice—so cold, so unfamiliar—left me momentarily paralyzed. The sudden silence in the room pressed against my skin like a warning.
Swallowing, I forced myself to look at Hadrian. His gaze was no longer soft or longing. His irises burned a lethal shade of red, his lips curving into the most dangerous smile I had ever seen.
"She doesn’t wear your mark." His calm words were a quiet, undeniable challenge.
"She IS my mate," Kenzo hissed.
"Is she?"
Gareth’s wicked chuckle broke through the tension before he tilted his head ever so slightly—a silent signal.
Icarus moved without hesitation, stepping past the warriors of the Blue Moon Pack. Seconds later, he returned, dragging someone behind him.
Bopha.
"What the hell are you doing?!" Ronan bellowed, moving to intervene.
"Back off!" Icarus’s snarl was sharp enough to make Kenzo’s Beta recoil.
Bopha twisted in his grasp, struggling uselessly. With a rough shove, Icarus sent her tumbling to the ground in front of the gathered soldiers. She whipped around, baring her teeth at him, but her defiance was met with nothing more than a mocking smirk.
"Confess, little wolf," he ordered, his voice laced with dark amusement. "Or I’ll beat the truth out of you."
"You wouldn’t dare! She’s a member of my pack!" Kenzo roared, his grip on me finally loosening as he stepped forward.
"Watch me," Icarus retorted, grabbing the front of Bopha’s top and yanking her up from the ground.
I gasped at the unrestrained fury in his eyes, his aura radiating raw dominance. I couldn’t tell if he was merely threatening her or if he truly intended to follow through with his words.
Instinctively, I stepped forward to intervene, but Gareth moved in front of me, blocking my path with an almost lazy ease. He didn’t budge until he was certain I wouldn’t interfere.
"Don't!" Bopha raised her arms, shielding herself. "I’ll talk!"
Icarus smirked and stepped back.
"Bopha!" Kenzo’s growl was a warning.
"Let her speak, Kenzo!" I shouted, my voice cutting through the air like a blade.
He turned to me, shock flashing across his face at the sheer fury in my tone. I glared at him, my heart pounding. He had secrets—ones he never wanted me to uncover. And I was done being lied to.
Hadrian stepped closer to Bopha, towering over her. "Speak." His voice left no room for argument.
Bopha hesitated before turning her gaze to me. "She is not Alpha Kenzo’s mate," she confessed, pointing at me with a trembling hand.
Silence fell over the room.
"How do you know that?" Icarus asked.
Bopha swallowed hard, her voice breaking with pain. "Because I knew his real mate." A breath shuddered through her. "Because she was my sister… my dead sister."
The air rushed from my lungs in a sharp exhale.
Bopha’s heartbeat remained steady, her gaze unwavering. She wasn’t lying.
And in that moment, I realized the truth had finally caught up to Kenzo.
Kenzo let out a thunderous roar, his glare burning with fury, but before he could advance, Gareth stepped in, shielding Bopha from the wrath of her Alpha.
Rage ignited within me, searing through my veins like molten fire. Betrayal clawed at my heart, leaving me hollow, discarded—nothing more than a convenient pawn, a body to use at his whim. Had he laughed behind my back, relishing my blind faith in him? Had he enjoyed watching me believe he was fated to be mine? He must have thought he could mold me into his perfect Luna—his puppet, bound by the illusion of some sacred, goddess-ordained love, destined to bear his flawless Alpha heir.
I parted my lips, ready to unleash my fury, but Hadrian spoke first.
"You're dead."
His voice was lethal, his eyes darkening into a crimson abyss. With a feral snarl, his fangs descended, and claws extended to their full, menacing length. Before I could react, Gareth yanked me back.
A heartbeat later, Kenzo shifted—his beastly form lunging forward, snarling with primal rage. The air crackled with tension. A fight was inevitable.
"Stop!" I screamed, but my voice was lost in the uproar as wolves and vampires instinctively stepped back, carving out a battleground for their leaders.
A sudden touch anchored me—fingers wrapping around my wrist. I turned to find Icarus beside me, his expression unreadable.
"Stay out of it," he murmured, his gaze locked on the adversaries poised for bloodshed. "This was bound to happen from the moment they met."
"This is madness," I whispered, my breath shallow, dizziness creeping in.
I had never seen Hadrian like this—ruthless, vengeful, a predator thirsting for his enemy’s blood. Kenzo wouldn't surrender, and neither would he. Icarus tried to convince me that this fight was inevitable, that their hatred had only needed a spark to ignite.
But I knew better.
I was the reason for this war.
I had witnessed too much bloodshed already, yet neither Hadrian nor Kenzo would stop until one of them was lifeless on the ground. The mere thought made me tighten my grip on Icarus’s hand.
"Relax," he chuckled, leaning close, his breath warm against my ear. "It’ll be over soon."
I stared at him, incredulous. He underestimated Kenzo’s strength. But then again, I had never truly seen Hadrian unleash his full power.
I loathed every second of this. Yes, I wanted Kenzo to suffer—I would have gladly castrated him myself—but I didn’t wish him dead. He was still a leader, a ruler. His people needed him.
But Hadrian…
If Hadrian fell, my world would shatter.
There was too much left unresolved between us—too many words left unsaid. The weight of my mistake—of ever lying beneath Kenzo—clawed at my conscience. But regardless of fate, regardless of whether we were meant to be, I knew one thing with absolute certainty: if Hadrian died, a part of me would die with him.
I held my breath as the battle unfolded before me. Hadrian moved with chilling precision, taunting Kenzo’s beast, waiting for the perfect opening. The moment the wolf lunged, Hadrian struck—his claws slicing through fur and flesh, crimson splattering across the stone courtyard.
Kenzo retaliated, his claws raking across Hadrian’s chest, but it wasn’t enough to slow him down. The Vampire King’s strikes were merciless, his wrath undeniable. I could feel the storm brewing inside Kenzo, his rage building to its breaking point.
Then, with a calculated smirk, Hadrian baited the black wolf forward.
Kenzo roared, charging, but Hadrian was ready. At the last moment, he ducked, caught the beast mid-air, and with effortless brutality, slammed him to the ground, his claws slicing a deep, merciless gash into Kenzo’s abdomen.
The Alpha howled in agony, his blood painting the earth.
It was over.
Tears blurred my vision, my chest heaving with relief and fear. I released Icarus’s hand, realizing I had nearly crushed it, and wiped the wetness from my cheeks. Around us, the Royal Army erupted into victorious cheers, chanting their King’s name, while the wolves stood still, waiting—breathless—for what would come next.
Hadrian advanced on his fallen enemy, claws still bared, his intent unmistakable. Kenzo had shifted back, lying naked and bloodied, his breaths shallow.
A sigh of relief escaped me.
Then, Hadrian raised his hand for the final blow.
"No!"
I moved without thinking, throwing myself between them, shielding the wounded Alpha with my own body.
Hadrian froze. His piercing eyes met mine, confusion flickering beneath the anger, beneath the pain.
"After everything he did," he whispered, his voice raw, "you would still choose him?"
My throat tightened. Fresh tears welled in my eyes, spilling over as I swallowed the ache in my chest.
"If I did…" My voice trembled, but I forced myself to continue. "I would lose my heart." I took a shaky breath, looking up at him. "You are my heart."
A faint smile curved my lips as I wrapped my arms around his waist, feeling the tension drain from his body.
He exhaled, long and slow, before pulling me away gently.
Then, turning to Kenzo, Hadrian’s grip on my hand tightened, his voice ringing with finality.
"The fight ends here." His words echoed across the courtyard, unyielding. "Remember that the one you hurt just saved your life. From this moment on, you owe her your existence."
I trembled, overwhelmed by relief yet unable to shake the unease in my heart. I looked up at Hadrian, searching his face for reassurance.
And then, in three simple words, he shattered my fears.
"I love you."