Chapter 178 CHAPTER 178

Chapter 178 CHAPTER 178
Matthias’s POV

When she called me Dimitrev, I was afraid because it meant she knew who I really was. For a moment, every muscle in my body went rigid, and I fought the instinct to react. But then she called me Silas, and I relaxed slightly because I realized the opportunity I had been waiting for had finally come.

I pretended to be surprised that she knew my name, carefully keeping my expression blank even though my thoughts were racing.

“How did you know?” I asked.

“I lost my memory,” she replied, her voice quieter than before. “But I was able to recognize your face.”

She paused, and something uncertain flickered across her features. Her fingers curled against the fabric of her clothes as though she were trying to hold on to a thought that was slipping away.

“I had a dream,” she continued. “And I heard your name. And then I saw our…” she paused.

“I saw you in my dream,” she continued, her eyes narrowing slightly as she searched my face. “And that was when I knew your name.”

I realized then that she was confusing me for Silas. The knowledge sent a quiet thrill through me, but I kept my expression carefully controlled. I wasn't going to correct her. If she believed I was Silas, it would give me the opportunity to learn whatever secrets she was hiding and, eventually, find a way to abscond with her.

“Why didn't you say anything?” she asked.

“I wanted to be sure,” I replied.

She tilted her head, watching me with an almost suspicious curiosity.

“And you are not easy to have a conversation with,” I added.

A faint crease appeared between her brows before she lowered her gaze.

“I’m sorry for hitting you,” she said.

I almost smiled.

“It’s one of those things you learn.”

She smiled faintly.

“It is a scary place to lose your memory,” she said. “I mean, I wouldn't even know if you're telling me the truth or not.”

I kept my face carefully neutral, forcing myself not to let the surprise show. I couldn't believe how easy it was for her to believe me. The situation was unfolding far more smoothly than I had expected.

I watched her closely, resisting the urge to let my guard down. Even though my wolf stirred beneath my skin, sensing the advantage I'd been handed, I kept my breathing steady and my posture relaxed.

For now, she believed my lie. And as long as she did, I had no intention of giving her a reason to question it.

“I was told you are meeting Alpha Roderick later tonight,” she said.

I nodded, keeping my expression calm.

“He’s… uh,” she said hesitantly. “He is not anything you expect. Alpha Roderick is half human and half monster.”

My brows lifted slightly. “So, you have met him before?” I asked.

She nodded. “Yes, I have met him before.”

“Then would you go with me?” I asked. “I would feel more comfortable seeing him if we went together.”

She hesitated, her fingers tightening around the edge of her sleeve. There was something in her expression that made me suspect she was weighing how much she should tell me.

“Before we go,” she said, “there is something I have to tell you.”

I waited.

“Alpha Roderick and I planned to get married because of a certain issue. I don't know if you know about Lucy,” she said.

“Lucy?” I repeated.

I had no idea what she meant by Lucy, but I made sure the confusion on my face looked genuine.

She stopped walking and studied me carefully.

“You don't know about her, do you?”

I shook my head.

“Well, I’ll explain it to you on the way to Alpha Roderick,” she said.

I nodded, though my mind was already racing. Lucy was a name I hadn't expected to hear, and judging by the sudden change in her demeanor, there was more to the story than she was willing to reveal at first glance.

But when I asked her to tell me about Lucy during the drive, she fell silent. In fact, she remained quiet for the entire ride, staring out the window as though she were lost in thought. Every so often, I caught her shifting in her seat or drawing in a slow breath, but she never said a word.

I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. I was afraid she was probably having a retort, some kind of reaction to what she had told me earlier. Whatever was going through her mind, she clearly wasn't ready to share it with me.

Eventually, we arrived at Alpha Roderick's territory.

I met Alpha Roderick, and just as Alexa had said, he was half man and half beast, only in a far more hideous form than I had imagined. His features seemed caught between two natures, with the unmistakable structure of a man twisted by something far more primal. There was a strange heaviness in his presence that made the air around him feel tense.

He explained the situation to me as best as he could, and as he spoke, I began to piece together what was happening.

“You need to marry Alexa so you can pool your power together and defeat this Lucy?” I asked.

“Bingo,” he replied.

I chuckled softly.

“No, you don't need to do that. I know what you need to do to defeat her.”

Alpha Roderick's expression changed immediately.

I had learned a thing or two from Lila during the time we stayed together, and what I knew might be enough to turn the entire situation in my favor.

“You do?” he asked.

“Yes, I do. But I have a favor to ask of you.”

“What favor do you want? I am willing to do anything, provided your plan works.”

I stepped forward, lowering my voice.

“I know you have a lot of shapeshifters in your pack,” I said. “I need you to get someone to shapeshift into Alexa.”

His eyes narrowed.

“Someone is coming very soon,” I continued, “and I want this person to pretend to be Alexa.”

He looked confused.

“I don't understand. Why do you want someone to pretend to be Alexa to this person?”

“Because I don't want her to meet this person,” I replied.

I held Alpha Roderick's gaze, watching the uncertainty slowly give way to calculation.

“If you can do this, I will consider us equal.”

I looked at him and recognized the greed in his eyes, the same greed I had seen in myself. He wanted something from this arrangement, and I knew exactly what kind of man he was.

He was going to take the deal. For someone as greedy as he was, common sense was never going to win.