35 – Threat: Folder

35 – Threat: Folder
35 – Threat: Folder
Renan Folder

I knew what was coming, but at that moment, I couldn’t help but question my sanity. When Mr. Walter announced that I’d be responsible for escorting her, my first reaction was to refuse outright. I didn’t care who was in the room—my body instinctively tensed. I was being tasked with protecting the girl I had always loved, who was now our enemy.

But she wasn’t her anymore. She wasn’t there. Meridian was gone, replaced by a traitor—by a mortal threat.

The first time I saw her, I swore I could save her.

The second time, when I saw her hurt one of our own, I understood her perspective—she didn’t know who she was and only knew what she had been told about us.

The third time, when she looked at me and seemed to recognize me, my heart filled with hope. Maybe we could bring her back...

But when I saw her casting, everything I felt shattered. She was willing to sacrifice her life for the prince. It wasn’t just a sense of duty; when her eyes met mine one last time, my heart broke into pieces. There was a connection—a feeling. She was giving her life for someone she loved. It didn’t matter how dark she might become because the shadows were her home. At that moment, for me, Meridian was gone.

The sound of my breathing became heavy and uneven. I couldn’t process everything that was happening. Anger, frustration, and pain collided in a storm inside me. I didn’t want to, couldn’t, accept it. The woman standing there didn’t deserve our trust anymore. She was a threat now—there was no saving her. How could I be responsible for her safety? Out of everyone here, I was the least suited for the task because, to me, she was just an enemy, the ghost of the girl I once loved, and a reminder of my hatred for the Kingdom of Umbra—the kingdom she now revered.

The Alpha’s gaze lingered on me, as if he could read every thought running through my head.

“I know it’s hard to believe, given the circumstances... but she’s still one of us. She needs you,” he said, swallowing hard. “We finally brought her back. Finally...” There was pain and relief in his voice.

“At what cost?” I asked, letting the anger mix with the hurt. “At what cost did we bring her back? I know it’s painful, I know seeing her alive makes us believe in the illusion that she’s still our girl, but she’s not. At the first chance, she’ll kill us and return to the kingdom. I know it’s hard to hear because she’s your daughter, but I’m being rational—she’s no longer the girl who once lived here.”

“That’s why we require you. All of us will work to make her remember. I know it’s impossible to bring back who she used to be. But we can bring back our Meridian, now with the marks of her past, with everything that’s happened. She’s family, not just because she’s my daughter. She’s part of this pack. We don’t abandon our own.”

“There’s nothing of ours left in her,” I said softly, my voice rough and heavy with regret. “I’m sorry.”

“Just try,” he said, his voice laden with pain, almost pleading. “I’m only asking you to try. If you can’t, fine. I’ll remove you from the escort myself. But just try.”

I clenched my fists, trying to control the anger burning inside me. I knew, in some way, he understood how I felt... but he couldn’t truly comprehend it. He was looking at her as a father, which was completely understandable. But I wasn’t fit for this role. The pain of seeing someone so close, someone I loved, standing there in body but not in spirit—it was unbearable.

More than that, seeing who she had become consumed me. I remembered her smile, the way she looked at me, how she made me feel special. I remembered who she used to be, but now... nothing. She was a soldier. The prince’s soldier. How could she? How could she give herself to him?

The anger I felt toward her grew, but at the same time, there was a deep pain—a sense of loss. Guilt and hatred intertwined, and I knew I couldn’t simply ignore them. Yet, my respect and loyalty to my Alpha forced me to step back. He trusted me. More than that, his request was a cry for help, a plea to not feel alone because he loved her too, because it hurt him too.

I looked at him, trying to mask the storm of emotions raging inside me. It wasn’t just the Alpha who trusted me—I trusted him too. He had always done what was best for the pack, and his decision, though difficult, was the most logical one. But within me, a silent war raged. I still saw in her what she had once represented to me—what she had meant to our family.

“I’ll watch her, protect her... but not for her. Not anymore.” I nodded. “But I’ll also do what’s necessary to ensure she’s no longer a threat to our pack.”

He nodded, lowering his gaze as a father and raising it again as an Alpha.

“I’m giving you my word—if she dares harm one of ours again, I’ll see her as our enemy and treat her as such.”

I nodded once more. Then I turned and, without another word, walked away. I knew accepting this mission would cost me dearly. I, Renan, was determined to show that there was nothing left in her that could be trusted.

She was my enemy now. And I would do whatever it took to keep her in check until the truth was revealed—until I knew for certain that she was truly lost.

I walked toward her room, each step feeling heavier than the last, as if I were crossing a battlefield. My mind swirled with thoughts, and my breathing grew heavier with every stride. My goal was clear, but my heart, no matter how much I denied it, was restless.

When I reached the door, I took a deep breath before opening it. The sound of the latch echoed in the small space. And there she was.

And at that moment, my heart shattered into pieces. All the anger evaporated, leaving only pain and memories behind.

This wasn’t going to be easy.