Chapter 22: Old Wounds, New Lies

Aria's POV

The ancient symbols on the stone table turned into flames.

I jumped back from my chair as fire raced across the carved markings like they were soaked in gas. The flames weren't hot, but they made my skin tingle with strange energy. Everyone around the table shouted and moved away, except for Viktor.

He just smiled and watched the fire dance.

"What did you do?" Papa demanded, his hand moving to the gun under his coat.

"Nothing," Viktor said calmly. "The ancient magic is simply responding to lies being spoken at a sacred summit. It always knows the truth."

The flames died down, leaving the symbols glowing like hot coals. But now I could read them clearly, like someone had just taught me a new language. The words floating above the table said: Truth must be spoken or blood must be spilled.

"Well," Viktor continued, settling back in his chair like he owned the place. "Since the magic demands honesty, perhaps it's time you all heard what really happened three years ago."

My head started pounding as more memories tried to push through the fog in my mind. I pressed my palms against my temples, trying to hold the pieces together.

"Aria?" Kael reached for my hand. "What's wrong?"

"The memories," I whispered. "They're coming back too fast."

Viktor leaned forward with fake concern. "Poor child. Let me help you remember correctly."

He waved his hand, and images appeared in the air above the burning table. Moving pictures made of silver light, showing things that happened three years ago.

"It started with your sister Elena," Viktor began. "Beautiful, wild Elena who thought she could play with supernatural forces like they were toys."

In the magical images, I saw Elena laughing as she danced with werewolves at a secret party. She looked so young and happy. So alive.

"Elena discovered our pack's winter territory," Viktor continued. "She started visiting in secret, learning our magic, making promises she couldn't keep."

"What kind of promises?" Papa asked, his voice deadly quiet.

"She promised to help us overthrow the traditional pack leaders. To give us better hunting grounds. To make us partners instead of servants."

The images shifted, showing Elena meeting with young werewolves in dark corners. Passing them weapons. Whispering plans.

"She was recruiting an army," Viktor said sadly. "Planning to use our people to attack her own family and take control of the Castellano empire."

"That's not true," I said, but my voice came out weak and confused. Some of the images did look real. Elena had always been rebellious, always pushing boundaries.

"When I discovered her plan," Viktor went on, "I tried to stop her peacefully. But Elena threatened to have my entire pack killed if I interfered with her games."

More images appeared. Elena arguing with Viktor. Elena pointing a gun at werewolf children. Elena laughing as she burned down what looked like pack homes.

"She forced me to choose," Viktor said, and now his voice sounded broken and sad. "Protect my pack from her threats, or let her destroy us all for her own amusement."

Papa's face had gone gray. "Elena wouldn't do those things."

"Wouldn't she?" Viktor asked gently. "Think about it, Marco. Your youngest daughter, who always resented being second in line for power. Who hated following rules. Who thought supernatural beings were fun toys to play with."

I wanted to scream that he was lying, but the images kept coming. Elena stealing magical artifacts. Elena threatening pack members. Elena planning what looked like attacks on supernatural families.

"So I did what any father would do," Viktor continued. "I arranged for her to be stopped."

"You mean you had her killed," Kael said angrily.

"I mean I contacted Marco and told him about his daughter's dangerous games. I suggested he bring Elena to our territory for a peaceful meeting, where we could discuss her behavior and find a solution that protected everyone."

The images changed again, showing Papa's men arriving at the pack territory. But instead of coming for a meeting, they were armed for war.

"Marco came with an army," Viktor said, shaking his head sadly. "I thought he was there to talk. Instead, he started shooting the moment he saw Elena talking to our pack members."

"You're lying," Papa whispered, but he sounded less sure now.

"Am I? Tell me, Marco - what do you remember about that night? Did you try to talk first, or did you attack the moment you arrived?"

Papa's silence was answer enough.

In the magical images, I watched our family's soldiers open fire on werewolves who were holding their hands up in surrender. I saw buildings burning. I saw people running and screaming.

And I saw myself.

The memory hit me like a punch to the stomach. I was there, following Papa and Elena into the pack territory. I was seventeen and scared, but trying to be brave.

"I remember," I gasped. "We went there because someone told Papa that Elena was in danger. That the wolves had kidnapped her."

"Yes," Viktor nodded sadly. "I had to make Marco believe his daughter was a victim instead of a threat. Otherwise, he would have simply killed her himself for betraying the family."

"But Elena wasn't kidnapped," I said, more memories flooding back. "She was there by choice. She was..."

"She was planning to have you all murdered in your sleep," Viktor finished. "Including you, Aria. Elena saw you as competition for your father's attention. The werewolves were just tools she planned to use and then dispose of."

"No," I shook my head violently. "Elena loved me. She would never hurt me."

"Love?" Viktor laughed bitterly. "Elena loved power. She promised my pack freedom if they helped her kill your family. Then she planned to have them all executed for being witnesses."

The images showed Elena signing papers. Making deals. Shaking hands with dangerous-looking supernatural beings while smiling her beautiful smile.

"I have the contracts," Viktor said. "Written in Elena's own hand. Would you like to see them?"

"This is all fake," Kael said firmly. "You're using magic to make false images."

"The ancient table can only show truth," Viktor replied. "Ask any witch or warlock. Ask Aria's grandmother."

Grandmother floated closer, studying the glowing symbols. Her ghostly face looked troubled. "He's right. The table cannot lie. These images must be real memories."

My world started spinning. Elena, my sweet little sister who braided my hair and brought me cookies when I was sad - was she really capable of such terrible things?

"But why?" I asked weakly. "Why would Elena do any of this?"

"Because she was jealous," Viktor said gently. "Marco always favored you, Aria. You were the perfect daughter - kind, smart, loyal. Elena knew she would never inherit the family power as long as you existed."

"So when the shooting started," I said slowly, "and I saw you trapped under burning wood..."

"I was there because I tried to save Elena from her own stupidity," Viktor finished. "When your father's men attacked, I could have escaped easily. But Elena was trapped in the burning building, and despite everything she'd done, I couldn't let a young girl die."

The final images showed Viktor carrying an unconscious Elena toward safety, then getting trapped himself when part of the roof collapsed.

"You saved her life," I whispered.

"I tried to. But Elena died anyway, and you risked everything to pull me from the fire. You saved the life of the wolf who had tried to protect your sister."

My heart felt like it was breaking into a million pieces. Everything I thought I knew about that night was wrong. Elena hadn't been the innocent victim I remembered. She'd been the villain.

"And now," Viktor said softly, "I'm trying to save you the same way I tried to save her. Before the Ancient power destroys you like Elena's greed destroyed her."

The blood moon reached its peak, and power exploded through my body like lightning. But this time, instead of fighting it, I let the magic show me the complete truth.

And what I saw made my blood turn to ice.

Viktor was right about the contracts. Right about Elena's plans. Right about the attacks.

But he was lying about one crucial thing.

In my recovered memories, I could see him clearly now. Not trapped under burning wood like a victim, but standing in the shadows directing the attack. Not trying to save Elena, but making sure she died before she could tell anyone who had really betrayed both families.

I stood up slowly, power crackling around me like a living storm.

"You're lying," I said, my voice carrying the authority of every Ancient witch who had ever lived. "I remember now - you were there before the attack started. You led them right to us."

Viktor's smile disappeared. "Aria, you're confused. The power is affecting your memories."

"No," I said, taking a step toward him as the truth blazed in my mind like fire. "You didn't just arrange for Elena to be stopped. You arranged for her to be killed. Because she found out about your real plan."

"What plan?" Papa asked, but his hand was already moving toward his weapon.

I looked straight into Viktor's lying eyes and spoke the words that would change everything.

"He didn't want to stop Elena's rebellion. He wanted to finish it. She wasn't planning to kill our family - she was planning to expose the supernatural being who had been secretly controlling both our families for years."

The ancient table cracked down the middle with a sound like thunder.

"Viktor isn't just a werewolf," I continued, my voice growing stronger with each word. "He's something much older. Much more dangerous. And Elena died because she found out what he really is."

Viktor stood up slowly, his human mask finally starting to slip.

"Clever girl," he said, and his voice was no longer warm and sad. It was cold as winter death. "But far too late."

The werewolves surrounding us suddenly howled in unison, and their eyes began glowing red instead of gold.

"You see," Viktor continued as his own eyes turned black as midnight, "Elena wasn't the only one making contracts with dark forces. I've been collecting supernatural souls for much longer than three years."

Power darker than anything I'd ever felt began pouring from his body like smoke.

"And now that the Ancient magic has fully awakened in you, dear Aria," Viktor said as his human appearance melted away completely, "it's time for me to add your power to my collection."

The thing standing where Viktor had been was no longer a werewolf at all.

It was something that should never have existed.

Something that fed on supernatural souls.

And we were all trapped at its table until one of us died.