Chapter 25 Ugly Truth
INDIE
I felt like I'd just been slapped in the face. My stomach rioted, bile rising up my throat. What was he trying to say? A suffocating dread slowly crept into my veins until I was shaking.
"You're lying," I choked out.
Varak laughed, the sound grating on my nerves.
"Am I?" He straightened, tilting his head as though he was studying a particularly interesting specimen. "Ask him, kitten. Ask your mate how many nights he spent on his knees for me. How many times he begged. How many times he broke beautifully under my hands."
My knees buckled.
I caught myself against the stone wall, my nails scraping.
"No," I whispered. "Zade would never—"
"Zade," Varak echoed mockingly. "Such a pretty name for such a broken thing. He was exquisite when he belonged to me. Still is, even in the places he tries to hide from you."
He reached out and brushed a fingertip along my jaw, the contact sending a shiver through me.
"You'll help me end whatever Enid has started," he murmured. "You'll burn her alive for me. And when she's ash... I'll take back my favourite toy. And you—" His thumb pressed against my bottom lip. "You'll watch helplessly. Because by then, sweet girl, you'll be mine too."
Flames flickered at my fingertips. They were weak, nothing like the roaring wall they'd become in the grove.
I tried to summon them higher. But nothing happened.
Varak's smile widened.
"Sleep now, Flamekeeper," he said gently. "When you awaken, remember this. The fire inside you answers to more than one master."
I jolted awake, gasping for air. My chest heaved, sweat dripping down my temples.
Zade was still asleep beside me, one arm thrown across my waist, his face buried in my neck. His breathing was steady and deep.
And deep in my chest, something foreign stirred.
I pressed my palm over my heart, trying to smother it. It only pulsed harder. Varak's voice echoed one last time in my mind.
"See you soon, kitten."
Fear slid down my spine. Slowly, I sat up, glancing at Zade's face. With gentle fingers, I brushed his hair away from his face.
He was burning up again.
I swallowed past the lump in my throat. Was he sick?
My throat tightened. I wanted to shake Zade awake, demand answers, and scream at him until the truth came out. But the words stuck. What if Varak was lying? What if he wasn't?
What if he was telling the exact, ugly truth?
I slid off the bed without waking him, my bare feet silent on the floor. I needed air.
Down the hallway, I followed the faint sound of splashing water and Lila's delighted squeal to the bathroom at the end of the corridor.
Lila was perched on the wide rim of the tub, her knees tucked under her chin, watching bubbles swirl in the water while one of the young omegas, Maris, poured in more from a jug.
Soap foam clung to Lila's dark curls. When she saw me in the doorway, her whole face lit up.
"Mummy!"
I hurried over and dropped to my knees beside the tub, regardless of the water that sloshed over the edge and soaked my shirt. "Hi, baby," I whispered, my voice cracking slightly.
Maris gave me a small smile. "She insisted on extra bubbles. She said they're magic clouds."
Lila giggled, the sound so bright it filled my heart with warmth. "They are! Watch!" She scooped a handful and blew, sending iridescent bubbles floating towards my face. One popped on the tip of my nose.
I laughed shakily and leaned in to kiss her soapy cheek. "You're a menace."
"Your menace," she corrected proudly, then her expression softened. I quickly washed my hands while her adorable doe eyes searched my face. "Mummy... I'm sorry."
My breath caught in my throat. "For what, sweetheart?"
"For saying mean things." She looked down at the water, tracing a finger through the foam. "Auntie Stella said you were scary because of your mark. She said it hurts people. I believed her." Her lower lip trembled. "But you don't hurt me. You make the bad dreams go away. I was wrong. I'm sorry."
I cupped her small face with both hands, my thumbs brushing the tear already slipping.
"Oh, baby. You don't ever have to be sorry for believing what grown-ups told you. Especially when they're supposed to keep you safe." I swallowed hard. "I'm the one who should've fought harder to stay. I'm the one who let them take you away from me."
Lila's arms came around my neck. "Don't go again."
"Never," I promised against her damp curls. "Not ever."
She pulled back just enough to study me, then she grinned mischievously. "Can we make more magic clouds?"
I laughed through my tears. "All the clouds you want."
Maris slipped out quietly, giving us the room. I rolled up my sleeves and knelt properly beside the tub, helping Lila pile more bubbles into ridiculous towers.
She flicked foam at me, and I flicked it back. Her giggles bounced off the tiles. I laughed until my sides ached, until the darkness Varak had planted felt a little farther away.
I was rinsing soap from her hair when the door opened.
Zade leaned against the frame, his arms folded across his bare chest, black sweatpants slung low on his hips.
His hair was slightly messy, his eyes heavy-lidded. The corner of his mouth quirked in that rare, crooked way that always made my stomach flip.
"No one's inviting me to the party?" he asked, his voice husky from sleep.
Lila squealed. "Uncle Zade! Come make clouds!"
His gaze darted to me, searching carefully, like he could see every fracture Varak had left behind.
I looked away first.
Zade pushed off the doorframe and padded barefoot across the tiles. He dropped to one knee beside me without hesitation and scooped a handful of bubbles.
"Show me how it's done, princess."
Lila beamed and dumped an entire mountain of foam onto his head. He didn't flinch. He just let it slide down his temple, one perfect white glob landing on the tip of his nose. Then he blew gently, sending a cascade of bubbles straight at her face.
She shrieked with laughter, splashing water everywhere.
I watched my daughter's joy and Zade's quiet indulgence, warmth creeping into my chest, pushing back against the cold thing Varak had left there.
For this moment, at least, the three of us were simply a family having a good time.
But when Lila leaned over to plant a bubbly kiss on Zade's cheek, his eyes met mine over her head.
And the question I couldn't voice yet simmered in my mind.
What did he do to you?
And how long have you been carrying it alone?
A while later, Lila was perched on his knee while he gently worked a second towel through her dripping curls.
"Hold still, princess," he said calmly. "You're going to end up with a bird's nest on your head."
Lila giggled, squirming just enough to make the towel slip. "It's a princess nest!"
Zade huffed a soft laugh and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. Watching them made my chest ache in the best way.
I finally pushed off the door frame. "I'm going to start breakfast. Pancakes?"
Lila's head whipped towards me so fast the towel nearly flew off. "With chocolate chips?"
"Obviously." I winked. "Extra for the princess."
Zade glanced up, his violet eyes catching mine for a moment longer than usual. I looked away first.
Downstairs the kitchen was already warm from the sun streaming through the tall windows. I tied my hair back with a band from the counter, pulled out the mixing bowl, and let muscle memory take over.
Zade appeared in the doorway, Lila balanced on his hip, her damp curls now tamed into two messy pigtails. She was wearing one of his old T-shirts as a dress, the sleeves rolled up six times.
He set her on the counter beside the bowl. "She insisted on supervising."
"Of course she did." I leaned over to kiss Lila's forehead. "Chief taste-tester, right?"
"Yep!" She stuck her finger in the batter and licked it dramatically. "Mmm. Needs more chocolate."
Zade snorted, then he leaned against the island, his arms folded loosely across his chest.
"Forgot to tell you," he said softly. "The Moon Feast is tonight."
My hand froze on the whisk.
The Moon Feast. Bonfires on the ridge, drums that thrummed through your bones, wolves running under the full moon until dawn.
I used to love it back when I was wild and free.
I forced out a small smile. "Sounds fun."
Zade exhaled through his nose. "Indie."
I kept my eyes on the pancakes.
He moved closer, his voice dropping. "Are you really going to keep turning down the offer to be my Luna? I want you by my side tonight, bunny.”
I shrugged. "It's not a big deal, Zade. We can just... sneak around after. Like we always have."
Lila's head popped up from the batter bowl, chocolate smeared across her chin. "What does 'sneak around' mean?"
I winced. Right then, Enid waltzed in with a chilly smile.
"It means your mummy will do bad things with someone she's not supposed to," she said sweetly. "Naughty, secret things."
Lila's eyes went comically wide. "Bad things?"
Zade straightened instantly. "Enid."
She ignored him, her gaze sliding to me like I was something stuck to the bottom of her shoe.
"Preparations for the Moon Feast are underway. The omegas are already gathering herbs and setting the fires," her lips curled. "You’re expected to join them."