Chapter 63: Cold Honesty

Chapter 63: Cold Honesty
The threat from the hunters disappeared for a few weeks. The heavy silence in the town was something everyone felt. Some said the trouble was over, but others believed it came with a price.

That morning, we had an unexpected visitor. I was the one who opened the door. When I did, Soleil was standing there.

“Good morning.”

She was not smiling, but she was not frowning either. Her face showed nothing. It had been months since the last time I saw her.

She looked around the quiet mansion, as if she expected to find me here.

“Can I come in?”

Her question pulled me out of my thoughts. I stepped aside to let her enter.

“Miss Farrah is downtown,” I said. “You can wait—”

She cut me off. “You are the one I came here for,” she said. “May I?”

I looked at her, then nodded. We both went to the balcony of the mansion. I did not know why she was here. Our last meeting did not end well.

When we faced each other, I noticed her eyes fixed on the mark on my neck.

“So Aslan officially claimed you as his mate,” she said. “That’s why stepping into Elwood felt different. Our alpha is now bonded.”

I understood then. The change in their alpha was felt by everyone. In the past weeks, I noticed how people treated me differently. They were more open, more accepting. It felt like a wall between us had fallen. I slowly gained their trust. The night I gave myself to Aslan was the night I knew I would stay by his side no matter what.

“I never expected him to make a selfish choice like this,” Soleil said. “After everything that happened, he chose you over this town, over his position.”

I did not know what she wanted to prove with this talk, but I stayed calm. I could see the pain in her eyes.

“I heard everything,” she continued. “The attack, the injured warriors, the panic and fear that spread through the town. Do you know what it feels like to know all this is happening in your hometown while you can’t go home? You worry about your family and friends, but you can do nothing. And you know what the worst part is?”

She looked straight at me.

“It’s knowing that this fear and chaos were caused by one person. An outsider. A stranger. Who happens to be our alpha’s mate.”

She hated me. She loved him first. But more than that, I knew she cared about the town she grew up in. Everything she said came from the point of view of the people of Elwood.

“This town matters to Aslan,” she said. “But because of you, he could lose it.”

I froze. “What do you mean?”

“I heard everything from my father. There is a plan to change the leadership of this town. You may not know this yet because they don’t want you to but the Council is already considering everything that is happening here.”

Her calm mask broke when she spoke of Aslan losing the town. That was when I realized it. Soleil cared. About the town. About Aslan. Truly.

“I’m not blaming you this time,” she said. “But someone needs to make you understand this. Aslan can give up everything for you. And I want you to do the same for him.”

I did not expect those words from her.

“I should hate you. I still do but I know when to stop showing it, especially when others will suffer.”

Her eyes dropped to my body. Her expression softened for a moment, then she looked back at my face.

“Your surname says it all,” she said firmly. “You are a hunter’s daughter. And I know you know who you really are. That’s all I wanted you to remember.”

She took a deep breath, fixed her clothes, and stood straight. She was Soleil again, calm, graceful, and proud.

“I will never forgive you if you hurt Aslan,” she said before turning away.

“I have no plan to leave Aslan,” I said softly.

Soleil stopped.

“I am willing to break the rules for him.”

She turned back to look at me.

“I expect that from you,” she said, then walked out of the mansion.

When she was gone, I took a deep breath. I sat down on one of the garden chairs. I felt weak, but I knew I shouldn’t. I had always known the truth. I just refused to admit it to myself because I knew it could destroy everything. Hearing it said out loud made it real. It was no longer just a thought. It was part of my life. It was unavoidable. I am a hunter’s daughter.

After calming down, I went up to my room. I walked straight to the old cabinet and opened one of its drawers. I saw the black box again. My hand shook as I picked it up.

I opened it and saw the bullet. The gold metal shined. Holding it felt strange, like it no longer belonged to me. It even felt like it burned my skin. Zedler. The letter engraved on it stood for my family name. A symbol.

Everything happening now was meant to stop the two races from being connected. I could not stop worrying about what my family might do. If the chaos continues, it could destroy the town and Aslan.

This was what the outsider warned me about.

I sat on the bed, holding the box. I need to do something. The outsider. I need to talk to him.