43

Nova's POV

The names written there chronicled a long history of wars between packs, betrayal, and the struggle for power. But one name made my body tremble as I read it—my own family's name, Mooncliff Pack.

Each letter felt like a heavy burden, connecting me to a dark history. Fear and curiosity united within me, challenging me to dig deeper.

What really happened between the Alpha family and Mooncliff?

What would I do with this knowledge?

I bit my lip, trying to suppress the nausea rising within me. The book recorded that my family had been involved in a major conspiracy against Diego's pack. They were accused of helping rogues infiltrate and steal ancient magical secrets protected by the Alpha, Diego's father. The accusations led to my family's being hunted down and destroyed.

My legs felt weak, and I sank into the nearest chair, covering my face with my hands. Everything I knew about myself, everything I considered a legacy, suddenly felt like an unbearable weight.

Pain and regret flooded my mind. How could my family be involved in something so dark? Was any of this true? Was I really part of a history full of betrayal and lies?

How could I be here? Among those whose families once hunted my blood? Who might still harbor wounds from my ancestors' sins? I felt so guilty. Not only because I was now part of them—the future Alpha's wife—but also because I didn’t even know who I truly was.

“Nova…” Diego's voice was gentle behind me. I didn’t turn around.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked, my voice nearly trembling. “Why did you let me stand at that altar, making vows… when you knew who I was? Where I came from?”

“I wanted to see who you really are,” he replied flatly. “Not because of your blood. But because of your choices.”

I shook my head slowly, tears streaming down my face. Pain and confusion mixed within me, making me feel trapped between two worlds.

“I feel betrayed,” I said, my voice barely audible. “All of this… everything you’ve hidden from me.”

Diego stepped closer, but I didn’t want to look at him. “I didn’t want you to feel burdened by your family’s past. I want you to choose your own path.”

“But how can I do that now?” I replied, my tone filled with despair. “Everything I believed has shattered in an instant.”

“Because you still have a choice, Nova,” he said firmly. “What happened in the past doesn’t have to define who you are now. This is your chance to write your own story.”

“What if they find out? Marian, your father, everyone in this castle? They will hate me… even maybe our child.”

Diego didn’t answer. And the silence was even more painful.

I stood slowly and looked around the room, which now felt like a prison. Everything here seemed to scream that I should never have been part of this place. That I was the wrong piece in the grand puzzle they had kept hidden all along.

I wanted to leave. To escape all of this, all the lies and secrets. But… I also knew I was carrying Diego’s child. An innocent child. A child that might bridge the gap between two worlds that once hated each other.

I stood in a dilemma that made my chest tight. Should I stay here, accepting all the bitter realities and trying to atone for past sins by enduring? Or leave, saving myself… and perhaps my child from a dark future?

Diego gently touched my shoulder, offering me a glass of water with my trembling hand. “Drink this. You need to calm down,” he said in a softer voice than usual.

I stared at the glass for a moment and then shook my head slowly. “I can’t, Diego.” My voice was barely audible.

He tried to hold my hand, but I gently brushed him off. “Please… let me be alone.”

“I don’t want you to leave like this,” he said, concern hidden behind his firmness.

I turned my face away from him. “I have to go… I can’t breathe in this place.”

Without waiting for his permission, I stepped out of the room. Each step felt like carrying a weight on my chest. I descended the stone stairs and opened the large door leading to the backyard that opened directly to the forest.

The outside air hit my face, cold and stinging, but it felt much more relieving than the room filled with dark truths. I kept walking, entering among the thick trees, letting the thorny bushes scratch my skin and the wet grass soak my feet.

When I reached an open space where sunlight filtered through the leaves, I stopped. And there, I couldn't hold it in any longer.

My tears burst forth.

I fell to my knees in the muddy ground, covering my face with both hands. I cried not only because of the shattering truth… but because I felt shattered myself.

All this time, I thought I was just an ordinary woman lost in the world of alphas. But it turned out my blood carried history. A history full of betrayal and destruction. How could I live among those who might have lost so much because of my family?

I regretted it. Not because I loved the child I carried, or because I had ever hoped for Diego. But because I didn’t know who I truly was.

The wind rustled gently, bringing the sounds of the forest and the scent of damp earth. But my heart remained restless. I felt alone… again. Just like when I first entered this castle.

“I’m sorry…” I whispered softly, not knowing to whom. To Diego? To Marian? To myself?

I only knew one thing: I couldn’t go back now. Not in this state.

I needed time. I needed… answers. My legs continued to walk deeper into the forest, ignoring the fatigue and thirst I felt. The tightness in my chest made it impossible to stop. Finally, when I was exhausted and had to stop, I realized I had walked too far. Here, in Scarlet Ridge.