Chapter 143 Chapter 143
Chapter 143 Chapter 143
Hayley’s POV
“She'll go after him.”
Ares' words stayed in the room.
Damon looked at Wales.
“After who?”
Wales didn't answer.
Ariel was already staring at the letter.
Her fingers trembled slightly.
“The child she believed she lost…”
Zyran frowned.
“Ariel?”
Ariel looked up.
“It was Dylan.”
The room went quiet.
I stared at her.
“My brother?”
“Yes.”
I shook my head.
“But Wales didn't have Dylan when Celine found him.”
Ariel looked towards Wales.
“She found him while he was under Wales' control.”
Damon's expression hardened.
“So Wales had him first.”
Wales leaned back in his chair.
“I found the boy long before Celine did.”
“You knew he was Ariel's son?” Zyran asked.
Wales smiled.
“I knew exactly who he was.”
Ariel closed her eyes briefly.
“You never told me.”
“You couldn't remember.”
Her eyes opened.
“You took my memories.”
“I had reasons.”
Damon stepped forward.
“You always have reasons.”
Wales didn't respond.
I looked at my mother.
“How did you know Dylan was the one?”
Ariel took the letter from my hand.
“The wording.”
She pointed towards the sentence.
The child she believed she lost.
“Celine believed she had killed me,” Ariel said. “She also believed the child connected to that night was gone.”
I frowned.
“But Dylan wasn't with me when I grew up.”
“Of course not.”
Ariel's voice became quieter.
“You were separated from us before you were old enough to know he existed.”
Damon looked at Wales.
“And you kept him hidden.”
“For a time.”
“What did you do with him?”
Wales' expression became unreadable.
“I raised him in the only way I thought would make him useful.”
Ariel's face tightened.
“You trained him.”
“Yes.”
“To hate me?”
Wales didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
I felt something twist in my chest.
Dylan.
My younger brother.
The boy I'd only met once.
The stranger who had looked at me with nothing but hatred before telling me who he was.
He had been carrying that hatred for years.
And someone had put it there.
“Celine took him from you,” I said.
Wales looked at me.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I guess she realised what he was.”
Ariel shook her head.
“No. She realised what he could become.”
Wales gave her a brief look.
“Perhaps.”
Damon glanced towards the guards.
“Where is Celine?”
“We're still searching.”
Zyran looked at Wales.
“You said she'd go after him.”
Wales' jaw tightened.
“I said she'll go after him.”
“Where?”
“I don't know.”
For once, there was no sarcasm in his voice.
A sudden knock came at the door.
Everyone turned.
A guard entered.
“Alpha Zyran.”
“What?”
“There is someone outside asking for Ariel.”
Ariel stood.
“Who?”
The guard hesitated.
“He wouldn't give his name.”
“Where is he?”
“At the eastern entrance.”
Damon immediately moved towards the door.
“Stay here.”
I followed him.
“No.”
He turned.
“Hayley.”
“If he's who we think he is, I'm going.”
Zyran looked at me.
“I'll stay with you.”
Ariel walked ahead of us.
“No.”
I stopped.
She turned.
“If it is Dylan, let me see him first.”
I understood what she was asking.
She wanted one moment with her son before everyone crowded around him.
Damon nodded.
“Fine.”
We followed her to the eastern entrance.
The guards stood aside.
Ariel stopped.
I stood beside Damon.
Zyran was slightly behind us.
Then he walked in.
Dylan.
He looked different from the last time I'd seen him.
Not physically.
There was still that same coldness in his eyes, the same controlled posture Celine had taught him.
But now he looked tired.
His clothes were torn at the sleeve.
There was dirt along his boots.
He stopped when he saw Ariel.
She stopped too.
Neither moved.
For several seconds, the entire entrance was silent.
Dylan's gaze shifted to me.
Then Damon.
Then Zyran.
He looked at the twins standing behind them.
His expression barely changed.
Ariel took one step forward.
“Dylan.”
He looked at her.
“You know my name.”
She swallowed.
“I've always known your name.”
His jaw tightened.
“That's not what I meant.”
Ariel stopped.
Dylan's eyes remained on her.
“You knew where I was.”
“No.”
“You knew I was alive.”
Ariel shook her head.
“I didn't.”
“Then why did you never come for me?”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I couldn't.”
Dylan gave a short laugh.
“That's convenient.”
I stepped forward.
“Dylan—”
He looked at me.
“Don't.”
The single word stopped me.
His gaze stayed on mine.
“I don't want another explanation.”
I frowned.
“Then why did you come?”
He didn't answer.
Instead, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small folded piece of paper.
He held it towards Ariel.
She didn't take it.
“What is that?”
“A message.”
“From whom?”
Dylan's eyes shifted towards the forest behind him.
“I don't know.”
Damon immediately became alert.
“Where did you get it?”
Dylan ignored him.
Ariel finally took the paper.
She unfolded it.
Her face changed.
I stepped closer.
“What does it say?”
Ariel looked at me.
Then she read aloud.
The truth about Dylan was never buried. It was moved.
Damon's expression darkened.
“Moved where?”
Dylan finally spoke.
“That's why I'm here.”
Zyran looked at him.
“Where is Celine?”
Dylan's eyes hardened.
“I don't know.”
Ariel stared at him.
“Did she send you?”
“No.”
“Then why did you leave her?”
Dylan looked away.
For the first time, his composure cracked.
“She lied to me.”
My heart sank.
Damon looked at him carefully.
“About what?”
Dylan didn't answer.
He walked towards the table near the entrance and placed something on it.
A small black pendant.
Ariel recognised it immediately.
Her face went pale.
“Where did you get that?”
Dylan looked at her.
“Celine gave it to me.”
I looked at the pendant.
There was an unfamiliar symbol carved into it.
Dylan's voice dropped.
“She told me it belonged to you.”
Ariel stared at him.
“It doesn't.”
Dylan frowned.
“Then why did she give it to me?”
Ariel picked it up.
The moment she turned it over, a name had been engraved on the back.
Her hand began to shake.
I looked at her.
“Mom?”
She couldn't answer.
Damon stepped closer.
“What name is that?”
Ariel finally whispered,
“Stanley.”
And Dylan looked at me.
“She told me your father gave it to her.”