Chapter 120

Lucas's POV

The infirmary reeked of burnt flesh and medicinal herbs. Aurelio lay on one of the beds, his skin covered in red welts - the kind only magic could create. My mother was in a similar condition in the next room. She hadn't woken up in days, no matter all the doctor's attempts. According to Aurelio, who'd been knocked unconscious when my mother attacked my mate, someone intervened. A wolf who protected Elara from my mom. Whoever they were, they were Amaris.

While I was relieved that Elara was protected, I wondered what Amaris was planning.

Aurelio was awake now, having come back from Matthew pack where I'd sent him to rescue Sabrina. I sat beside my beta, discussing our next moves when Elara walked in.

She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Aurelio. "What happened to you?"

Aurelio tried to sit up, wincing with every movement. "I found Sabrina in Matthew's basement. When I tried to get her out..." He paused, fighting through obvious pain. "You mom and aunt were waiting. They shot some kind of spell at her. I couldn't let them kill her. So I jumped in front."

"You saved her?" Elara's voice softened. She moved closer to his bed, examining his wounds. "These are magic burns. I can help."

I straightened in my chair. "You can?"

"I watched mum mother and aunt heal magic burns." Her voice turned cold when she addressed me. "I learned after I nearly killed Matthew by accident. Had to know how to fix what I broke, right?"

The bitterness in her voice cut deep. Was this still about my rejection? About everything I'd done to her? Before I could apologize, she turned away.

"I need herbs for the healing spell. Different ones than what you have here." She headed for the door without another word to me.

"Elara, wait-" I started.

"Don't." The single word held enough ice to freeze hell.

I followed her outside, where chaos greeted us. Female wolves lined up outside the main hall, my father examining each one for traces of magic. The witch hunt was in full swing.

Elara spun to face me, fury blazing in her eyes. "What is this?"

"It's under control," I said. "Some pack members aren't being honest about who's acting strange. The magic test will reveal who Amaris.."

"Under control?" She laughed, but there was no humor in it. "You're letting your father harass your own pack members. This is exactly why they think you don't care about them."

"The test doesn't hurt them-"

"You really are just like them, aren't you?" Her voice dripped with disgust. "One little push and you're right back to being a monster. Just like your bastard father. You don't deserve to be loved."

Her words hit like physical blows. I tried to explain about Sabrina, about what was happening.

"I don't care about that fucking Lycan," she snapped.

I stared at her, shocked. This wasn't like Elara at all. "I understand you're angry at me, but I had to submit to the spell to save Sabrina. Not just her, all the other Lycans-"

"You're their king," she cut me off, hatred burning in her eyes. "At the end of the day, even with a pack full of wolves, you're a Lycan King before you're a werewolf Alpha. That in itself tells me what your priority is. I should have believed the truth the second I saw you laugh with your father while werewolves fought for a piece of meat."

She stepped closer, each word a dagger. "You're not just a monster, Lucas, you're the king of them all. Your father's a monster, sure, he trained you. But you're worse than him. The only difference between the two of you is that your father doesn't hide how small he thinks of us. Your father doesn't pretend to feel bad about his misdeeds."

The venom in her voice made my wolf recoil. "You stand by and let your own wolves get hurt, you laugh with other Lycans while wolves kill each other, you reject your pregnant mate yet now act like everything has gone back to normal." Her eyes burned with pure hatred. "I haven't hated anyone the way I hate you, Lucas Morretti!"

"You don't mean that," I said quietly.

Elara's laugh was harsh, grating. "Don't tell me what I mean, Lycan." She spat the word like poison. "You think you know me? The real me? You don't know anything."

A group of female wolves hurried past us, heads down, avoiding eye contact. One was crying. My father's voice carried from the main hall, demanding the next group step forward for testing.

Elara's eyes tracked them, her hands clenching into fists. "Look at them. Look at what you're letting happen. Where's the mighty Alpha now? Where's the protector of the pack?"

"They're scared of Amaris," I said, trying to make her understand. "We all are. After what happened to Sabrina-"

"Don't you dare use her name," Elara snarled. "Don't pretend you care about anyone but yourself and your precious Lycan throne."

I took a step toward her, but she backed away like I disgusted her. The motion sent a sharp pain through my chest.

"Something's wrong with you," I said, studying her face. "This isn't you talking. The Elara I know-"

"The Elara you know?" She cut me off again. "The one you rejected? The one you threw away like garbage? That Elara is dead. You killed her."

More wolves passed by, these ones older, mothers with their daughters. They whispered among themselves, shooting fearful glances toward the main hall. The scent of their fear filled the air, mixing with the herb smoke from the magic detection ritual.

"I had no choice," I said, my voice dropping lower. "If you'd let me explain what happened that day-"

"I don't want your explanations!" Elara shouted. Several nearby wolves jumped at her outburst. "I don't want your excuses or your justifications. Look around you, Lucas. Look at what you're doing to your own people. You're no better than the monsters who hurt Sabrina. You're worse, because at least they're honest about what they are."

The mention of Sabrina made my wolf stir restlessly. Something wasn't adding up. Minutes ago, Elara had been ready to help heal Aurelio for trying to save my sister. Now she acted like she didn't care if Sabrina lived or died.

"Tell me what's really going on," I said, keeping my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me. "This isn't about the magic testing, is it? This isn't even about the rejection."

"Fine! You want to know what's really going on?" Elara's lips curled into a cruel smile. "I finally see you for what you are. The great Lucas Morretti, pretending to be some noble Alpha while treating his wolves like dirt beneath his boots."

She gestured to another group of terrified female wolves being herded into the main hall. "Look at your legacy, Your Majesty. Letting daddy dearest terrorize your own people while you stand here trying to, what? Win me back?" She laughed, the sound sharp and cutting. "How pathetic."

"These tests are necessary-" I started.

"Necessary?" She stepped closer, eyes blazing. "You know what's necessary? Having a spine. Standing up for your people. But I guess that's too much to ask from someone who's spent centuries being his father's puppet."

Her words hit their mark. My wolf bristled, but I forced myself to stay calm. "You don't understand the situation-"

"Oh, I understand perfectly." She cut me off with a wave of her hand. "Poor little Lycan King, always following orders. Tell me, do you even know how to think for yourself? Or do you just wait for daddy to tell you who to hurt next?"

The nearby wolves were watching now, their fear scent mixing with curiosity. Elara didn't seem to care about the audience.

"And Sabrina?" She sneered. "Don't make me laugh. You couldn't even protect your own sister. Now you're standing here, acting like you deserve sympathy? Like you deserve forgiveness?" She shook her head. "You Lycans are all the same - monsters wearing crowns, pretending to be kings."

"Elara-"

"Save it for someone who cares." Her voice dripped with disdain. "I'm done watching you destroy everything you touch. These wolves deserve better than a coward who hides behind his father's orders."

Each word was calculated to wound, and damn if they didn't hit their target. But there was something else in her voice - a deeper hurt, a betrayal that went beyond my rejection.

"At least your father's honest about being a monster," she continued, her voice bitter. "You? You just pretend to care until it's inconvenient. How many more of your wolves need to suffer before you grow a backbone?"