Chapter 26

\### **Chapter 24**  

Aurora’s POV

The tension in the RedMoon Pack was suffocating.  

I could feel eyes on me everywhere I went—warriors watching my movements, maids whispering behind my back, and worst of all, Jason’s piercing gaze tracking my every step. He was still trying to figure me out, still questioning why he had brought me back.  

But I had my own questions.  

If Logan and Alpha Archie were working together, how much did Jason actually know? Did he truly believe the lie about the curse? Or had he simply been too blind to see he was being manipulated?  

Either way, I couldn’t afford to wait any longer.  

I needed answers.  

And there was only one person who could give them to me.  

Jason.  

\---  

The packhouse was quieter at night. Most of the warriors were either patrolling the borders or resting after long hours of training. The halls were dimly lit, casting long, flickering shadows along the stone walls.  

I moved swiftly, my footsteps silent as I made my way toward Jason’s office.  

The door was slightly ajar.  

I paused, listening.  

Voices.  

Jason wasn’t alone.  

Pressing myself against the wall, I edged closer, peering through the crack in the door.  

Lydia stood inside, her arms crossed, her lips curled into a sneer.  

"You’re making a mistake, Jason," she hissed. "You know she’s lying to you."  

Jason sat behind his desk, his hands clasped together, his expression unreadable.  

"Do I?" he murmured.  

Lydia’s eyes narrowed. "She’s dangerous."  

A small, humorless smirk touched Jason’s lips. "You seem awfully concerned about a mere slave, Lydia."  

Lydia stiffened. "Because you’re blind! She’s manipulating you!"  

Jason leaned back, his gaze darkening. "You mean the way you have been?"  

Lydia paled. "What—"  

"I know what you’ve been doing," Jason cut in, his voice as sharp as a blade. “The lies. The whispers behind my back." He stood, his presence looming. "You should be very careful, Lydia."  

My breath caught.  

Does Jason kow I was working against him?

Lydia clenched her fists, her face twisting with barely concealed rage. 

“You’re making a mistake," she spat. "And when it all comes crashing down, don’t expect me to save you."  

She spun on her heel and stormed out, her footsteps echoing down the hall.  

I barely had time to step back before she passed by, her scent lingering in the air like poison.  

Once she was gone, I exhaled quietly and turned my attention back to Jason.  

I pushed the door open and stepped inside.  

Jason didn’t look surprised to see me.  

He leaned against his desk, arms crossed. "How much did you hear?"  

I closed the door behind me, tilting my head. "Enough to know that Lydia is working against you."  

Jason chuckled, but there was no amusement in it. "I’ve known for a while."  

"Then why do you keep her close?" I asked.  

His eyes flickered. "Because it’s better to keep an enemy where you can see them than let them hide in the shadows."  

Smart.  

I took a step forward. "And what about me?"  

Jason’s jaw tightened. "What about you?"  

"You don’t trust me either," I said. "Yet you brought me back."  

Jason exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "You remind me of someone I lost."  

I swallowed hard.  

Aurora.  

Me.  

I held his gaze. "Then tell me about her."  

Jason’s expression darkened. "Why?"  

"Because I want to understand," I lied. "I want to know what she meant to you."  

Jason stared at me for a long moment, as if debating whether or not to speak. Then, finally, he did.  

"She was everything," he admitted, his voice quiet. "And I destroyed her."  

My breath caught.  

"Then why did you do it?" I pressed.  

Jason’s hands curled into fists. "Because I thought I had no choice."  

A chill ran down my spine.  

"Did someone *tell* you that?" I asked carefully.  

Jason’s eyes met mine, haunted. "Yes."  

The final confirmation I needed.  

Someone—*Alpha Archie*—had fed him lies, twisted his mind into believing that my death was necessary. And Jason had believed it.  

My pulse pounded.  

There was a moment of silence between us, thick with unspoken words.  

Then, Jason spoke again.  

"I regret it every day."  

I clenched my fists.  

Regret wouldn’t bring back what I had lost.  

But maybe, just maybe… it meant Jason wasn’t truly my enemy.  

Not yet.  

I took a slow step forward, forcing my voice to remain steady. "If you had the chance to change things… would you?"  

Jason’s eyes locked onto mine, searching.  

Then, softly—almost brokenly—he whispered, "Yes."  

I swallowed against the lump in my throat.  

I had come here for revenge.  

But now, standing before Jason, seeing the torment in his eyes, I realized something else.  

I wasn’t the only one who had been played.  

Jason had been a pawn in someone else’s game.  

And if I wanted my revenge on the true enemy—*Logan and Alpha Archie*—I needed Jason alive.  

I needed *his* help.  

But first…  

I had to make him trust me.  

Even if it meant playing a dangerous game.  

Even if it meant pretending to care.  

I took another step closer, so close I could feel his warmth.  

"Then let me help you," I whispered.  

Jason’s breath hitched. "Help me?"  

I nodded. "Let me stay by your side. Let me prove my loyalty to you."  

Jason studied me, his blue eyes stormy with emotion.  

For a moment, I thought he would refuse.  

But then, his walls cracked—just a little.  

"Fine," he said quietly.  

A slow smile curled my lips.  

I had won this round.  

But the real game was only just beginning.  

Because Jason didn’t know the truth yet.  

He didn’t know who I really was.  

And when he finally did…  

I would find out if his regret was strong enough to save him.  

Or if I would have to kill him after all.