Chapter 147

Chapter 147
Adonis’s POV

Autumn was still unconscious. She had drained herself completely, and even though it scared me, I knew she needed rest more than anything. Her body looked too fragile, her face pale, and when I saw her lying there, it hurt me deep inside. I wanted to shake her awake, to tell her she couldn’t leave us like this, but I couldn’t be selfish. She had carried too much for us. For now, all I could do was wait.

But waiting was not enough. My brothers and I had questions that were eating us alive. We couldn’t pretend anymore. Too much had happened, and the truth was right in front of us.

I called my brothers for a meeting. Their faces were hard, tired, and heartbroken. None of us wanted to believe what we had discovered, but it was the truth.

“We have another brother,” I said finally, my voice heavy. “An older one… someone we never even knew existed.”

The silence that followed was sharp. Nobody wanted to speak. Knox clenched his fists, his jaw tightening as though he wanted to break something. Dante lowered his head, rubbing his temples slowly, trying to process it.

“And he’s the one,” I continued, my chest tightening, “he’s the one behind all of this… the killings, the betrayal, everything from our past life. He’s the one who destroyed us.”

The words felt like knives coming out of my mouth. To think that our own blood, someone born into this family, could turn into our greatest enemy, it was something I couldn’t wrap my head around.

Knox finally spoke, his voice sharp. “Our own blood? Our brother? You expect me to believe that he did all of this just because he was abandoned by mistake?”

His anger was understandable. But anger didn’t erase the truth. “Yes,” I answered, my throat dry. “That’s the reason. He grew up in bitterness. He was alone, and he chose revenge over forgiveness. I don't think our parents ever told our older brother either or he would have told us, since he raised all of us.”

Dante lifted his head, his eyes dark. “Then we must see him. We can’t leave it like this. We should ask him what is going on before we punish him for his crimes.”

We went together to the prison. My heart was beating hard as we walked down the cold corridor. I didn’t know what to expect when I saw him. Part of me wanted to see a stranger. But the moment I laid my eyes on him, my chest squeezed painfully.

He looked like our older brother. They had the same features especially the eyes. But he was weaker and thinner. He was sitting against the wall, chains around his wrists, his skin pale like death. I could feel the stench of witchcraft all over him. He was forbidden power. It made me sick. I guess he didn't have that much strength and he only had to rely on that. 

When he saw us, his eyes lit up, but not with love. He was still filled with rage. I guess he badly wanted to destroy us. 

“So you finally came,” he spat, his voice shaking but full of poison. “The hypocrites. My so-called brothers.”

I wanted to speak gently, but his words cut me first. “Why call us your brother if you planned all of this? Why would you do this to us?”

“Why?” he laughed bitterly. “Because of you. Because of all of you. I was thrown away. Abandoned like trash while you all lived like princes. You took everything from me. Everything I should have had. How was I supposed to let you all be?”

His voice cracked, but the hate in his eyes didn’t fade. “You ruined my life. You ruined my destiny. And you dare ask me why?”

Knox stepped forward, his wolf almost breaking free. “You killed our brother!” he shouted, his voice shaking with rage. “You murdered him in cold blood, and you dare to blame us?”

He sneered. “He was weak. You all are. I should have been the leader. I should have ruled. But instead, I had to crawl, to beg and suffer. You all had easy lives being happy right here. Your brother had everything I was supposed to have. And now you want to stand here and pretend to care?”

I couldn’t hold it anymore. “What happened to you was wrong,” I admitted, my voice raw. “You should never have been abandoned. I won’t lie about that. But you had no right to destroy us, to kill our brother who did nothing to you. You chose hate. You chose death. That was your path, not ours.”

He stared at me, his chest heaving, then laughed again, bitter and broken. “Spare me your pity, Adonis. I don’t need it. I don’t want it.”

Knox growled and moved closer. “Let me end him,” he said through gritted teeth. “Let me kill him for what he did.”

But Dante held Knox back. “No,” he said firmly. “As much as I want him gone, he’s still our brother. We can’t act like him. We can’t let his hatred control us.”

The prisoner smirked at Dante’s words. “Don’t fool yourself, Dante. I will never be at your mercy. I’d rather die than bow before you.”

And before we could stop him, he bit down hard on something hidden in his mouth. His body jerked violently. His eyes widened.

“No!” I screamed, rushing forward.

Blood spilled from his lips, his chest rising and falling for the last time. He looked right at us, his eyes burning with fire even as life faded away.

“I’m not sorry,” he whispered, his voice weak but steady. “Not for anything I did. I already paid for my sins in this life. And if I ever reincarnate… I pray never to meet you again.”

And then he went still.

I froze, my heart breaking. I watched the face of my brother die again, another time, right in front of me. First in our past life, and now here. I felt like I was being torn apart from the inside.

Knox turned away, fury written on his face. “He got what he deserved.”

Dante closed his eyes, his voice low. “No one deserves to die like that. Not even him.”

The cell was silent. The stench of blood hung heavy in the air.

Knox muttered, “Burn his body. Don’t waste the land on him.”

But I shook my head. My voice cracked when I spoke. “No. No matter what he did, he was still our blood. He was still one of us. He deserves to rest with the family.”

Dante nodded slowly. “Adonis is right. We should bury him. We should end this chapter once and for all.”

We buried him in the family grave land. I stood over his grave, staring at the dirt that now covered him. I whispered quietly, “I forgive you, even if you never wanted it.”

But the pain inside me didn’t ease. Afterward, we turned our attention back to Agatha. She had been captured, bound, and was crying when we came near.

“Please,” she begged, her eyes wide, trying to look innocent. “Please forgive me. I didn’t mean it. I did all those things because I was bewitched by him. Now that he's gone, all those things won't happen anymore. I won’t betray you again. I promise.”

Her voice trembled, her tears falling. But I could see through her act. It was the same manipulation, the same lies.

Knox looked at her coldly. “The penalty for what you did is death. Or banishment.”

Her face twisted with anger. “You can’t do this to me! I was only trying to survive! You’re all hypocrites!”

We turned and left her, her screams echoing behind us. I didn’t look back. When we reached Autumn’s room, my heart almost stopped. She was awake. She was sitting up, her face pale but her eyes open, talking softly to George. The moment she saw us, she smiled weakly.

“You're all here,” she whispered.

I rushed forward and hugged her tightly. The others gathered around, relief filling the room.

“You’re safe,” Dante said softly, his voice breaking.

For the first time in what felt like forever, I allowed myself to breathe. It felt like there was no more danger around us finally. Even though I didn't find her parents yet, perhaps I could find a lead to it once more. Even if her parents are dead, I will find a way for her to reconnect with them.