Chapter 25: Unraveling the Past

VOLK

Seated on the somewhat dusty sofas in the library, Deimos and I were finishing the first bottle of wine while listing the names of my father’s most trusted allies.

"The wine isn't helping," I said, setting my glass on the small wooden coffee table.

"You seem more relaxed, so you're welcome," he lifted his glass with a smile at the corner of his mouth.

"I’ve had plenty of time to relax over all these years, pretending to be a worthless one," I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath in and out. "Maybe I have become one, after all." I relaxed on the sofa, listening to the crackling flames in the fireplace.

Out of the corner of my eye, I glanced at one of the shelves filled with old, dusty books. *My mother loved this place.*

"What’s going on with you? You were never one to lament," Deimos said, capturing my attention, his tone showing a bit of concern.

"I’m just tired of waiting."

"Then let’s keep working," he straightened up on the sofa. "Come on, you mentioned Lyall’s father, but you weren’t sure if they were that close. You also mentioned other Alphas from nearby regions, but in your boyish perceptions, they were just political alliances," he recapped. "Didn’t your father have a best friend?"

"I don’t know, I can’t remember," I sighed, my gaze wandering around the room.

"Try harder," he insisted, with a determined expression.

"I can’t think of anything else, my head is full of confusion for today. And I don’t even want to think about tomorrow..." A slight headache started as I remembered.

I had almost forgotten.

"What’s happening tomorrow?" he asked.

"She is arriving."

"She?" He narrowed his blue eyes for a second, then understood. "Your fiancée."

"If you make any jokes..." I warned, seeing a smile appear on his lips.

"He’s really intent on keeping you busy with a wife and children."

"Yes. And considering all the problems I have now, the idea doesn’t seem so bad," I mocked.

"Have you ever considered giving up everything and just living as he wants you to?" he asked in a mocking tone, relaxing back on the sofa again. "Seems like you’re finally going to meet your betrothed."

"No. It’s not her," I responded, realizing he still didn’t know everything that had happened. "I think I need to tell you everything that occurred while you were away."

"I’m listening," he said, furrowing his brows.

Taking a deep breath, I began to tell him everything, starting with the night I saved her, then how I helped her escape, and finally, how she ended up joining Lyall’s group.

"Wow..." he let out a sigh when I finished, leaning forward to pour more wine. "I was only gone for a few days, but it looks like you've managed to get into even more trouble."

"She is the trouble."

"Do you realize there’s a lot that doesn’t make sense in this whole story? Why did your uncle decide to marry her?"

I had spent a lot of time reflecting on this, but still couldn’t figure out my uncle’s intentions.

"He said his decision was unfair to her since she had waited and prepared her whole life for this, but we know he doesn’t really care," I explained. "I don’t know what his real intentions are. Do you think it's possible that he just found her attractive?"

"No. If that were the case, he wouldn’t need to marry her to get what he wanted."

"You’re right."

"It looks like we have a new mystery. Yet, he remains committed to getting rid of you. Don’t you find it suspicious that he arranged a replacement so quickly? Unless it’s someone you already know."

"No, I don’t know her. But I hope she doesn’t bring more trouble."

"If you’re lucky, she won’t be so..." he squinted, trying to remember. "How did you describe the first one?"

"Audacious."

Yes, because she was brave, but in a completely reckless way, and that must be why she always seemed to be taking risks and getting involved in dangerous situations.

"She seemed more your type," he observed.

"Yes, and she would mess up all my plans," I let out a nervous laugh, realizing. "Did I say would? It seems she managed to do that without needing to become my wife. Now she’s part of Lyall’s pack."

"How did that happen? I thought they would never accept a female."

"I thought the same, but it seems we were wrong. Lyall said it wasn’t my business, but from what I understood, she earned the right to join."

"And why is she trouble for you?"

*Because thinking about her is enough to awaken something wild inside me.* But Deimos didn’t need to know that.

"She thinks I’m guilty of everything, despite me only trying to help her. She also said I’m not trustworthy, just a coward, useless, and that my father is turning in his grave in shame and disappointment."

That was more proof of how reckless she was, daring to say such words to me. And it hadn’t been the first time she dared to mention my father.

She was using him to try to shame me as if she had the right as if she had known him. Why did she think she had that right?

Wait... I sat up on the sofa, struck by a sudden flash of memory.

*She was Drystan’s daughter.*

"Damn... It can’t be."

"What?"

"She’s the daughter of my father’s best friend."

Like a puzzle being assembled, fragments of memories slowly surfaced in my mind.

*Two children running and playing through the castle corridors and the garden. Morana and me.*

"Are you sure?" Deimos questioned.

"Yes, now everything makes sense. I think they used to visit us when I was a boy."

"Well, then it seems your trouble just turned into our solution."

"Considering she’s determined to hate me, I’m not so sure," I said, trying to push away the feeling of nostalgia.

"You just need to make her understand that you two have the same goal."

Maybe he was right. But I knew it wouldn’t be so easy when it came to her. However, now everything made sense.

Her mentions of my father, and the feeling she provoked in me. All this time, she had access to memories I didn’t. We had a shared past.

But that still didn’t explain why she made me lose control in that alley, or why the animal inside me felt so possessive towards her.

We were just children at that time, and no matter how hard I tried, my memories were just blurs.

Did she mean something to me? I never lost control, much less because of a female.

This worried me because maybe she represented a weakness. And as much as I was determined to stay away from her, it seems fate had different plans for me.

"It looks like tomorrow will be even harder than I thought," I reflected, realizing I wouldn’t only have to face the arrival of my new bride, but also turn to Morana.

And after our encounter tonight, I doubted she’d be willing to help me with anything.