Chapter 112
Naya stood frozen, a whisper escaping her lips, “No…”
Billy was lying. Naya knew he was. But as she looked into his eyes, a chilling certainty crept in—he wasn’t lying at all.
“It’s the truth, Naya,” he said, his expression softening, tinged with a trace of melancholia.
“Many years ago, when I was just a child, my parents were forced to leave because of an internal conflict within our pack. An ordinary servant of the Light Shadow Pack took me in and raised me as their own before they passed away. But I didn’t come from there. I belong to this pack, the Crimson Stone Pack. And my name isn’t Billy. It’s Ruben. I have alpha blood, and I’m the heir to this pack.”
As Naya listened, her mind spun with confusion, each word Billy spoke tightening the vise around her heart until it felt like it would shatter.
All along, the person she was destined to kill had been Billy.
How could this be?
How could it be him?
Why?
Why him?
Just then, the windows shattered, and two wolves burst in. A new battle erupted. Naya fought with everything she had, channeling all her confusion and rage into each strike as she fiercely took down wolf after wolf.
Soon, she found herself standing alone in the center of a room now reduced to ruins.
“Naya!” Her teammates’ voices echoed in the distance. When she looked up, her heart nearly stopped at the sight of a familiar figure—her father, Beta Alfredo, standing with the others.
With purposeful strides, he marched toward Naya, his expression grim and serious. Gripping her shoulders, he demanded, “Where is he? Where is the heir?”
Naya’s heart twisted painfully. For a moment, she couldn’t find her voice.
Then Billy appeared from the shadows, his tone dark and commanding, “Let her go.”
Beta Alfredo frowned, realization dawning on him.
Naya saw it in his eyes—he hadn’t known. Her father had been kept in the dark just like the rest of them. He hadn’t recognized Ruben’s face after all these years.
“You,” Beta Alfredo uttered, his gaze locking onto Billy. “You’re the Crimson Stone Pack’s heir?”
The five other members of the Midnight Seven froze, eyes wide in disbelief as they stared at Billy.
Jeffrey choked out a laugh, “Sir Alfredo, you must be mistaken.” He turned to Billy, “Hey, this isn’t the time for jokes. Come on, Billy!”
“Yeah, let’s find the real heir!” Reo insisted, but his voice wavered.
Sage, usually silent, finally spoke, making everyone halt. “That night… You shifted into your wolf form even without an alpha present. Your abilities far exceed those of a beta fighter like us. You… You were never a beta.”
Jeffrey froze, then shook his head, forcing out a dry laugh. “This isn’t funny anymore. Stop it… Hey, Billy. It’s a joke, right?”
A tear slipped down Kevin’s cheek as he looked at Billy, his face twisted in pain. “I won’t accept this… Sage must be wrong, right, Billy? Tell us it’s not you! You’re not the heir!”
Nile clenched his fists, his voice rough with anger. “Damn it! You trained with us. You fought alongside us. What was all of that for? Answer me!”
But Billy remained silent.
The five members of the Midnight Seven stared at him, the weight of the truth crashing down on them. But there was no time to process it, no time to grieve. Beta Alfredo’s voice cut through the air, cold and decisive, “Kill Billy.”
Billy didn’t flinch. But soon, soldiers of the Crimson Stone Pack appeared, even their generals stepping forward to protect him.
Jeffrey found himself face to face with an enemy soldier, but when the chance came to charge at Billy, he hesitated, his wide eyes trembling with uncertainty.
“What are you doing? Beta Alfredo said to kill him!” one of the head soldiers barked.
Even Reo approached Jeffrey with a hollow look, quietly pointing out, “Your hand is bleeding.”
Jeffrey glanced down, realizing he had gripped his blade so tightly that his palm was bleeding. But the physical pain was nothing compared to the turmoil within, a chaos that tore at his very soul.
He let out a shaky breath, “What the hell…”
When they snapped back to look for Billy, he was gone.
Naya joined her team, her eyes cold and determined. “You heard Beta Alfredo. As the right hand of Alpha Reid, his orders are absolute.”
She paused, then turned to Sage, masking her emotions behind a stern facade. “You’ve known about Billy’s abilities for a while… Tell us everything you know.”
They had to treat Billy like any other enemy they faced if they were to defeat him.
Sage began to recount everything she had noticed about Billy, her words hanging in the heavy silence that filled the room.
The listeners remained quiet, their faces drained of color, their eyes vacant. But they had to continue fighting for their pack… because that was the only right thing to do.
After dividing the troops, Naya headed into the woods, following the faint traces she sensed could be Billy’s. The air grew thicker, heavy with the first signs of rain. Naya’s heart pounded in her chest as a voice from deep within her echoed in her mind: ‘After the drought, rain will pour. The sun will disappear behind the full blood moon, and a jade comet will come. The descendant will rise and take his throne, all packs bowing down to him.’
Dark clouds began to gather above, lightning crackling in the distance.
Despite the foreboding atmosphere, Naya pressed on, sprinting through the woods until she reached an old tower, guarded by five sentries. Her wolf urged her forward, sensing Billy inside.
Remembering her father’s orders, she attacked, taking down the guards one by one. She entered the tower, quickly scanning her surroundings for any sign of Billy. She climbed the stairs, her heart racing, until she reached the top floor.
With a moment’s hesitation, she pushed open the door.
She froze as a memory flashed through her mind.
This tower… It was the same one where the heir—Ruben—had once resided, where his mother and sister had visited him.
“Naya.”
She started at the sound of her name, spinning around to find Billy standing next to a large piece of furniture.
Naya’s entire demeanor shifted as she entered battle mode, her eyes narrowing to slits as she unsheathed her weapon, a cold glare fixed on Billy. Her breath was steady, controlled, like a predator eyeing its prey. Billy, however, remained unfazed, his expression calm as ever, as if the imminent clash meant nothing to him.
“I’m not here to fight you, Naya. I just want to talk,” he said, his voice steady, almost pleading.
But Naya wasn’t one for words, especially not in moments like this. Without hesitation, she lunged at Billy, her weapon slicing through the air with lethal precision.
“Naya!” Billy called out, his voice filled with desperation, but she was relentless, her attacks a flurry of rage and precision. The room around them became a battleground, furniture splintering and walls cracking under the force of their struggle.
Yet, Billy never struck back. He only defended, expertly blocking her every strike, his movements fluid and practiced, as if this was something he had prepared for.
The fight spilled outside, their bodies crashing through the walls, rolling across the ground. Naya was on top of him in an instant, her weapon poised to strike as she straddled his chest. Billy’s hands shot up, gripping her wrists, holding her at bay with all his strength.
“You shouldn’t be doing this,” he gritted out through clenched teeth. “It’s my fault. I know it’s my fault…”
Naya’s eyes flickered with confusion, her grip on the weapon wavering. Why would Billy say that? What was he talking about?
Billy’s voice softened, a pained expression crossing his face. “I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you,” he whispered.
Naya’s breath hitched. His words sliced through her like a knife. “Shut up…” she breathed, her voice trembling.
Billy’s hands pressed harder against hers, his voice filled with sorrow. “It’s my fault, and I’m ready to face the consequences. But before you do this, I need you to understand that I never meant to betray you. I’ve always been on your side, from the beginning… even now, I’m on your side.”
Naya’s vision blurred, her hands trembling as the weight of her weapon felt suddenly too heavy to bear. Her thoughts were a whirlwind of confusion and doubt, clouding her resolve.
From a distance, Beta Alfredo’s voice boomed, echoing like thunder across the sky. “What are you waiting for, Naya? Do it! Avenge your mother and sister!”
Like a marionette with its strings pulled, Naya’s body responded automatically, resuming her attack with renewed fury. Billy continued to evade her strikes, his defense as effortless as ever, though his eyes held a deep, unspoken pain.
Naya’s mind was in chaos, her emotions a maelstrom of rage and confusion. She fought blindly, her movements becoming more erratic, driven by the desperate need to fulfill the task her father had entrusted to her.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught glimpses of the chaos around her—her teammates clashing with enemy soldiers, the familiar figure of Luna Alicia standing amidst the fray, and even members of the West Wood Pack who had inexplicably joined the battle. But all of it was just noise, drowned out by the singular focus in her mind: Billy.
She broke through the line of defenders, cutting down anyone who dared stand between her and her target. Nothing mattered except completing her mission. Her father’s voice echoed in her head, pushing her forward.
When another opportunity presented itself, Naya didn’t hesitate. She rushed at Billy, pinning him against the tower with brutal force, her dagger pressed dangerously close to his throat. The world seemed to stop around them, soldiers freezing in place, their faces pale with terror as they cried out in unison, “Alpha Prince!”
But it was Luna Alicia’s scream that pierced the air, louder than all the rest. “Stop!” She broke free from Zeke’s grasp and ran towards them, tears streaming down her face. “Please stop! Stop hurting each other! Don’t kill your brother, Rosanne!”
The revelation was a bombshell, dropping into the stunned silence like a stone in a pond. Everyone froze, their eyes widening in shock—everyone except Beta Alfredo, whose expression remained unreadable.
Naya, still holding the dagger to Billy’s throat, was paralyzed with disbelief. Brother? The word echoed in her mind, her grip faltering as she stared down at Billy. His gaze met hers, filled with a sorrow she couldn’t comprehend, before he looked away, his expression haunted.
“Brother…?” Jeffrey’s voice was a whisper, barely audible in the stunned silence. “You’re siblings…?”
Wiping away her tears, Luna Alicia confirmed it with a voice filled with anguish. “That’s right. These two are siblings. They are the daughter and son of my elder sister, Louisa.”
As she began to recount the events that had transpired years ago, Naya felt as though her body was being submerged in ice water. The cold liquid seemed to course through her veins, numbing her senses, until it reached her mind, unleashing a flood of images—no, memories—long buried in the recesses of her mind.
She saw Louisa, her mother, fiercely protecting a young Ruben at the bottom of a cliff, her body battered but alive.
“Mama…” Ruben’s voice trembled as tears spilled from his eyes.
A stranger had appeared then, offering help. When Naya recognized the man’s face, a new wave of shock hit her. It was Alpha Jake himself, accompanied by a woman who looked like she could have been Kael’s mother.
They had saved Louisa and Ruben, but when they returned to aid them further, the mother and son were gone.
Louisa had taken Ruben to the lake, desperately searching for Fabian, her husband, but instead, she had encountered Gaston and Alfredo.
“Where’s Fabian?” she had demanded, her voice barely steady.
Gaston had avoided her gaze, his silence more damning than words.
Alfredo had delivered the crushing news, “He was captured by the Crimson Stone Pack.”
Louisa’s world had crumbled. She had backed away, nearly collapsing under the weight of the revelation.
“We can help save him,” Gaston had offered, his tone calculated. “But only if you join our pack.”
“Join you?” Louisa had echoed, her voice filled with disbelief.
“Light Shadow Pack. Alpha Reid will be taking over soon,” Gaston had explained. “We need the best fighters, and that includes you and Fabian.”
Louisa had felt nothing but disgust. At a time when she was on the brink of losing everything, Gaston and Alfredo had seen only an opportunity to strengthen their pack. Trusting them had no longer been an option.
Later, as Ruben had suffered from a high fever, Louisa had tended to him, her heart breaking as he murmured in his delirium, “Mama… What about Rosanne? Where’s she?”
“She’s with your aunt Sandra,” Louisa had reassured him, wiping the sweat from his brow. “They’re safe.”
But Ruben’s pain had been palpable, his small hand clutching his chest. “Then why does it hurt here? I think she’s in pain… I want to see her, Mama… Please make sure she’s okay…”
When Fabian had finally returned, bloodied and battered, Louisa had been horrified. He had narrowly escaped death to warn them.
“You need to leave,” Fabian had urged, his voice a ragged whisper. “Take Ruben and never come back.”
“Why?” Louisa had asked, fear tightening around her heart.
“They’re planning to use Ruben,” Fabian had revealed. “The elders… the leaders… They want to turn him into a weapon to fight the descendant of the alpha king. We can’t let that happen. Whatever you do, keep Ruben away from the Crimson Stone Pack.”
Ruben, his fever having broken due to his alpha blood, had overheard the conversation. Though his body was healing, his heart had ached with the same pain, a visceral connection to his sister, Rosanne.
The family had fled to the lake, hoping to reunite with Sandra and Rosanne on the other side. But they had been ambushed by a group of rogues, forcing Fabian and Louisa to defend their son with every ounce of strength they had left.
When the situation had grown dire, Fabian had made the ultimate sacrifice. “Go, Louisa! Take Ruben and run! I’ll hold them off!”
Louisa had been torn, the bond with her mate screaming at her to stay and fight alongside him. But Fabian’s command had been clear. She had taken Ruben’s hand and fled, her heart shattering as she left her mate behind.
Fabian, though severely injured, had continued to fight, desperate to protect his family. But his strength had waned, and just as he had thought he might escape, another group had appeared, led by none other than General Hans of the Crimson Stone Pack. Fabian had been captured, his fate sealed as darkness claimed him.