CILAPTER
feeling, share it with me
r the rogues, my father everything Thesitated, unsure how to put my thoughts into words. “Tijs worried.“1 finally carl “About Charlie. He nodded, his thumb brashing over the back of my kind. “Well figure it out together. Your and Churle are my priority, and I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you both sate
His unwavering confidence was both comforting and miniating “What if my father really was involved with the rogue | asked
“Then we’ll deal with it,” he said firmly “But you’re not responsible for has choices. Whatever he did, it doesn’t define you learned that a long time
Hooked into his eyes, searching for any hint of doubt, but found none. He believed every word he was saying, and for the first me in a long while, I believed it to.
“Thank you.” I said softly,
He smiled, leaning in to presele kiss in my forehead. “Get some rest,” he said as he stood.
As he let 1 curled up in bed, his words replaying in my mind. The road ahead was uncertain, but for the first time, I didn’t feel like I was walking it
pory I had buried long ago, a memory I wished I could keep
me into a memory When 1 finally dried off to sleep, my mind betrayed ww, pulling me into a thie
forrotten.
In my dream. I was a little girl again, no older than ten anraking down the long condor of my father’s house. The floorboards created beneath my bare feet, and I froze holding my breath. The faint glow of candlelight spilled from the study, and I could hear muffled voices, my father’s voice and someone clics is beca
Terept closer, my heart pounding with each step. I wasn’t supposed to be there, but curiosity got the better of me. My father had always bern secretive, keeping me out of the rooms whenever he discussed “important matters.” But that night, something felt different. There was a tension in the air, weight that made me feel as though I needed to know what was happening.
I crouched by the door, pressing my ear against the cool wood.
They know these bands better
“They’ll never it coming” my father’s deep voice rumbled. “An alliance with the rogues puts us at an advantage. They than anyone.”
“But the pack” his bera hesitated. “They won’t approve of this, Alpha. It’s dangerous, ”
“The pack doesn’t need to know.” my facher supped Tmake the decisions not them. And when the time comes, they’ll thank me for it.” My stomach chumed a cold sweat breaking out on my skin. Rogues. Even as a child, I knew what they were, will, dangerous, and unpredictable. Why would my father, the Alpha, align himself with them!
I shafted slightly, trying to get closer, but the moverent caused the door to creak. The voices inside supped abruptly.
“Did you hear that?” his beta asked.
“Who’s there?” my father barked
Parur flooded me, and I hoked down the hallway, my tiny feet barely making bound as i daned into the nearest hiding spot, a linen closet. I pressed myself again the wall, clinching a blanket to my chest as if it could shield me from what was coming
I heard his heavy footsteps before I saw him. The door to the closet swung open, and there be stood, towering over me, has face a mask of fury. “What do you think you’re doing, sneaking around where you don’t belong?” he demanded““.
“Iwant_“Istammered.
“Don’t lie to me,” he growled, grabbing me by the arm and pulling me out of the closet. “How much did you hear!”
“Nothing!” Fred, tears streaming down my face. “I didn’t hear anything Lowear!”
He didn’t believe me. He dragged in back to the study, his grip like iron, and threw me in the room. The beta looked away, his expression unreadable, ar my father loomed over me.
“If you ever so much as thank about eavesdropping on me again, you’ll regret it,” he said coldly.
Then came the punishment, hours of grueling tasks, physical and mental, designed to freak me down and teach me a lesson I wouldn’t forget.. worked. By the time he was done, I was too exhausted to remember anything clearly. The conversation about rogues was wiped from my misl replaced by fear and subenission.
When I woke up my body jolted as if I had been falling. My chest heaved, and any hands clutched the blankets tightly. The dream felt so real, as if 1 had been trangested back to that moment.
I sat up in bed, munting a hand through my hair, damp with sweat. The room was
and silent, ban the echoes of his voter still rang in my e
IL
I took a deep barath, trying to steady myself “It was just a dream,” I whispered all, though I knew it wasn’t entirely true. It had happened—maybe not meantly and remembered at, but the cour of it was er
spartly to the kitchen Arupod tea would help calmniny nerves
to sleep. I slippedum of bed, wrapping a robe arou
ed, wrapping a robe around myself, and padde
As I waited for the water to boil, I beard footsteps behind me. I tumed to see Aragon standing in the doorway, his brow furrowed with concem.
“Youre up early.” he said.
CHAPTER 90
“Couldn’t sleep.” [replied, turning back to the stove.
He came a lover, leaning against the counter. “Nightmare?”
I nuudded, not trusting myself to speak.
He reached out, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. “Do you want to talk about it!
Thesitated, staring at the kettle as if it held the answers. “It was about my father,” Ladmitted finally
Aragon didn’t press me, waiting patiently for me to contiaine.
“When) was leile, I overbe and him talking about aliging with rogues.” I said. “He caught me and punished me until I couldn’t even remember
slut Theard. But now, now it’s coming back to me,
Ha grip on my shoulder tightened slightly, a silent reassurance. “It makes sense why you’re so conflicted about him now,” he said. “But you’re not that little girl anymore. You’re stronger than he ever gave you credia for”.
Humed to face lüm, tears brimming in my eyes. “What if he was right, thought”
turned me to lace him. “He is not right. That man ika momter.“
We both from and turned to the doorway to find Charlie standing there.
