The following morning, Erald woke feeling like her skin didn’t quite fit.
Sleep had found her, but it had been shallow, filled with strange dreams of locked doors, suffocating walls, and the echo of fire crackling just outside her reach.
But it wasn’t the dreams that haunted her most; it was Talia’s words.
"If you’re smart... you’ll leave too."
Was she right?
Erald sat on the edge of the bed, fingers curled tight around the soft fabric of her leggings.
Every part of her wanted to deny it. Wanted to believe Lucien wasn’t capable of everything she’d been told. That there was another side. That maybe, just maybe, there had been so noble reason behind it all.
But that voice was quieter now.
Because soone had tried to kill her... twice, and Lucien had done nothing. Even worse, he’d watched it happen. Then, he lied when she asked what was going on.
And now she had a decision to make.
"Enough," she muttered.
Without waiting a mont longer, she stood and strode out of her room. Her footsteps echoed sharply in the corridor, drawing the curious glances of passing servants. She ignored them all. There was only one place she needed to be.
Lucien’s wing.
She reached his door and, without knocking, pushed it open. "Lucien..."
She froze.
He was there, standing by the fireplace, the warm glow creating a cosy atmosphere around him. Dressed only in a towel hanging low around his waist, his upper body was bare and glistening with droplets of water from his recent shower.
The morning light stread through the window, highlighting his tattoos: dark swirling patterns that slithered across his chest and down his toned arms.
When he caught sight of her, his eyes widened in shock, and the mate bond pulsed between them.
Erald’s heart betrayed her, skipping a beat before catching fire.
A warmth began to rise in her stomach. It wasn’t anger this ti; it was sothing different. Sothing that felt dangerous and exciting.
Erald snapped her gaze away. "Get dressed," she said quickly, turning on her heel. "I’ll wait."
There was a pause. "Rough night?" he asked casually, the sound of cloth shifting behind her as he obeyed.
She didn’t answer.
She looked at the neatly arranged books on his shelf, all organised by height and colour, reflecting his ticulous and controlled nature.
"Okay," Lucien said quietly after a mont. "You can turn around."
She did.
He’d pulled on a dark shirt and buttoned it halfway, though a wet lock of hair still clung to his temple. He looked older sohow, sharper.
"What happened?" he asked.
Erald didn’t hesitate; the warmth from just monts ago quickly evaporated into anger.
"I know," she said flatly.
He tilted his head slightly, his brow knitting in confusion. "Know what?"
"Don’t do that," she snapped. "Don’t pretend. I know the truth, Lucien."
He watched her quietly as if calculating how much she’d discovered.
Erald took a step closer, her voice dipping low, but still sharp. "I know what you did to your father."
Lucien’s expression shifted, his eyes clouding over.
He hesitated for a mont, and his mouth seed to move slightly, not in anger, but rather with seriousness. It felt like the calm just before a storm.
"Who told you?" he asked.
"Does it matter?"
"Yes," he said simply. "Because you shouldn’t have heard it from soone else."
Erald stepped forward. "That’s the part you’re upset about? That I found out the truth... without your permission?"
Lucien exhaled slowly. "Erald..."
She ignored him and went on. "You didn’t just overthrow him, did you? You killed him."
Lucien didn’t respond.
"Then you ca here," Erald continued, her voice rising. "To this pack. And you did the sa thing. You slaughtered the ones who resisted. You shut the borders; you silenced your people."
"They needed order," Lucien said in a quiet, almost gentle voice. "They needed a future. I gave them one."
"At what cost?" she barked. "You think you saved them? They hate you. They fear you."
Lucien stepped forward. "Erald..."
She stepped back imdiately. "Stay away from ."
He froze.
"I almost died because of you," she said, shaking. "You brought here. You knew people were angry. You knew soone might co after , and you still let it happen."
"I didn’t know it would go that far."
"You knew enough," she spat. "And you said nothing."
Lucien moved closer again. "Please. Let explain."
"I gave you every chance to explain," she hissed. "And you refused. You stood there and lied to with your silence."
"It’s not as black and white as you think. The people here..."
"Don’t give politics, Lucien. I’ve played that ga, and I’ve bled from it. You brought here to get away from chaos, and all you did was throw into a worse one."
Lucien’s face cracked then, for just a mont, showing sothing that looked like guilt.
"I’m not your pawn," she said. "And I’m sure as hell, not your shield."
"I never ant for any of this..."
"You don’t get to say that," she cut in. "Not after you let your guards attack won and children in your na. Not after I was almost burned alive in your walls."
Lucien took a breath. "If you knew everything... if I could explain it all... you’d understand why I had to do it this way."
"Then explain it," she challenged.
There was silence for a few seconds, followed by an exhale and a: "I’m sorry."
"Sorry?" she scoffed. "You’re sorry now? After bringing here to relive the sa fear I was trying to escape?"
He flinched, but said nothing.
"You..." she pointed a finger at him, eyes blazing, "...were the one I thought was rational. The steady one. The one who didn’t play gas. But you lied, Lucien. And you let believe I was safe when I wasn’t."
"I never ant for you to be hurt," he said, taking a careful step toward her. "If you just let explain..."
"Don’t co near ."
He stopped mid-step.
Lucien’s voice was low, strained. "Please, Erald, just..."
"I don’t want to hear it," she cut in. "Not anymore."
He looked like he’d been struck.
"I’m leaving," she said in a final tone. "I’m going to pack my things and call my uncle to send a car."
Lucien’s fists clenched at his sides, but he didn’t speak at first. "And what then?" he finally asked. "You’ll tell the council?"
Erald paused at the door, looking back. "I’ll do more than that. I’ll raise a motion to have you removed as Alpha for your tyranny."
Lucien’s eyes flickered. "Erald..."
"You can kiss your title goodbye."
And with that, she opened the door and slamd it behind her.
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