Chapter 75
Valencia’s POV
My lips parted, but no words came. What could I even say to that?
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His silver eyes stayed fixed on the ceiling, as though avoiding my reaction altogether. He said it so matter of factly that for a moment it didn’t seem like he
affected by any c
of this.
“My mother is Lethia, but Drogo is not my father,” he clarified, his voice even, though there was an underlying bitterness there now. “So, technically, I’m still part of the Kallistar family. But…” His gaze dropped to meet mine, hard and unflinching. “I’m not your blood brother.”
The words settled like a heavy weight in the room. I was still part of the Kallistar lineage. Still related to Ash, Celeste, and August. But not Aiden. A sudden
thought came to me then, was that why he treated me slightly different from the other. But then I shook my head. His change in attitude only happened recently, before that he was the same asshole as all others.
“Oh…” was all I could manage. What else was there to say? What was I supposed to do with that information?.
My curiosity got the better of me before I could stop myself. “Then does Alpha Drogo know about this?”
Aiden’s expression darkened, his face grim. “He found out… when I was five.”
I frowned, my stomach churning. “And he…?”
“Accepted me?” Aiden scoffed, the sound sharp and mocking. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “He had no choice. Mother was already pregnant with Ash by then… and she was already marked as Drogo’s mate.”
His eyes locked on mine, his jaw tight as though daring me to say something. I stayed silent.
Aiden exhaled sharply, breaking the tension as he bent down and grabbed a bag I hadn’t even noticed before. “Here. Change, and then we’ll talk.”
I hesitated, glancing toward the cupboard where Castor was hidden. The idea of leaving Aiden alone in the room, even for a few minutes, filled me with unease. What if he looked around? What if he found Castor?
But I didn’t have much of a choice. Suppressing the bubbling anxiety in my chest, I grabbed the bag and headed to the bathroom without a word.
The bathroom was small, the overhead light flickering faintly as opened the bag. My eyebrows shot up at the contents.
The first item was a plain beige balloon–sleeved midi dress, simple cotton and unassuming. The second item made my cheeks flush–a wine–red silk nightdress.
I stared at the nightdress for a moment, my lips pursed. There was no way I was wearing that. Even though it was nighttime, the thought of slipping into something even slightly suggestive in front of Aiden made my skin crawl. Especially now that I knew he wasn’t my blood brother.
I opted for the beige dress, pulling it on quickly. It was loose but comfortable, the soft fabric falling just below my knees. After brushing my teeth and splashing some water on my face to steady myself, I stepped out of the bathroom.
The sight that greeted me made me pause.
Aiden was lying on the bed, his arms crossed behind his head, his eyes closed. For a moment, I thought he might have fallen asleep. But then I remembered something Marcelene had once told me:
A soldier–especially a wolf–never truly falls asleep. Their senses are always sharp, always on edge. Since Aiden had been a
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Chapter 75
soldier for a decade now, he was probably more attentive than Marcy.
His scar caught my attention, the faint moonlight from the window illuminating the jagged line that ran down the side of his face. I frowned, a question forming in my mind before I could stop it.
“Aren’t Alpha wolves supposed to be great healers?” I blurted out “Why do you still have that scar?”
Aiden’s eyes opened slowly, his silver gaze locking onto mine. “This is courtesy of our father,” he said, his voice flat.
I froze, realizing with a start that I had spoken out loud.
Still, I didn’t apologize. Instead, I pressed
i taking the opportunity to satisfy my curiosity. “How did it not heal?”
He sat up, his movements slow and deliberate. “Have you seen Father’s dagger?”
I wracked my brain for a moment before the memory surfaced a ceremonial dagger passed down to Ash after Drogo’s death in my previous life. “The wolfsbane dagger?” I asked hesitantly.
Aiden nodded. “The same one. He used it on me when I disobeyed him for the first time.”
My stomach twisted at his words, and I had to look away. Wolfsbane was rare, almost extinct, and yet the blade infused with
its essence had been passed down as an heirloom. Lethal wolves, and nearly fatal to Alphas.
O
What had Drogo asked of him to make him disobey and get so severely punished? Suddenly I couldn’t ask, because whatever he did, it was still not worth hurting an innocent six year old over.
Aiden’s gaze raked over me, assessing, and I couldn’t help but ask. “Do you…. know who your father is?”
It would have been weird to ask someone else that question, but maybe because I now felt a sort of kinship towards him, considering that we both had cheating parents.
He hesitated. “I have a hunch…” But he didn’t elaborate, leaving me to drown in my own uncertainty.
Instead, he straightened, his silver eyes narrowing. “If you’re done interrogating me,” he said sharply, “explain to me why you’re here. Why you’re in this situation. Why you’re in the middle of your heat without Dante.”
His tone turned icy, his piercing gaze locking onto mine. “Did that bastar-
“Don’t call him that!” I snapped, cutting him off before he could finish.
و”
Aiden rolled his eyes, his lips curling into a faint sneer. “If you don’t want me to disrespect your dear husband,” he said mockingly, “then you’re going to have to explain why the hell you ran away.”
My throat tightened as his words hung in the air, heavy and accusatory.
I couldn’t tell him the truth. I couldn’t tell him about Caius, or the conversation I’d’overheard. I couldn’t tell him about the fear clawing at my chest, the dread that Dante might one day take Castor away from me.
Aiden’s sharp gaze bore into me, and I knew that if I lied, he’d see right through it,
“I… I changed my mind,” I said finally, the words tasting like ash in my mouth.
The room seemed to grow colder, the atmosphere tense.
Aiden stood abruptly, his towering frame casting a shadow over me as he closed the distance between us. My heart pounded as I took an instinctive step back, suddenly aware of just how big he was. Almost the same height as Dante.
“I know you’re lying,” he said, his voice low and deliberate. “Valencia, this is a big deal. I can’t just let you stay here if you
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Chapter 75
don’t explain it to me.”
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I swallowed hard, my hands trembling at my sides.
“Do you have any idea what’s on the line here?” Aiden pressed, 1
SEND GIFT
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Chapter 75
don’t explain it to me.”
I swallowed hard, my hands trembling at my sides.
“Do you have any idea what’s on the line here?” Aiden pressed, his tone growing graver with every word.
