Chapter 109: Chapter 109

The parents of the twins got in touch with us about a day after the incident. Despite having the address of the safe house, there was no way to establish contact with the outside world, as there were no phone devices in the house, and our own mobile phones had been lost or damaged in the chaos.

“They don’t plan on coming here,” Ethan tried to calm me. “David’s men could be anywhere. It would be reckless to attract trouble by getting closer.”

Despite appreciating the time with the twins, the hours were filled with unease. It was hard not to feel like the world was holding its breath, waiting for the next move. David had taken an obvious first step by ordering my capture along with Aly and the twins. It was our turn, but we lacked the resources to act.

Both Aly and Nicolas stayed in their rooms for most of the day, coming downstairs at different times. While this might have been a coincidence, I had a clear sense that they were avoiding each other. I recalled the previous night and the interaction between them, wondering if something more had happened after she closed the door behind them.

Indeed, Lucy had stayed in the living room all night. The twins and I had descended to her wrapped in blankets, with snacks scattered around her. Although she didn’t go into details, Lucy talked about her extensive family and the close relationship among them.

The day moved slowly, but the twins found ways to distract me. I really felt that they needed this distraction too. It was evident that they were worried not only about the countless white wolves confined in David’s domain but also about their own pack.

The reality of war was not something an eighteen-year-old anticipated living through. Where once the concept had been clear in my mind, it was now confusing. Despite the confusion and guilt, I knew I had to stay strong. It was no longer just about my freedom but the freedom of thousands.

I found it hard to fall asleep that night. The buzzing in my ears intensified in the overwhelming silence as I stared at the darkness covering the ceiling. The twins were already asleep, but I was certain that any whisper would wake them.

I was the first to notice the faint knock on the door, like a whisper. Both Liam and Ethan woke up, consciousness returning to their eyes.

I could have thought I was dreaming when Ethan opened the door, revealing a pale Nicolas leaning against the threshold. We all remained silent as Nicolas entered, his eyes finally meeting mine after a gesture of annoyance. He seemed to struggle to stand, suppressing and concealing his pain until his entire body throbbed.

“Remember that Aly is the expert in medical matters,” I informed him, crossing my arms. “You’ll have to overcome your reservations about her if you want her to heal your wounds.”

“I’m not here for medical attention,” he said through gritted teeth, his eyes turned to ice. “I’m here because it’s the only way to talk to you without her knowing. You know how difficult it is to get along with her. I don’t need her interfering with our plans, especially when they could tip the balance in this war.”

“We’ll deal with the Aly issue later. But explain your strategy,” I lowered my tone to a disdainful murmur, “Hiding in the shadows isn’t sustainable for long, Nicolas, especially in something of this magnitude. It’s not just about rescuing a few white wolves anymore; it’s bigger than that.”

“I understand the situation we’re in, more than you think. I’m about to give my damn order,” he g*****d, slowly making his way to the couch at the end of the room. There was pain in his stiff movements, even though they seemed formal and polite. Shadows lay deep in his eyes, and his emotions were as masked as when he was sober. “I fully intend to step out of the shadows at the right moment. When you’ve taken my father’s head, it will be me who dethrones him.”

Although I had great disdain for Nicolas and only tolerated him for the sake of the war and Aly, that was precisely what we needed. We needed an advantage, a trump card against the most powerful figure in our world.

“What’s your strategy?” Liam was the one who asked, his expression a mix of hostility and determination.

“First, I need you to clarify something for me,” Nicolas said, his gaze directly on me. “How did my father find out we were involved in rescuing your friend?”

I guessed that Sven hadn’t had the chance to inform Nicolas about how he was dragged and tortured, but they had been actively collaborating, implying that he trusted him with the truth.

“A white wolf David brought in was able to see the memory in my mind when she touched me,” I explained as best I could, mentioning the woman who had crossed my path.

“It must be Sabine. She works for my father with unwavering dedication. You’ll find not all white wolves are dissatisfied with their roles. Some thrive in cruelty as much as my father,” Nicolas spoke with a somber tone. “The positive here is that Sabine can only see one memory at a time, and she has to know what to look for. My father probably provided her with information about your missing friend, and she followed that lead in your mind.”

“Is that a good thing?” Ethan inquired, settling in beside me on the couch. We were sitting between the twins, grateful not to be still tossing and turning in bed. I hoped that discussing war plans would help calm my mind. “David wouldn’t have a reason to trust you knowing you’ve helped us.”

“Sabine’s abilities are like watching a summary of a TV show. She can’t hear your thoughts or much of the conversation. The longer she spends with you, the more details she can gather. She must have seen enough for my father to suspect who’s involved,” he explained, his gaze fixed on the darkness through the window. “This means he still doesn’t know anything about my connection to the white wolves. He also has no knowledge of our pact or the reasons behind my help.”

“Do you plan to tell him a story, something that will satisfy him?” I summarized, feeling a knot in my stomach for both Aly and Nicolas. “You plan to go back.”

“Yes, I plan to. I’ll leave tomorrow night,” he replied calmly, showing no emotion in his voice. “I’ll destabilize his pack from the inside while you gather your forces.”

That part of me that still retained traits of the frightened human girl wanted to run. All of this was becoming too real for her; the magical fantasy was gradually darkening. She had signed up for eternal and infinite love, not magical enslavement, lordships, and lies.

“How… how does war work?” I asked, and although the question wasn’t foolish at all, I felt a certain insecurity in asking it.

“Packs always formally announce acts of war against each other. These events are recorded so that we can always remember our history,” surprisingly, it was Nicolas who answered. He almost seemed to want to talk, maybe to distract himself from the internal turmoil. “Sometimes an Alpha will challenge another to a single duel to prevent their packs from suffering the pain and loss of a full-blown war.”

“I guess David wouldn’t be interested in a single duel,” I added, trying to sound ironic, although the tone quickly faded.

“My father won’t show such consideration. He’ll use every bit of power at his disposal, even if it means sending his warriors to their deaths,” Nicolas spoke solemnly. “Most of the warriors are mere formalities, bodies to protect the white wolves, who are the most powerful.”

“What story do you plan to tell David?” Ethan questioned, his dark eyes gleaming in the dim room’s light. “I suppose you’ll portray Sussan and me as enemies.”

“Although it sounds bad, I believe it’s the smartest option,” I frowned. “That’s what David is trying to achieve, showing the world who the villains are. If his own son shows up telling a story about how we held him against his will, it will give him even more reason to believe it.”

“So, what’s the story?” Ethan asked with a growl, and some of the hardness in his gaze softened when our eyes met.

“Well, we captured Nicolas when he wasn’t prepared and attacked him. We forced him to help us rescue Liam and left him in one of the hotel suites when we were done,” I suggested, aware that the story had holes, but it was the best I could come up with at three in the morning.

“Anyway, they’ll torture me, so I’d better clarify things in my version,” Nicolas spoke calmly, showing no trace of emotion. What hurt the most was his indifference, as if that kind of punishment was normal during his upbringing.

“Won’t Sabine use her abilities on you once you return home?” I pointed out, knowing that could derail their plans before they even started.

“Once I’m in my father’s pack, I’ll have my own allies. Among the white wolves, there are many protective abilities, and quite a few owe me one or two favors,” Nicolas replied without looking away from the window. “But we’ll need more details. If you and Ethan subdued me, why didn’t I mentally connect with my father or his men?”

I hesitated for a moment, reorganizing the steps in my mind.

“We used silver against you, enough to stun you and sever your connection with the pack,” I explained at a slow pace, feeling the pieces falling into place.

“Until we went to the hotel, you had no idea the house existed. Won’t David notice that?” Ethan raised, making an excellent point.

“I’ll tell him I knew all along,” Nicolas shrugged and looked Ethan in the eyes. “I know he bought it almost a year and a half ago and who the buyer was. That should be enough proof for him.”

“Once we rescued Liam, we left you in one of the hotel suites. We knew you couldn’t miss that meeting or you’d attract attention, so we injected you enough to stun you for an hour. You disappeared just in time for the meeting, which you then joined. You didn’t have a chance to tell David what happened, as the meeting had already begun,” I concluded, feeling quite satisfied with my explanation.

“And Lucy? Won’t she find out from Sussan’s memory that she was also present?” Ethan pointed out.

“Your skepticism is really proving useful in this case, brother,” Liam smiled next to me.

“How long did Sabine touch you?” Nicolas asked, his voice tense. “I need you to be as precise as possible.”

“It couldn’t have been more than a few seconds, but I can’t be sure,” I replied.

“It’s a risk we must take,” Nicolas spoke with determination. “She was with Ethan in the first half. Hopefully, that’s the part Sabine saw.”

Although I wasn’t exactly thrilled about sending Nicolas back to his father, it wasn’t a bad plan. If it worked, it would provide us with the desperately needed advantage. In the end, it was Nicolas’s decision, but there was still something that troubled me. I could feel it in my chest, pecking and scratching as it became evident.

“Why can’t we tell her, Nicolas?” my voice suddenly broke in. “She understands as well as anyone that one makes their own choices. If this works, it could change things, but it’s her decision to take that risk.”

“She won’t know anything about it, Sussan,” Nicolas replied harshly, his cold demeanor taking on a bitter edge. I could hardly sense any of his emotions; he had built a wall around them, brick by brick, both Nicolas and his father had constructed that wall. “I don’t want her involved in what I’m doing, and not for the sentimental reasons I’m sure you’re imagining right now. She has no place in all of this. I may be stuck working with you three, but she’s a distraction for me.”

I wasn’t sure if he realized that the last part had slipped out, but his anger was palpable. The twins tensed on either side of me, but I signaled for them to calm down.

Since the moment Nicolas had appeared at the twins’ cabin door, I had felt absolutely nothing from him. The wall surrounding him was thick granite, impenetrable and solid. After meeting Aly, that wall had started cracking and eroding, consumed by her intensity and passion. That wall was meant to break, and I only hoped Aly would be free of the explosion when it finally happened.

Against my better judgment, I continued to press. I was finally doing the right thing, confronting David in the only way that mattered. I was stepping into the light and accepting my role in creating this new future, but I still didn’t understand why Aly couldn’t be a part of that future with him. A future where David wasn’t there to control him, a future where he was free to choose Aly.

“What you’re doing doesn’t make sense, Nicolas. Has David hurt you so much that you can’t see what you’re giving up? She’s literally meant for you in every stubborn sense,” I said, hardening my voice when I saw his anger reflected in his eyes. “We’re trying to change things for everyone, to create something new and better. There’s no reason to do this to her. She deserves better, and yet you’re burdening her with this.”

Anger sizzled and burned through the cracks in his wall, though his emotion wasn’t as fiery as Aly’s. Nicolas’s anger manifested as icy lashes and webs of bitterness.

“I don’t have to explain anything to you, absolutely nothing,” he spat with fury, his voice dripping with anger.

He got up from the sofa, his hands trembling as he clenched them at his sides. He didn’t even bother to look at the twins as he turned and walked stiffly out of the room.

Just as he opened the door, I spoke loudly enough for him to hear me.

“Your emotions show when you’re drunk, Nicolas. You can’t hide that.”

The door clicked shut, plunging the room into brittle silence once again.

Nicolas’s plan was solid, but it came with obvious dangers. In my mind, Aly had a right to know. She was part of this mess. While I supported Nicolas’s choice, I knew I couldn’t keep this from her.

My hopes about the war meetings and the dream had come true. Trapped between Liam and Ethan, with nothing but the warmth of their bodies and a thin sheet to keep me warm, I floated in that blissful space between sleep and wakefulness.

My eyes opened as I felt a dagger of sunlight pierce through my brain. Aware of nothing but the pain and the sheet tangled around my legs, I grimaced and sat up.

“Get dressed, honey,” Ethan grumbled, passing by me at an unusual speed. A T-shirt and a pair of jeans were thrown on the bed in front of me, but my mind was still struggling to get going. Instead of asking questions, I got up and took a few minutes to get dressed. Maybe I was doing it slowly because Liam came over to help me.

“You have a really deep sleep,” he smiled, sliding my arms through the T-shirt sleeves.

“Did something happen?” I asked, trying to keep the bewilderment out of my voice.

“Yes, something happened,” Liam replied gruffly, his relaxed expression transformed into one of frustration. “Nicolas left last night.”

The news hit me like a bucket of ice-cold water, instantly waking me up. Liam and I headed downstairs to find an angry Aly and Ethan, who seemed to be taking the brunt of it.

“Were you going to tell me?” Aly exploded, her eyes narrowed at Ethan. When she realized that Liam and I were standing in the doorway, her emerald eyes settled on us. “Did any of you intend to tell me?”

“I would have told you, I swear,” I assured her, leaving Liam’s side to step forward. I could feel the anger and betrayal radiating from her, cutting into my skin like sharp knives. I struggled to hide the pain, hoping she could see the truth, that I wouldn’t keep something like this from her, especially about her own partner.

“The moment Nicolas told us his plans, Sussan made the absolute decision in her mind to tell you,” Ethan spoke for me, meeting Aly’s gaze without blinking. His voice was strong and firm as he spoke. “By my honor and my brother’s as Alphas, Sussan had every intention of telling you before Nicolas left.”

Gradually, the suspicion in her eyes faded, taking the pain in my chest with it.

The rest of the day was filled with tension as the imminent feeling that the world was holding its breath intensified.

After a few hours of mindless TV watching and exploring the house, I was ready to get out of there. More than violence and betrayal, I hated waiting, waiting for something to happen.

When the wall clock struck ten, the chalkboard on the table erupted with a shrill noise.

Liam rushed into the room with a plate of food in his hand, but he undoubtedly forgot its existence. There was nothing on the TV screen, just darkness. The shrill sound of the blank screen continued for a few more seconds until a click resonated through the wall-mounted TV.

The screen flickered, filling with bright light and the enlarged image of Sven Ross’s face.

He stood just a few meters from the camera, his dark hair tousled on his head. The leather jacket he was wearing was torn in places, and the patches were peeling off. He stared directly into the camera and began to speak.

“Hello, Sussan. If you’re watching this message, it means I’m in trouble.”