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    bChapter /bb219 /b

    Dario’s POV

    I couldn’t stop staring at her.

    Her expression morphed from shock to something else. That horrified look? It vanished, reced by something colder, unreadable.

    Finally, Amara spoke. “Yes,” she said, her voice soft but firm.

    “What?” I wasn’t sure I heard her right.

    She looked at me, a light chuckle escaping her lips, “I said yes. You were asking me for an answer. Well, here it is. Yes. I do want Dorian for myself”

    My jaw clenched. Anger surged, hot and bitter. “Are you serious?”

    She raised an eyebrow, her tone a little mocking. “Are you going to judge me now, Dario? That a widow might want the most powerful, the most handsome man in thend of the Lycans?”

    I narrowed my eyes. “No. But-”

    She cut me off, her words quick and sharp. “Nora, before he passed, told me he wanted me to be happy. That I had the right to find my own joy after everything. So, if he didn’t have an issue with it, why should you?”

    I couldn’t help myself. “Dorian was his best friend.”

    She didn’t even flinch. “And I loved him. But Nora wanted me to live, Dario. He was sorry for leaving me so young and alone. But you-” Her voice cracked, her fists clenched. “You think I’m betraying him by wanting to find someone to stand by me after everything?”

    A sharp pain Lance through me at the mention of Nora, at the mention of the past. “When did you develop feelings for Dorian? Was it… was it before or after my brother died?”

    Her eyes shed, and the shock in her voice was immediate. “What?! Dario, are you really questioning me right now? After everything?”

    I opened my mouth, words slipping out before I could catch them. “Sorry. But I have to ask-”

    “I loved your brother!” She shouted it, her voice raw. Tears welled up, her chest heaving as if each word took more of her strength. “Don’t you dare question that. No one–not even the Moon Goddess–can take that from me. I carried his child, Dario. His child! And you know what they said? Even your father told me it was fine if I got rid of it. But I didn’t. I kept him. I raised Bryn on my own. For five fucking years! And you have the nerve to ask me if l loved your brother?”

    I could feel her fury, see it in the way her body shook, the fire in her eyes. My throat tightened as I watched her, at a loss for words.

    Her breath was ragged nowb, /btears streaming freely. The silence that stretched between us was heavy.

    I could barely hear my own voice when I finally spoke. “Sorry. I… I was being a jerk.”

    She didn’t look at me, her gaze fixed on Nora’s tombstone. The sadness that had clouded her face was still there, but now it was colder, more resigned.

    The wind rustled through the graveyard, the only sound that could be heard.

    “I don’t me you for loving Dorian,” I said quietly, my voice low. “Any woman would. And… honestly, you two would’ve made a great couple. But…” My heart sank, my stomach twisted. “He’s with ra now.”

    Her eyes narrowed, cold as ice. “And that’s why you’re going to kill her for me.”

    The words hit me like a p to the face. “No.” The word was out before I could stop it. “I tried. Once. I failed. Maybe fate decided ra bdeserves /bbto /bblive/bb./b”

    She stepped forward, her finger jabbing into my chest, her words venomous. “I don’t care what fate wants, I care about what I want, bDano/b. bAnd /bbyou /bowe me. You owe me for Nora. For everything”

    I swallowed hard. “I don’t owe you murder.”

    Her expression twisted, something darker in her eyes now. “Do you remember what happened the night Nora died? You were supposed to have dinner with him, right? But you stayedte with your ‘patrol.‘ He had to order takeout. That’s when he got poisoned. That’s when he died. Think about it, Darie If you hadn’t skipped that dinner, if you had been there, Nora would be alive.”

    I could hear her words ringing in my ears, echoing with the weight of truth.

    I mped my hands over my ears, trying to shut out the memories, the guilt. “STOP!”

    I couldn’t take it. The truth was suffocating me.

    “Do you remember now?” Her voice was harsh.

    I closed my eyes, feeling the weight of her words crash down on me. “How many times do iyou /ihave to remind me of that, Amara?” I asked, cracking, weak. “How many?”

    She crossed her arms, smirking. “As many times as it takes for you to remember that you owe me. You owe me and Bryn.”

    She leaned in closer, a sneer curling her lips. “So, when can I hear the good news about ra’s death?”

    My stomach turned at the thought of it, but I stood firm. “You won’t.”

    my voice

    Her eyes widened with fury. “Are you kidding me? iYou /ireally let her get into your head, didn’t you?” she spat. “Don’t tell me you’re in love with her.”

    “I’m not.” The words were sharp, a little too sharp. “But she’s pregnant, Amara. I can’t kill a pregnant woman.”

    I turned on my heel, every muscle in my body tensed, ready to escape. But before I could go too far, her voice rang out behind me.

    “If you won’t do it, I’ll find someone who will!” she yelled, her words carrying through the graveyard.

    I stopped, frozen. My heart pounded as I turned back to face her. “Then you leave me no choice but to report this to the King.”

    “Fine,” she snapped, her voice trembling with rage. “Go tell him. I’ll just tell him you tried to kill her yourself.”

    I gritted my teeth. She had no idea what she was getting herself into.

    I turned, walking away without another word, her angry cries fading into the distance.

    By the time I returned to the castle, night had already fallen. My mind was a whirlwind, but I was determined to see ra, to talk to her. But just as I approached the gate, a soldier stopped me.

    “The King needs you, Dario. He’s waiting at the training field.”

    I felt a wave of confusion wash over me, but I nodded, turning in the direction he pointed. When I reached the field, the lights were out.

    Before I could call out, someone flicked the switch, and the field lit up, revealing a makeshift baseball setup.

    “Hey, you like this?” Dorian’s voice rang out from the other side, followed by ra, who was holding a baseball bat.

    I blinked in surprise. “You… you set this up?”

    “Yeah. You, me, and Nora used to y here all the time when we were kids,” Den grinned, tossing me a ball. “Come on, you’re the pitcher bfor /bthis round.”

    I stared at the scene in disbelief, still trying to shake off the tension from my earlier encounter. “But, I thought byou /bhad meetings all bday/bb./b”

    b07:39 /bbMon/bb, /b1 bSept /b

    Dorian’s grin deepened. “Yeah, well. Memories are inore important right now.” He tossed the ball again, and caught it, a grincreasing up in imy /iface despite everything.

    “Nora taught me how to y.” I said, my voice quiet. “And you taught me how to swing.”

    Dorian chuckled. “And you’ve gotten a hell of a lot better since then.”

    As the night wore on, I found myself in the middle of an impromptu game. The sounds ofughter, the crack of the bat, and the cheers filled the air, momentarily pushing all my worries aside.

    During halftime, I found myself sitting next to ra, catching my breath.

    She handed me a towel, and I took it, unsure of how to start. “I… I just wanted to say-

    Sheughed lightly, cutting me off. “You want to apologize for being a jerk. It’s okay, Dario. We’re even now!

    I shifted ufortably, my cheeks flushing. “Yeah, I guess I owe you one.”

    She smiled softly, but there was a sadness behind her eyes. “I’ve got a brother too,” she said, her ivoice /iquieter now. “I miss him more than anything I’d do anything to have him back, even if it’s just onest hike together.”

    I studied her, taking in the sadness she couldn’t hide. “Your brother’s Alpha Cael, right?”

    Her eyes softened. “Yeah. You know him?”

    “I’ve heard of him,” I said quietly, my thoughts turning toward my own brother, my own loss.

    She nodded, almost as if she knew where my mind had gone. “Thanks, Dario. For… understanding.”

    I smiled, my heart a little lighter. For a moment, I could almost forget about the mess Amara had dragged me into.

    b.t

    But I couldn’t forget ra’s words. She needed me. And no matter what happened, I was going to help her escape this madness.