CHAPTER 67: THE TEST RESULTS ARE OUT, ISN’T IT?

"Your brothers," Leo said, locking eyes with her. "This incident is only going to pull them even closer to you. They already love you and go out of their way to protect you, but after this? That affection will only intensify. Maybe they’re acting on instinct, maybe it’s guilt, or maybe it’s because they genuinely want to protect you....as someone important, someone they’ve failed before. Or perhaps they see you as a precious treasure they can’t afford to lose again. I can’t say for certain which one it is..."

Victoria’s eyes narrowed, her tone cold and unwavering as she interrupted. "They all have memories of the past life....maybe not the full picture, but enough. That’s the only explanation for their sudden kindness and attention. Whether it’s genuine or just a game, I don’t care. I know exactly why I’m back in this family, and once I find what I’m looking for, I’ll burn everything down and walk away like I was never here."

She leaned forward slightly, her voice quieter now but no less sharp. "Anyway... were you able to get anything from Anna? Any memories?"

Leo exhaled slowly, frustration flickering across his face. "No. Nothing at all. Which only confirms that she knows something. She’s connected to your past, that much is clear. And the way she looked at you earlier... it wasn’t ordinary. It was shock...recognition. That’s more than what the Alpha brothers have. They dream, yes, but they haven’t even seen your face in those dreams. Anna definitely has. She knew you the moment she laid eyes on you."

Victoria’s expression darkened as she slumped back slightly, a hand brushing through her hair. "That’s not good. If she truly recognized me, she could blow everything. She’ll expose me to the Alphas."

Leo shook his head. "If she was going to do that, she would have done it already....right from the moment you all returned to the past. Maybe she’s had a change of heart. Or maybe she has always been protecting you in your first life. If that’s the case, then she might want to continue protecting you now." He paused, a troubled look creeping into his features. "But I’m afraid for Anna. Now that she’s back in the pack, she’s in danger."

Victoria frowned, her brows drawing together. "What do you mean by that? Why would she be in danger now?"

Leo hesitated, then spoke in a low, serious tone. "Her death won’t be linked to you or me, I can promise you that. Once we get out of this dungeon, we’ll be free of suspicion. But Anna will still be vulnerable. There are people in your family....those who remember the first life....who know she’s aware. And I’m sorry to say it, but they’ll want her gone if she’s a threat."

He looked at Victoria pointedly. "And if you decide to confront them about it, they’ll tell you they did it to protect you. They’ll justify it as a necessary evil."

Victoria let out a bitter laugh, devoid of humor. "Of course they will. They all still believe I’m that clueless, innocent girl who knows nothing. But the truth is... none of them ever sat me down to ask me real questions. Not once. They just assumed that because I was sweet and quiet when I arrived at the mansion, that I must not remember anything. They believed that if I truly had my memories, I’d be angry or lashing out. So they got comfortable."

Leo nodded gravely. "Exactly. And you must already know the person most eager to silence Anna."

He leaned back against the wall, folding his arms. "It could be Mirabel. Her mother too. But even then, you can’t be certain. Even if your brothers and fathers are smiling and playing the part of the loving family, you can’t know who’s truly dangerous among them in this life. If I’m judging based on your first life... then I’d say they’re all capable of evil. Every single one of them."

He continued, his tone sharp. "I’m almost certain the three Alpha brothers are safe for now even though your family knows they’ve remembered pieces of the past, and even though they once betrayed your bloodline... your family won’t move against them yet. Why? Because Mirabel is keeping them in check. She’s using seduction....giving them sex, manipulating their emotions. She knows they only have fragments of memory, not the full truth. So she’s relaxed for now.

Victoria drew in a slow, shaky breath as she shifted uncomfortably.

Leo’s eyes narrowed. "In your first life, your family was betrayed by the Alphas. They won’t let that repeat. That means they won’t sell you to the council like last time....not if they believe keeping you close is the safest option. But whether they’ve truly repented or not... we can’t know."

He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "If they’ve changed, if they really want to protect you now even if it means manipulating the Alphas into turning against you. They’ll do whatever it takes. So, Victoria... you need to be extremely careful from here on out."

"I understand you, Leo," Victoria replied with a heavy sigh, her eyes distant, yet fierce. "I was already prepared for all this the moment I decided to attend the academy. I knew what I was walking into."

Her voice hardened as she continued. "It’s better for the three Alpha’s to hate me anyway. Let their discomfort turn into disgust then, the disgust would fester and rot into pure hatred. I’ve already vowed....I’ll kill them all with my own hands. Those three Alpha bastards... and the council too. Especially that old bastard with the face I’ve never truly seen, the one who used my blood like ink for his accursed experiments. I’ll slaughter them all."

Her hands clenched tightly at her sides, eyes glowing with restrained fury. "And as for my family? They better not have repented. I want them to still have the same agenda they had in my first life. That way, they’ll destroy themselves from within. I won’t even need to lift a finger....they’ll rip each other apart, thinking they’re doing me harm."

She paused briefly before straightening up, her voice steady but cold. "But I’ve been too quiet, Leo. Ever since I arrived at the Ashford estate, I’ve avoided them....my father, my stepmother, my siblings. That ends now. I need to see them... all of them. Watch how they act. Listen to their words. Study their intentions."

Leo nodded, his face serious. "You should. The best way to know your enemies is to walk among them. Share their wine. Laugh at their jokes. And while they drop their guard, you observe... learn where their weaknesses lie. Every word they speak, every glance they exchange, could reveal something vital."

Victoria nodded her head in response with determination in her eyes all while they both waited to be freed from the dungeon.

***

Meanwhile, in the living room...

The mood was tense, yet calm. Darius, Zephyr, Auren, and Nicole were seated on the long velvet sofa, while Anna lay curled up on a separate couch, asleep. Her breathing was steady, though her body still looked fragile. Several doctors had come and gone, all examining her in turn. They had left behind a single drop of medicine now resting in her open palm, yet untouched.

"Well, the test results are out already, isn’t it?" Auren said, his tone dry as he let out a scoff. "Shouldn’t one of us head to the dungeon? I can’t even begin to imagine how scared she must be... the tears she must’ve shed."

Zephyr rolled his eyes with a low chuckle. "Tears? Please. That girl’s tougher than she looks. I bet she didn’t shed a single one. For all we know, she’s down there relaxing with that bodyguard of hers. Who knows? Maybe they’re screwing each other senseless while we’re here."

"That’s disgusting," Nicole muttered under her breath, but Auren spoke up before she could continue.

"No," he said with a sigh, folding his arms across his chest. "She’s not that kind of girl. She’s... strange. Sometimes, she acts delicate, almost helpless.....like someone who couldn’t hurt a fly. But then, other times, she snaps back so fiercely it’s like she becomes someone else entirely. She’s calculating. She studies a place first....studies people before making her move. She’s not reckless. She weighs the consequences of her actions, and only acts when she knows the timing is right."

Nicole snorted. "Just like how she dealt with you, right?" Her eyes flashed with spite. "I heard she kicked you right in the balls and sprayed pepper into your eyes. To me, she’s nothing but an attention-seeking brat. That whole Ashford family reeks of it."

Zephyr’s lips curled into a smirk. "Regardless, I’m still going to fuck her one way or another. Until I do, the rage burning inside me won’t settle. She makes my blood boil."

"And I’ll still make her life a living hell," Auren added darkly, not even flinching. "Her very presence irritates me."

There was a long silence before Darius, who had been quiet until now, finally spoke.

"Whatever you’re planning," he said in a deep, calm voice, "just make sure you don’t kill her. Not until I’ve confirmed what I need to know. The dream has been haunting me more ever since she arrived... and I won’t rest until I get answers from her mouth." He added, more to himself.

"Of course Darius. What’s fun will it be in killing her. I’ll only make sure sfe wishes to die." Auren chimed in with seriousness etched in his tone while Zephyr nodded his head in agreement.