bChapter /bb77 /b

“Five minutes

Techoed out, my voice low, almost bored and bzy /bas I stared at both Kieran and Aria on the ground with a wide grin

Oh, how time bhad /bchanged in my past lifeb, /bbI /bremembered I was the one on the ground, looking up at them in surprise and disbeliet

Sarprise when Kieran had used me of infidelity, when he had been the one cheating on me all along And disbelief when Aria had told me this had been their n from the very beginning, that everyone’s death had been orchestrated by them just to get the Alpha’s position.

What were theirst words to me then? Oh, I remember, Kieran had said:

“Pack your bags and bleave /bsilently tonight. Don’t think of doing anything stupid, or so help me, you’ll die by my bhands/b.”

And Aria had said:

“Hmph, you deserve all of this.”

Now that I think about it, I realize when I remember what they did to me, I’m not even angry anymore. All I feel is emptiness…and the urge to get my

revenge

“K–Kieran……. it hurts,” bAria /bstammered, her breathing short and rapid as she threw up another mouthful of blood onto Kieran’s face. He closed his eyes, then opened themb, /bhis grip on her tightening bas /bhe held her close, his gaze heavy with worry.

“She has five minutes let, Kieran. If she doesn’t take the antidote by then, she’ll really die. Is that what byou /bwant?” I asked, tilting my head slightly with a smile. “It bseems /blike you don’t breally /bbcare /babout your mate, do you?”

Of course, my words went silent the moment I said ‘mate, and I felt a force m against me hard. But by now, I was used to it. I simply swallowed the

blood band /bstared back at Kieran.

His confused look vanished, reced with hardened fury as he stood from the ground and stalked toward me

I didn’t flinch or step back, even as he towered over me, his eyes locked onto mine. I could see the rage burning there, his jaw clenched tight as he red

bdown /bat me

Usually, that look might have scared someone, might’ve scared me but not now.

Not when I was feeling the same kind of rage.

So I just stared back at him, my expression nk.

“Where is the antidote?” he asked, eyes narrowing at me. “Give me the antidote, Nyssa, and we can talk about bthis /bter but you need to give it to me right now,” he hissed, his hand reaching out to grab me.

I pulled my arm back and rolled my eyes at him in disdain.

This was just going back and forth

“if you think I have the antidote on me, you’re wrong I hid it outside your house, and if you want it, then you’ll have to do exactly what I say.”

I didn’t waste time spelling it out.

“Four minutes left,” added, ncing briefly at the clock.

That was when Kieran snapped

Before I knew it, his hand bshot /bto my neck and he grabbed my throat, pulling me toward him as he shouted in cage

ed in ge

10:17 Thub, /b31 JUN

“Stop it!” beroared. “Stop whatever this is, Nyssal Are you insaneb? /bHow could you poison Aria? She’s your friend! What’s gotten into you? Why are byou /bacting like bthis/b?”

His voice shook with fury, and he stared at me like he was genuinely trying to understand, his grip on my neck tightening, his face inches from mine.

bBut /bI just nced at the clock again and muttered with a grin,

“Three minutes, Kieran. That’s all the time she has left.”

b“/bAhhhhh!”ollied. As Kieran turned to her in panic, she coughed up blood and cried bout /bthrough her/li/ol

Right on cue, Aria’s scream pierced the air again, shrill and agonized. / tears,

“D–do what s–she wants, Kieran… please, do what she wants… it hurts so much… it’s unbearable…

For someone in that much bpain/b,

1, she was the only one with a bit ofmon sense. She got straight to the point

Kieran, on the other hand, kept asking where the antidote was, instead of the more important question how to get it.

“Aria…” he muttered under his breath, but I cut him off with ba /blow chuckle

“You heard her, didn’t byou/b, Kieran? Or would you rather let her die?”

His eyes narrowed at my words. For a moment, he didn’t say anything, he just stared at me, then finally let go of my neck and bstepped /bback.

“What do you want me to do for the antidote?” he asked, ncing at the clock. “We’ve got about three minutes left. Just tell me what you want but swear to the goddess that once you get it, you’ll give Ana the antidote.”

I rubbed my sore, reddened neck, then gave a casual nod.

“Of course I swear to the goddess with my life,” I said, still smiling

Kieran frowned, then clenched his fists and asked

“Tell me what you want for the antidote.”

My eyes twinkled at his words, and I didn’t waste a second. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small bottle, one identical to the one I had forced Aria to drink.

“It’s simple, really,” I said. “If you want to save Aria, then you’ll have to drink this… and die in her ce.”

As soon as I said that, the entire room fell silent. It was as if the air itself had frozen. Kieran’s eyes widened in hsbeliefb, /bband /beven Aria who had been groaning and coughing up blood, paused at my words.

“W–What did you say?” Kieran asked, his voice breaking. He looked at me he wanted tough, like he hoped it was some sick joke but it wasn’t.

Those were the terms. For Aria to survive, Kieran had to die.

If he actually sacrificed himself for bher/b, I’d bgive /bher the antidote. Let her live. She’d be easier to deal withter

Kieranb, /bthough he was the real target. The true threat.

And tonight, I wanted him dead.

“Y you’ve got to be kidding me” bAria /bstammared band /bI chuckled at her words ast bnced /bat the clock before muttering under my breath.

“You’ve got two minutes leh”