?Chapter 315:

“Didn’t tell her, did you?” he said, his voice a perfect replica of Ryder’s, butced with something sharper. Something venomous.

“Don’t fucking touch her,” my Ryder snarled, stepping into the room, his movements deliberate and tense, like he was trying not to spook a wild animal.

The fake Ryder tilted his head, his grin widening.

“Or what?”

Ryder didn’t answer. He just moved, faster than I thought possible, shoving me behind him and putting himself between me and the imposter.

“Jasmine,” he said without looking back at me, his voice tight. “Stay behind me. Don’t move.”

“Exin,” I hissed, my hands gripping the back of his shirt. “Now.” But he didn’t have to.

“Hello, brother,” the imposter said, his voice dripping with venom.

Brother?

Is this some sort of dream, or am I hallucinating?

Just when I thought everything was finallying to an end, another blow struck. What else was left?

My blood ran cold. “Brother?” I repeated, my voice barely a whisper.

Ryder’s entire body froze. When he finally spoke, his voice was hoarse, like the words were wing their way out of him.

“Aiden.”

The namended like a bomb.

The fake Ryder—Aidenughed, the sound like nails on a chalkboard. “You thought I was dead, didn’t you? That you got rid of me for good.”

Ryder’s shoulders stiffened, his hand flexing at his side. “You are dead.”

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Aiden’s grin turned feral. “Guess you were wrong.”

I stepped out from behind Ryder before he could stop me, my pulse pounding in my ears. “Someone exin. Now,” I demanded, my gaze bouncing between them.

Ryder reached for me, his hand wrapping around my wrist. “This isn’t your fight, Jasmine,” he said through gritted teeth.

“Like hell it isn’t!” I snapped, pulling free. “You have a brother? Him? And you didn’t think to mention that?!”

Aiden’s grin widened, his dark eyes glinting with malicious delight. “She doesn’t know, does she? About me. About what you did.”

Ryder’s jaw tightened, his silence speaking volumes.

“Tell her,” Aiden taunted, stepping closer. “Tell her how you betrayed your own blood. How you left me to die.”

“That’s enough,” Ryder growled, his voice low and dangerous.

But Aiden wasn’t done.

“Or should I tell her?” he continued, his tone mocking. “Should I tell her the truth about who you really are?”

I turned to Ryder, my chest tightening. “Ryder, what is he talking about?”

Ryder’s eyes met mine, and for the first time since I’d met him, I saw fear. Real, raw fear.

“I didn’t know,” he said, his voice barely audible. “Jasmine, I thought he was dead.”

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