?Chapter 318:

Aiden’s mockingugh cut me off. “She doesn’t know, does she? The truth?” He cocked his head, his grin widening. “What are you so scared of, Ryder? That she’ll leave you? That she’ll finally see you for what you really are?”

Jasmine looked between us, her face a storm of anger and pain. “One of you is going to start talking, and it’s going to happen right now.”

I held up my hands, stepping closer to her. “Jasmine, please. Just—just let me exin. I’ll tell you everything, I swear. Just… not here. Not like this.”

“Why?” she demanded, her voice rising. “Why not here? Because he’s here? Because he might tell me something you don’t want me to know?”

I flinched, and Aidenughed again, the sound grating.

“You really are pathetic,” he said, shaking his head. “Begging for her to stay like that’s going to fix anything. You think she’ll forgive you? After everything?”

“Shut up, Aiden,” I growled, my voice trembling with fury.

“Make me,” he shot back, stepping closer, his smirk twisting into something cruel. “Or are you too scared of what she’ll hear?”

“Enough!” Jasmine shouted, her voice ringing out like a whip. She turned to Aiden, her eyes narrowing. “You—who the hell even are you? And why do you look exactly like Ryder?”

Aiden’s grin didn’t falter. “Name’s Aiden,” he said smoothly, his tone almost polite. “I’m his brother. The one he conveniently forgot to mention.”

Her gaze snapped to mine, her expression a mix of fury and disbelief. “You have a brother?” she said for the umpteenth time, her voice low and deadly. “A twin brother? And you never told me?”

I opened my mouth, but the words caught in my throat.

“Wow,” Aiden said, pping his hands slowly. “He really didn’t tell you anything, did he? Not about me. Not about what he did. And definitely not about why he’s so goddamn scared of you walking out that door.”

“Aiden, stop,” I said, my voice shaking. “Tell me this isn’t happening, tell me I’m not just losing it.”

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“I can’t—I—” Jasmine shook her head, stepping back. “I can’t do this right now. I need space. I need—I need air.”

“Jasmine, wait,” I pleaded, reaching for her.

Her eyes were misty, and I could see the betrayal. Her gaze looked at me just the way it had stared at Jason.

“You lied to me?” she demanded, her voice cracking.

I turned to her, my heart twisting at the look on her face. “Jasmine, I didn’t—”

“You didn’t what?” she interrupted, her anger ring. “You didn’t think it was important to tell me you had a brother? That he might still be alive?”

“I didn’t know,” I said, my voice low. “I thought he was gone. For good.”

Aidenughed, the sound sharp and bitter. “That’s a nice little story, isn’t it? The noble Alpha, grieving his poor, dead twin. Except you didn’t grieve, did you, Ryder? You were too busy taking everything that was supposed to be mine.”

I stepped toward him, my blood boiling. “You don’t get toe here and twist the truth, Aiden. You tried to take the pack. You wanted to tear everything apart. Don’t act like you’re some fucking victim.”

Jasmine’s gaze darted between us, her breathing in sharp bursts. “What are you talking about? What does he mean, Ryder?”

I didn’t want to answer. Didn’t want to tell her the truth—not like this. But Aiden, as always, couldn’t keep his mouth shut.

“Tell her,” he said, his voice a taunt. “Tell her how you framed me. How you lied to the pack and had me exiled. How you left me to die.”

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