CHAPTER 187: CHAPTER 187

[SAMANTHA’s Point of View]

Guilt spread all over my chest as I looked at Killian. Yes. I technically betrayed him after I promised him that I would never put him in a situation where Brianne and the MoonStone pack’s safety would be in danger. But there I was, denying everything I said because all I wanted was for this to end! We had to stop Olivia from whatever she was planning to do with what was inside that sarcophagus.

But if we manage to destroy Olivia and her darklings, will Killian be destroyed with them too?

That thought terrified me. I didn’t know how their connection worked. Maybe we could take the curse out of Killian’s body, or he could die with them. I gazed at the MoonStone Alpha with terror in my eyes, and I wasn’t sure if I could still do this or not.

Dominic’s eyes darkened as he saw the emotions swimming in my teary eyes, and his jaw stiffened. I wasn’t sure what was running in his head, but I could tell it made him hate Killian more at that moment.

“You can’t do this to me, Sam!” Killian snarled, trembling in rage as he glared at me. “You can’t do this to the MoonStone pack and Brianne!”

The MoonStone pack was my home for so many years. He was right. I could never betray his people, who once treated me as family and friends. I couldn’t put them all in danger, especially his mate. Brianne had a reason to hate me, but she chose not to. She never wanted Killian to be part of any of this, but because she loved him, she let him use her power to help me and my twins.

He was right. I couldn’t let this happen to them.

I lowered my eyes and that’s when the tears started to roll down my face. My lips quivered, and my fingers trembled. “Dominic, let’s go home.”

“What are you saying, Samantha!? We are already here! The keys are in our hands and the answer is just lying above us! We have to keep going!”

“Killian is right.” I looked at my husband, begging, as I embraced myself just to stop my body from shaking from both cold and grief. “I can’t do this to them, Dominic. I can’t let Olivia hurt the MoonStone people and Brianne.”

There was relief on Killian’s face. I watched how all the tension left his body as he gave me a grateful look. I could tell he was scared. He was serious that Olivia indeed threatened his pack and his mate just so he would do whatever she said. But despite all of it, despite him having no choice but to do Olivia’s bidding, Killian still made sure that every time we  fell into Olivia’s hands, we could still manage to escape and make it out alive.

“We are not sure when we can have this chance, Samantha.” Dominic looked at me, trying to change my mind because he was right. “If we walk away and leave this place without taking action, we will miss our only chance to discover what was inside the Wolf Tomb. Are you willing to do that when we are so close to the truth?”

“Shut up, Dominic! You only care about yourself!” Killian snarled at my husband. “You are only doing this so the Fang Trinity would stop pestering your pack. You don’t care what happens to other people as long as you and your people are safe!”

Dominic’s eyes glinted red as he bared his razor-sharp teeth to the MoonStone Alpha. “I am doing this for my Luna and my children, *sshole. I don’t care what happens to the rest of the world as long as my family is safe and alive! They can burn the rest of the world if it means Samantha, Devon, and Diana will survive this!”

There was shame on Killian’s face when he lowered his eyes from Dominic. Frozen, I looked at my husband with awe because I had never expected to hear those words from his lips. Dominic’s face was slightly red as he averted his eyes from me, but his jaw was still stiff as he curled his hands tightly into fists.

He wouldn’t let Killian have the Wolf Tomb.

I was worried that it would be too late for us to decide what to do. If Killian’s words were true, Olivia and her darkling would arrive soon, and it would be too late for us to escape this place alive.

“I don’t think you have to worry about that phantom shadow and her darklings.”

All three of us moved away from the direction the voice came from and crouched, ready to defend or attack.

“Who are you!” Killian snarled; his throat was ripping with the sound of both confusion and fear. “Show yourself!”

From the darkest part of the basement appeared a shadow that formed into a tall, tanned man with white hair and turquoise eyes. His beauty was mesmerizing at first until he stepped into the light, and he turned into an old man in his early sixties.

“How did you—”

“We don’t have time for any more explanation. I am here to help!”

Killian and I couldn’t stop being hostile to the guy, not knowing if he was indeed a friend or a foe who wanted the thing that was in the Wolf Tomb for himself. At this point, we couldn’t trust anyone anymore because one wrong move meant death for us all.

We both looked at Dominic and were surprised to see that my husband was simply staring at him. His body was relaxed as if he didn’t sense any danger from the stranger. Like he knew him. Very well.

“Lord Markis.”

My eyes widened. I heard that name before, but I couldn’t recall. Wait... was he that guy in the portrait at Dominic’s office who was standing next to his father? He was Lord Markis, the former Beta of the Silver Crescent pack!

“That can’t be possible. The former Beta died in the war together with the elite guards of the Alpha bloodline!” I blurted in disbelief. “It couldn’t be him!”

"My love, I wish my eyes were also deceiving me. But here, in front of us, stands the former Beta who served under my father for two hundred years. I know him because he was one of my mentors and a war strategist. My wolf and I knew his presence so well, like how I recognize all of my subordinates.”

Killian glared at both Dominic and the stranger. He realized that the fight was now disadvantaged because my husband had gained a new ally. But was Lord Markis an ally to Dominic? Could he be trusted? I barely knew the man. What if he appeared before us to make us believe that he was here to help, but, in truth, was interested as well in what was inside the Wolf Tomb?

We couldn’t risk it.

“Why do you want to help us?” I asked, stepping forward to interrogate the man. Dominic, despite his assurance that the old man was indeed Lord Markis, grabbed my hand and stopped me from getting too near. I looked at my husband, and he shook his head gently with a warning look, as if telling me I still had to be careful.

“Because I know what is going on.” Lord Markis answered as his wrinkly eyes fixed on me. “Because I know the prophecy of you and the twins. The prophecy about the direct descendants from the Primordial Bloodline who will stop the Black Claws and the Fang Trinity from destroying this continent.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. We don’t have that kind of strength to stop—”

“Maybe now you haven’t.” The old man then turned to Dominic. His stare lingered on the Silver Crescent Alpha like a father longing for his child. “But with the help of the man who is destined to be with you, you will have the strength to fight against these vile creatures and drive them away from these lands.”

Killian looked away when Lord Markis looked at him as the man said the word “vile”. Pain and resentment were painted all over the MoonStone Alpha as he glared again at the old man.

“Why are you helping us? What do you want?” It was Dominic’s turn to ask. I could tell he was still confused after believing that the man had already died in a war so many years ago and then suddenly appeared in a situation like this. “Have you been watching us all this time?!”

“It is my duty to make sure you will all survive, young Alpha.” Lord Markis smiled weakly, his crooked teeth revealed, making Dominic’s eyes swim with sadness. “I promised your father I will watch over you in the shadows. You and your Luna are the key for the freedom of your kind, Alpha Dominic.”

“How are you going to help us then?” I asked, feeling my heart beat faster after I heard what the old man said. “How are we going to drive Olivia and her darklings away from these lands?!”

“First, you have to know how to unseal the tomb,” the old man murmured with a grin on his face.