Chapter 188
Though he managed to bring them down, he emerged bloodied and barely standing.
I dragged him home, tears streaming down my face as I begged Ethan to save him.
Ethan, with a heavy sigh, relented, his usual disapproval tempered by the loyalty Ryan had shown in
that moment.
For a time. I believed in Ryan’s sincerity.
thought his love for me was unshakable.
But love, I would later learn, could be divided, shared, and even squandered.
Ryan’s voice pulled me back to the present.
“Ragnar contacted me a few days ago,” he said, his tone serious. “I warned you this morning for a
reason. He’s not someone to take lightly.”
I raised an eyebrow. “And I’m supposed to believe you’re looking out for me now?”
He frowned, a flicker of frustration crossing his face. “You’re the person I love, Sophia. Of course, I’d
help you.”
His words made my chest tighten, but not in the way they once might have.
I met his gaze, my expression unreadable. “If you truly loved me,” I said quietly, “you’d give up your illegal businesses. They’re destroying lives, Ryan. They’re destroying you.”
Ryan froze, the weight of my words hanging heavily between us.
He stared at me, his usual confidence faltering. “You really think I should give it all up?”
I nodded firmly. “I know what those drugs are doing. I’ve seen the rogues at the border–completely unhinged. That’s your legacy, Ryan. Is that what you want to leave behind?”
He seemed to wrestle with himself, his jaw tightening as he looked away.
After a moment, he spoke again, his voice softer. “If I give it all up… would you be willing to be my
Luna?”
Chapter 88
he words hung in the air, heavy and surreal.
The
stared at Ryan, unable to process what I had just heard. Did he truly expect me to agree?
My heart raced, my instincts screaming at me to refuse, yet the shock rendered me speechless.
Before I could muster a response, Ryan’s expression shifted, and he laughed lightly.
“Relax. I’m joking,” he said, his tone casual.
But the glint in his eyes told a different story.
“I couldn’t give up those businesses even if I wanted to. Do you think I want to go back to being the poor kid who had no place to call home? Back then, I didn’t even have a coin to my name. Money gives me power and security. And only with that power can I marry the woman I love.”
His words hit me like a slap..
My chest tightened as memories of our past life rushed in unbidden.
That’s not true, Ryan. I wanted to shout.
In our previous life, you had nothing, and I still chose you without hesitation.
But I didn’t speak.
My silence must have emboldened him, because Ryan stepped closer.
His voice softened, but his words carried a strange, unsettling weight.
“Time is running out, Sophia,” he said, his eyes locking onto mine. “You’ll be my Luna soon. It’s
inevitable.”
His calm demeanor, paired with the flicker of madness in his gaze, sent shivers down my spine.
A knot of unease twisted in my stomach, spreading a cold dread through my veins. Something about his tone told me he truly believed it–and that terrified me.
A loud screech of brakes shattered the moment,
I turned instinctively toward the sound coming from outside the yard.
When I glanced back, Ryan was gone, leaving no trace behind.
Two figures stepped out of the vehicle parked outside the gate.
To my surprise, it was Ethan and Lirian.
Ethan looked exhausted, his usual sharpness dulled by fatigue. When he spotted me, his face lit up with surprise and relief.
“Sophia, what are you doing here?” he asked, striding over to me.
“I came back because of the rogue attacks at the border,” I explained, my tone laced with concern. “I needed to discuss the situation with you.”
Ethan nodded grimly, running a hand through his hair.
I
The situation is worse than I expected,” he admitted. “Their numbers are growing, and they’re more reckless than ever. We’ve seen signs that they’re being influenced by some kind of substance.”
I nodded, my expression hardening.
I’ve been targeting Ryan’s underground operations. We’ve cut off several supply routes, but it’s only made him more desperate.”
At the mention of Ryan, Lirian’s brow furrowed deeply.
His posture stiffened, and his nostrils flared, as though he had caught the scent of something
unpleasant.
“Was Ryan here?” he asked, his voice sharp with suspicion.
The Alpler’s Subotine Luna. Allesat Claimed & Soul Reborn
