Chapter 200
I sat down across from him, keeping my posture straight and distant.
He said nothing at first, just stared at me with an expression I couldn’t quite read.
The silence stretched until I couldn’t bear it anymore.
“What do you want, Ryan?”
My voice was sharp, cutting through the tension.
His lips parted, but his voice came out low, almost a whisper.
“It wasn’t supposed to be like this.”
I tilted my head, unimpressed.
“And how, exactly, was it supposed to be?”
“Moon Shadow and Stardust–both packs were meant to be mine,” he said, his tone growing more desperate.
“We were supposed to rule them together, Sophia. You loved me once. We lived together. You were carrying my child.”
The air left my lungs in a rush.
I stared at him, my pulse racing.
“What are you talking about?”
His gaze locked onto mine, dark and unwavering.
You
remember it, don’t you? I do. Every moment. Every mistake.”
The scar on his forehead–the one he’d earned when I pushed him down the stairs–was a stark reminder.
My breath hitched as realization dawned.
He remembered everything from our past life.
The Alpha’s Subsgute Lune. Al
Anger surged, swift and hot.
“You relied on me for everything.” I spat.
“You used me, betrayed me, and when you didn’t need me anymore, you and your accomplices killed me. I was carrying your child, Ryan. “Our child. And you threw it all away.”
Ryan’s expression twisted with anguish. “I regret it, Sophia. I swear I do. I was wrong.”
“Regret doesn’t erase the past,” I shot back, my voice trembling with fury.
“You’re nothing but a man consumed by ambition, Ryan. Don’t pretend any of it was for me.”
His chair screeched against the floor as he stood abruptly, his chains clinking.
“I tried to change!” he shouted, his voice cracking.
“I remembered too late, but I tried. That day at the frozen lake, when I found the ring you threw away, it all came back to me. I wanted to start over, but you wouldn’t let me in. So I did the only thing I knew–I tried to keep you close, by force if I had to.”
I shook my head, disgusted.
That wasn’t love, Ryan. That was control.”
He lunged forward, but the enforcers were faster, pinning him back into the chair.
His struggles ceased, and his head hung low.
“I never stopped loving you,” he said softly, almost inaudibly.
I stood, my chair scraping loudly against the floor.
“Love? You don’t know the meaning of the word. If you ever loved me, you wouldn’t have destroyed
- me. Now, the only thing left for you to do is take responsibility for your crimes.”
With that, I turned on my heel and left the room.
I didn’t look back.
Outside, the winter wind bit on my cheeks as I exited the council building.
Sopwflakes swirled in the air, settling on my coat and hair.
„The Alpha’s Sidestitute Lune. A Heart Unimed. A Saul Bohnen
Lirian was waiting for me by the steps, his presence a beacon of warmth against the cold.
How did it go?” he asked, his voice gentle.
I let out a shaky breath.
“It’s over. He’s over.”
Lirian wrapped an arm around my shoulders, pulling me close. “Good,” he said simply.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, pulling me out of my thoughts.
It was Zane.
“The Institute’s ready,” he said cheerfully. “We’re starting the next experiment tonight.”
I smiled, grateful for the distraction.
“Good luck, Zane. Let me know if you need anything. You have my full support.”
“Thanks, Sophia,” he replied. “And hey–don’t let Lirian get too comfortable. Make him work for your love.”
chuckled and ended the call, my spirits lifting.
Another message came through, this time from Josiah.
*Ethan and I are at the restaurant, waiting for you. The potluck’s about to start. Hurry up!*
I showed the message to Lirian, who smiled. “Ready to celebrate?” he asked.
I nodded. “Ready to finally move on.”
The moon hung like a pale shard of silver against the deep inkiness of the sky, casting its soft light over the world below.
Its glow bathed the street as Lirian and I strolled hand in hand.
The air was crisp and quiet, save for the occasional rustling of leaves.
In my pocket, I clenched the notice tightly.
The paper had grown wrinkled from my restless fingers, betraying the nervousness that churned
within me.
Chapter 300
Eglanced at Lirian, his serene expression offering comfort, but before I could muster the courage to share my thoughts, his phone buzzed sharply, shattering the stillness.
