Chapter 83
I didn’t want to think about that right now either.
I had a few hours before I needed to return to the war room. War declarations were inevitable. From then on, my time would be consumed with planning attacks.
I was glad for it. Anything to keep me from thinking about Rachel and our child.
But for now, it wasn’t working as well as I’d hoped. “Why did Gina have to mention her name?” I muttered to myself, my voice echoing in the empty room.
Every time I heard that name, fresh emotions surfaced, and images from that night flashed before my eyes. It was like watching her fall all over again.
All the emotions came crashing like waves–shock, anger, denial… and one emotion I didn’t want to acknowledge.
Grief…
But not just grief. It was a heaviness that had sunk deep into my soul, pressing down on me, tugging at my heart, threatening to drag me under.
Yet I couldn’t acknowledge it, had to keep ignoring it all. Not her and my child… just my heir and a breeder. I tried to convince myself.
1 rubbed my strong hand over my face, turning my thoughts back to the war.
I stayed up all night without a wink of sleep. As dawn broke, close to six o’clock, I made my way to the war room-
exhausted yet determined.
The war room in Emerald Castle was bustling with activity. Alphas and warriors were discussing the border
attacks, and no one dared to ask how I was feeling.
I was grateful for that; I didn’t want to talk about Rachel’s “death.”
Tyler explained the next agenda ite. “We have a witness,” he said, “someone caught near the scene of the northern border village attack.”
Tyler motioned for the guards to bring in the witness. He was a skinny, somewhat dirty middle–aged man who
looked like he might be some kind of merchant.
When he raised his eyes to see my face, he stepped back, his face turning pale.
“You..!” he cried out in terror.
The guards grabbed his shoulders as he whimpered in fear, his eyes wide, emitting the scent of terror.
“Calm down! This is Alpha Nathan! Show respect. Or your head will leave your shoulders instantly!” the guard growled.
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Chapter 83
I observed the man’s strange reaction, an unpleasant thought forming in my mind. My eyes turned gold as I looked at Tyler, who immediately understood my concern.
“It’s all right.” Tyler motioned for the guards not to harm the struggling man. “We’re frightening him.”
Tyler gave the man a cup of water, then spoke in a reassuring tone, I give you my Beta’s honor that you’re safe here. Tell us what you saw.”
Some of the man’s fear seemed to dissipate, though he still edged closer to the door.
Tyler looked around the room and suggested, “We may be too many for the witness to be comfortable. Allow me to speak with him privately. I’ll provide a detailed report via mind link within two hours.”
I nodded my agreement.
Once Tyler had led the witness to a comfortable private room, he communicated with me through our mind link.
Tyler asked the witness, “You can speak freely now. By the Moon Goddess above, no one will harm you.”
“Y–yes, sir,” the man’s voice trembled.
Tyler asked carefully, word by word, “During the border village attack, did you see the man who was just standing in the war room–Alpha Nathan?”
The cup in the witness’s hand dropped to the floor, water splashing.
“Don’t be afraid. You can tell the truth. Alpha Nathan won’t harm you,” Tyler reassured him.
“Y–yes. I saw him… no, not him, but… someone who looked exactly like him… his eyes… his eyes were gold when he was killing…” the witness stammered.
I felt these words through the mind link, and my heart sank.
No one else looked like me except “him.”
After all these years, could the long–lost brother still be alive?
“Carter, have you returned?” I murmured.
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