Chapter 7
The look on Kayla’s face made Ana feel as if her heart was being ripped apart, but she forced herself to stay calm.
She knew she was the only person Kayla trusted, the only one she could lean on. And now even that was slipping away.
The weight of Kayla’s pain pressed against her chest, and it nearly crushed her.
Ana wished she had the strength to fight, to stop the arrest, to stay with her and make sure she took her bounty of nature.
But the truth was undeniable. She had broken the law the moment she stepped into the culinary hall where she did not belong.
Cedric, on the other hand, was beaming with satisfaction. He knew that the crime Ana had committed was a treasonous offense, and the Moon Lord wouldn’t wait for Zayron’s return before delivering a sentence.
He stepped closer to Ana, lowering his voice so only she could hear.
“In your next life, never dare to cross Cedric,” he whispered. “If you ever hear my name, you will run.”
Ana ignored him, acting as if he hadn't spoken. She refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing her react.
Max, who had been watching the scene unfold, suddenly stepped forward. He turned to Alpha Denzel.
“I want to speak with Ana,” he said.
Denzel studied him for a moment before nodding.
“I’ll allow it, only because of what you did the day she healed my cursed wound.”
Max stepped closer, his eyes filled with concern. Ana lowered her gaze to the ground.
The thing that pained her the most was Zayron’s absence. She knew that if he had been here, none of this would be happening.
Everyone would feel safe, as if the eyes of the Moon Goddess were watching over them. But now that he was gone, the air was thick with fear.
Max hesitated, then spoke.
“I know you didn’t do it. But I still have to ask, did you? Even by mistake?”
Ana shook her head. She lifted her gaze to Kayla, then back to Max.
“I need you to keep your eyes on Kayla,” she said softly. “She acts strong, but she’s not as invincible as she pretends to be. Don’t let her stubbornness push you away.”
Max’s brows furrowed.
“Make her meals yourself,” Ana continued. “Don’t let anyone else do it. Right now, you’re the only one I trust.”
“Ana”
“I don’t know what will happen when I get there,” Ana interrupted. “Maybe I’ll return. Maybe I won’t. But if I don’t, promise me you’ll protect her until Alpha Zayron returns.”
Max swallowed hard.
“Don’t talk like that”
“Promise me,” Ana insisted.
“I promise.”
“Thank you,” she murmured and turned to leave.
Max quickly grabbed her wrist and stopped her. He stepped closer, lowering his voice as he spoke.
“I love you, Ana.”
Ana looked at him for a long moment, then slowly pulled her hand away from his grasp. Without another word, she turned and walked toward the waiting chopper. She didn’t look back.
As the chopper ascended and disappeared into the sky, Kayla felt her knees weaken. A deep sense of unease settled in her chest.
What evil had been unleashed? No matter how hard she tried, her mind couldn’t come up with an answer.
She clenched her fists. She needed to reach Zayron. But since only the Great Southern Council could communicate with those at the continental healing, and with Zayron being so far away, their mind link wasn’t working. The frustration clawed at her.
Cedric stepped forward, a smirk playing at his lips.
“You should have gone with her,” he said.
“At least if they plan to kill Ana, your presence might have helped reduce the punishment to just locking her up. But now? You let her go alone. By tomorrow, everyone will hear she’s been executed.”
Kayla turned sharply, her red-rimmed eyes fixing on Cedric with pure hatred.
“Disappear from my sight,” she said coldly.
Cedric merely shrugged. With slow, deliberate steps, he turned and walked away, the small victory reflected in the way he carried himself.
Kayla turned to Max.
“Go and call my aunt.”
Max hesitated. For a moment, Kayla was confused. Then she realized she had forgotten how much Max hated Aunt Seraphina.
But to her relief, Max didn’t argue. Without another word, he spun around and walked off.
Inside the chopper, Alpha Denzel sat beside Ana, his sharp eyes fixed on her. Ana, however, kept her gaze straight ahead, refusing to acknowledge him.
Minutes passed in silence before Denzel finally spoke.
“You told me you know someone with the same kind of blood,” he said. “Why did you steal it? Why take such a risk when you can always meet your friend or whoever the person who has similar blood is to you?”
“I didn’t steal anything,” Ana said without blinking.
After a long silence, Alpha Denzel exhaled, then leaned closer.
“I believe you, Ana,” he said, “but the Great Southern Council won’t. You know that, right?”
Still, Ana said nothing.
Denzel’s voice softened.
“I can save you.”
That sentence made Ana finally turn her head. Her eyes met his.
“How?” she asked.
“Grant me one request and watch how I will shift this impending death to someone else.”
“Shift it to who?”
“Just grant my request first.”
“What request?” Ana asked.
Denzel’s lips curled into a slow smile.
“Be my chosen mate.”
Ana sighed, turned her head back, and continued staring forward as if he hadn’t spoken.
Denzel reached out, attempting to grab her hand, but before his fingers could touch her, Ana spoke.
“Don’t touch me.”
Denzel leaned back in his seat, watching her.
“Is it because of that lowlife Beta who follows you around like a lost pup?”
Ana’s eyes flickered.
“Max is not a lowlife. He is a good man.”
Denzel scoffed.
“A good man? That’s all?”
Ana turned to face Alpha Denzel fully now.
“He is loyal. Kind. Protective. Qualities you should admire in a Beta, not mock him.”
Denzel let out a low chuckle.
“Loyalty doesn’t save lives, Ana. Power does. And right now, you need power. I can give you that.”
Ana shook her head.
“What you’re offering isn’t power. It’s control. And I will never belong to a man who sees me as a prize to claim.”
“You’re making a mistake, Ana.”
Ana looked back out the window, her voice even as she responded.
“No, Alpha Denzel. I’m not making a mistake. I'm making a choice.”
The rest of the flight was silent. By the time they arrived at the Obsidian Tower, the sun was beginning to set, painting the sky in shades of orange and deep purple.
As the chopper landed, guards immediately stepped forward, prepared to take Ana into custody until the panel that would question her was assembled and summoned her to defend herself.
She took a deep breath and stepped out without hesitation. She had already accepted that whatever happened next was out of her control.
Back in the Veridia region, the Alphas surrounding Alpha Zayron and his shadow caster refused to give them any space. Even as night began to fall, Zayron had expected them to leave, but none of them did.
He kept reminding them that they were returning tomorrow, and they kept agreeing.
But Zayron didn’t know the truth. After carrying out their plan that night, he would no longer be talking about leaving. Instead, he would be talking about wiping all the Ashokan wolves off the Veridia region.
As the night deepened, a hooded figure, draped in black, moved toward the exit.
Zayron’s instincts kicked in immediately. He quickly stood and shouted, “Stop there and show yourself!”
Before he could act further, Alpha Dracon, who was sitting beside him, grabbed his arm.
“Sit down,” Dracon said.
“That’s Samira, the she-wolf who claims to be your mate. She’s going to the woods to perform a powerful ritual to claim you back.”
Zayron’s first instinct was to chase after her, but the Alphas around him quickly spoke up.
“You should leave her,” one said. “You have a pregnant mate to protect. What if you leave and enemies come? She can’t shift and fight.”
Zayron forced himself to sit back down. The shadow caster sitting beside him suddenly stood up. Zayron turned to her immediately.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
“I need to use the toilet,” she replied calmly.
Zayron stood and led her to the ensuite toilet inside the room they sat in front of. He opened the door for her, then closed it once she entered.
Zayron returned to the Alphas, but his gaze never left the toilet door.