Mira's hands kept shaking as she held the envelope. The white envelope in her hand felt heavier with her name written on it boldly. She held it in her hand and felt a little bit of disappointment for breaking the trust of going through his things behind his back but was still glad she did for uncovering a letter in her name.
Her name was scrawled across the front in Dane's familiar handwriting. He left this for me, it must have its weight of importance with it. She thought while still looking closely at the document in her hand.
The room was scarily quiet except for the slow, rhythmic beeping of Dane's heart monitor. It has been calm since the departure of Silas.
She took a shaky breath and opened the letter.
Mira,
I should have told you sooner; for that, I am sorry. I've known for months. I suspected it the first time I saw the way you fought, the way you moved. But when I felt it, the energy in you, I knew. You are not just an ordinary human, not even an ordinary wolf. You are like me. A descendant of the lost bloodline.
You have power inside you, something even you don't understand yet.
I wanted to protect you, but not for the reasons you think. Not because I care for you, but because I was afraid. Afraid of what you might become. Afraid that if I failed, history would repeat itself. And it would be my fault.
I should have told you the truth. But instead, I kept you close. I let you trust me. And now, it might be too late.
Forgive me. Or don't. Just survive. The most important thing now is your survival. Our kind is very scarce now, and we need to protect the bloodline.
–Dane
Mira's fingers tightened around the paper. She felt like the air had been knocked out of her.
Dane had known. For months. Not only that—he hadn't protected her because he loved her. He had done it out of guilt, he had done it out of fear of what she might become which was more like others. She stood there and thought within her, what exactly have I been turned into? I used to be a strict investigative journalist and now am somehow a freak among werewolves and not even human anymore.
A bitter taste rose in her throat. All those moments, all those times he had looked at her with something unreadable in his eyes—it wasn't affection. It was fear.
Mira let out a shaky breath, her heart pounding in her ears.
She turned, staring at Dane's unconscious form. His face was pale, his breathing still weak.
Why didn't you tell me? Why did you let me believe it was for other reasons?
Her chest filled with anger, confusion, and something she didn't want to name.
She had trusted him. She had cared for him. She took his care to the extreme and was even ready to shake the world to save him. And he had been lying to her all along. She looked at him and felt everyone seemed to want her close for personal reasons alone.
A low groan broke the silence. Mira's eyes shifted to Dane. His fingers twitched. His breathing changed. Then, with a sharp breathing in, his eyes opened.
Mira's heart seized. His dark gaze remained on her. For a moment, they both looked at each other and said nothing.
Then, in a calm voice, he said, "Mira…?"
Her throat tightened. She wanted to scream at him, request answers to her various questions, and most importantly, the letter she just discovered. But before she could say a word.
Silas stood there, breathing hard. His face was unfriendly. He was expected to appreciate the waking up of Dane, but instead.
"We have a problem," he said, with his voice filled with urgency
Mira's stomach dropped. "What is it? What could be the issue for you not to even acknowledge the waking up of Dane?"
Silas clenched his jaw and took his gaze straight at Dane on the bed.
"Voss Tower is under attack. I am sorry, but this is more pressing."
An explosion rocked the building. Mira grabbed the edge of the bed as the floor underneath them shook. The lights flickered.
Dane, still weak, tried to sit up. His body was tired and stressed, his muscles straining, but the pain was clear on his face. He looked helpless, like the shadow of his true self.
Silas was already moving. "We don't have time. We have to go now!"
Mira's heart pounded. "Who's attacking? Where is the attack coming from? How did they infiltrate our defenses?"
Silas's expression darkened.
"Lucian. He came fully prepared."
The name made her whole body shiver.
Dane's hands clenched into fists. "Lucian again."
"He's developed a coup within our ranks," Silas said. "Half the pack has already turned against us. The rest are hardly holding them off. They came at us in numbers, and we never expected an attack within us, and I believe your demise may also have contributed to the uprising among the pack."
Mira's mind raced. Lucian planned this.
He had let her go because he wanted her to bring the warning to Dane, but too late.
A sudden crash sounded through the halls.
"Move!" Silas shouted.
Mira didn't hesitate. She grabbed Dane's arm, helping him stand. He was weak, but his jaw was set with determination.
Silas led the way into the hall. The moment they stepped out, the smell of blood hit Mira's nose.
Bodies. Wolves, some she recognized, some she didn't.
And standing at the far end of the hall, Lucian. He was seen shouting orders to his troops and pointing fingers on who and where to attack.
His golden eyes shone and were filled with something that looked like satisfaction.
"You're awake," he said, looking straight at Dane. "Good. I want you to see this. This wouldn't have been completed without your absence, and I wouldn't be fulfilled if you were not here. I have been with you, and I know all your tactics."
Dane growled, but he was still too weak to shift. Mira felt his body shaking against hers.
Lucian smiled. "Voss Tower is mine now, Alpha."