Chapter 135
The moon hung low in the sky, casting silver streaks over the mountains. The air felt colder than usual, biting against my skin as I slipped out of the hut. Most of the clan was busy preparing for the full moon, and Gregor had gone with them.
With the full moon approaching I was aware of my impending marriage to Gregor. I was anything but ready.
It felt like I was making a big mistake, but I also didn't feel like I had a say in the matter. Gregor seemed determined to marry me.
With everyone in the village preparing for the full moon, it was the perfect opportunity for me to leave the village. I had never left the village before, but it would be good for me. Maybe seeing a different environment would bring back my memories.
And even though I remembered Gregor's frequent warnings that it was unsafe, I was tired of being cooped up in the village.
It was the perfect chance to leave.
My heart hammered as I moved through the shadows, each step feeling heavier than the last. Rowan's voice echoed in my head — the man from my dreams, his words soft but urgent. Come back to me. I love you. Please remember.
I didn't know why, but the name stirred something deep inside me. It felt real, more real than the life I'd been living here. He was mine. I just knew he was mine.
The path down the mountains was rough, and my breath came in sharp bursts. My legs ached, but I didn't stop. I needed answers. I needed to know who Rowan was. Who I was.
As I reached the edge of a clearing, I froze. Voices drifted through the air, carried by the wind. Men — the soldiers from before. The ones who had come to the village and Gregor had told me to leave. My stomach twisted. Gregor warned me they were dangerous, that they wanted me dead. But something inside me urged me to stay, to listen.
I crept closer, staying hidden behind a thick oak tree. The men were gathered around a fire, their faces weary and hollowed from the cold.
"This is hopeless," one of them muttered, his voice low and rough. "We've been searching for weeks. If the queen was here, she'd have turned up by now."
Queen? My heart skipped. Were they talking about me?
"She's not dead," another man snapped. He was younger, his voice sharper. "The Alpha King wouldn't still be searching if he thought she was gone. He'd feel it — the bond wouldn't let him rest. So he knows she's alive. He just doesn't know where she is."
Alpha King. Rowan? My breath caught in my throat. They were talking about him. It had to be him.
"The bond," the first man scoffed. "What good's a bond if it leads all of us to our deaths? Braam's armies are closing in, and we're out here chasing ghosts. It's only a matter of time before they show up on our doorstep, yet our King has us chasing a ghost."
The third man, who had been quiet, finally spoke. His voice was low, almost reluctant. "Maybe Braam took her. That was the first option we explored, along with the missing spy from Braam. The queen is from Braam, after all. Maybe they're using her as leverage."
"If Braam really had her, they would show their hand now. They would use as her leverage. But they haven't," the younger man said in annoyance. "So no. They don't have her yet."
My chest tightened. They were talking about me. I was sure they were. Even though I had no proof, I could just tell. I wanted to scream at them, to tell them I was right here — but my body wouldn't move.
"Captured or not, Braam is holding all the cards now. We're barely holding the border. Reports say troops of Braamin soldier enter almost every day. It's hard to keep them away." the first man said bitterly. "And worse, Prince Lucian will be dead soon too. The guy might have been the biggest spoil brat ever but he's good in war strategy. Right now, the Alpha King is unstable, Lucian should be taking the reins, not languishing in prison."
Lucian. The name rang through me like a bell. My head throbbed. Who was Lucian?
"Too bad Prince Reagan has no war experience. So he's as good as useless," the younger one said, his voice quieter now. "The Alpha King's barely hanging on as it is. He's going mad without the Queen. If he loses his brother too..."
My heart pounded louder than ever. His brother. Lucian was Rowan's brother. The memories stirred, just out of reach, like a fog I couldn't quite push through.
The first man sighed, rubbing his hands together near the fire. "Doesn't matter. If we don't find her soon, this war's as good as lost. Alpha King Rowan is blind with grief. Braam will tear him apart."
The third man looked up at the moon, his expression hard. "If she's alive, she's in danger. And if she's dead, then he dies with her. One way or another, we're fucked."
Rowan.
Rowan was the Alpha King.
That was the confirmation that I needed. Even though I couldn't remember, I was right all along. I couldn't stay hidden anymore. My legs moved before my brain could stop them. I stepped forward, ready to call out — but a hand clamped over my mouth, yanking me back.
Panic exploded through me. I thrashed, kicking and struggling, but whoever held me was strong. His arm wrapped around my waist like iron.
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